Gen Z: The Dumb Tech

Revival
In response to the pressures of the always-online lifestyle,
some Gen Zers are accelerating demand for simple tech
devices, adopting intentional social media use and driving
a backlash against connected tech. Discover how this could
impact your communication strategies in the years ahead

Cassandra Napoli
06.01.23 - 14 minutes

Polina Tankilevitch / Pexels

Analysis
Rejecting the pull of social media, Gen Z's appetite for lo and no tech is prompting
policymakers and business leaders to rethink strategies.

Gen Z are the first generation to fully come of age online, leaning on social platforms for
support to often detrimental effect. Research is starting to link the rise of social media to
a spike in sadness and depression in recent years among young women, who have
grown up against the backdrop of dangerous comparison culture and panoptic
perfection online.
Social media is taking a toll on users' physical health too, which is igniting interest
among an emerging group of Gen Z (particularly in the US, but set to grow elsewhere in
the years ahead), who are looking to part with smartphones in favour of dumb devices
which can't connect to the internet. These include the flip phones that dominated the
early 2000s (before the dawn of Apple's smartphone in 2007), but also 'feature phones',
which may incorporate hot spots, music and GPS capabilities. While giants such as
Finland's Nokia lead the way, upstarts such as US company Light offer deliberately dumb
devices designed as respite for the chronically logged-on.
Lo-tech lifestyles have evolved from a nostalgic reference point to a necessity, as the
dangerous effects of digital media continue to become clear. A number of emerging
initiatives designed by and for Gen Z are starting to gain ground, such as The Luddites
and the Log Off movements, which are prompting more young people to seek out dumb
tech and adopt more intentional social media use. This will begin to inform a greater
emphasis on digital care, with governments, big tech and brands working with the
collective intent to rewild digital spaces and make them safer. Since digital culture is
now so enmeshed into our lifestyles, brands must lean into care culture and adopt Unsplash / Mike Von

actvertising strategies to help create lasting change.

The emerging appetite for lo and no technology signals an inflection point for Gen Z's
coming of age experience. As they grow aware of the negative side effects of digital
media and opt to push back against it, this will influence a rise in analogue activities and
redefine marketing and retail strategies.

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From nostalgia to necessity
Appetite for nostalgic internet and tech experiences began to take off in 2020 –
from Millennials who craved comfort, and a Gen Z demographic that had begun to
romanticise the pre-connected days. The simplicity of the early internet is now
becoming even more desirable for the chronically online.

Nostalgia: a coping mechanism during tough times, nostalgia provides consumers with
a reminder of simpler days. As youth spent more time logged on during the pandemic,
they began to long for the early days of the web, before comparison culture and mass
misinformation campaigns. WGSN started to track this phenomenon in 2020, when
Millennials and Gen Z began to return to social spaces of the early internet to escape
reality.
Interest in tech nostalgia has coincided with the Y2K revival, as Gen Z in particular
idealises the period when digital devices existed but constant connectivity did not.
TikTok users have revived Y2K gadgets, repurposing them with new use-cases; the iPod
Shuffle, for example, has been taken up as a makeshift hair clip. Interest in the early
2000s and 2010s, a time when many Millennials and Gen Z first came online, is also
influencing a renewed interest in platforms of the era: Tumblr is dominating by Gen Z,
with over 50% of its users now under the age of 25. As a result, we've seen renewed
interest in pop-punk music and indie sleaze fashion, which held sway over the platform
in the 2010s – and demonstrates the reality of accelerated nostalgia cycles in 2023.
There's also been a rising appetite for lo-tech, as youth push back against hyper-
connectivity in favour of simpler (and cheaper) alternatives, and work to rebalance their
relationship with technology. Old-fashioned wired earphones are soaring in popularity.
Satirical account @wireditgirls boasts 13.5k Instagram followers, spotlighting cultural Unsplash / Tuyen Vo

moments from the past where celebrities have been spotted using the tech accessory.
Meanwhile, #WiredItGirls has 353.8m TikTok views, with posts treating the item as a
badge of honour and celebrating the rebellious spirit of "hot girls" wearing wired
earphones while out and about.
Interest in vintage digital cameras has also surfaced among Gen Z, contrasting with their always-
online lifestyles. This is emerging alongside appetites for authenticity and shifting visual norms
around filterless feeds, bad taste and chaos, with youth pushing back against panoptic perfection
and instead embracing the imperfection of photos taken with a digital camera (2.1bn views on
TikTok). Many young people are choosing not to buy new devices with impressive features but
rather cost-friendly relics of the past that provide a familiar grainy, lower-quality image. Ebay
searches for digital cameras jumped 10% between 2021 and 2022

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Necessity: young internet users are chronically online – living life through the prism of
digital culture during a polycrisis era. Here, the doom and gloom of reality is dealt with
via absurdist internet content. In the US, Gen Z spend six hours and 41 minutes online
every day, up 6% from 2021. TikTok is their preferred app, with 67% of US teens using it
and 16% doing so "constantly". The data also shows a similar picture elsewhere, with
136.1m users in LATAM, 227.81m in EMEA and 300m in APAC, while China’s Douyin
boasts 700m DAUs (daily active users) of its own.
The internet is a double-edged sword, on one side empowering youth with knowledge
and offering them social experiences but also exposing them to harm. Time spent online
is taking a physical and emotional toll for teen girls especially. In 2021, 57% in the US
said they endured “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness”, up from 36% in 2011.
Also look to the rise of TikTok tics, as some young women throughout the pandemic
began to suffer from Tourette’s-like symptoms after watching videos by creators with the
disorder. While a McKinsey Health Institute survey reported that Gen Z hold positive
connotations of social media, it also revealed they're more likely than other
demographics to have negative feelings towards it, with women more likely (21%) to
report poor associated mental health compared to 13% of men. Social media is also
being linked to a teen confidence crisis and higher body dysmorphia rates.
Mental health has been called the "defining public health issue of our time" by US
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and a new report aims to connect the dots between
mental health and social media, pushing policymakers, businesses and parents to heed
the warnings and prioritise digital care. The biggest hurdle currently is that technology
is integrated into lifestyles, and for youth, it's all they've ever known. 75% of kids get
Shvets Production / Pexels
their first phone by the age of 12, and the "age of adulthood" on the internet is effectively
13 (the age at which users can join social platforms) – although 40% are already active
A Morning Consult survey has revealed that 54% of Gen Z use social media for over four hours daily,
users between the age of 8 and 12. almost double the amount of time as US adults (28%). Just 4% of US Gen Z said they use social
media for less than one hour daily, compared to 20% of adults
Murthy's report suggests parents adopt tech-free zones in the home, and some young
users are themselves pushing back against being chronically online, seeking out dumb
tech to help them live in the moment. This could trigger a wider youth backlash against
tech that spills over into other demographics in the years ahead.

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 "Teen depression started to rise around 2012, a time that coincides with the popularity of smartphones [and
when] 'likes' on posts became common, and the algorithms started to become more sophisticated to keep
people on social media for longer. That's clearly not a coincidence."

- Jean Twenge, professor of psychology, San Diego State University

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A backlash against tech
Engaging with the internet can release dopamine in the brain, causing users to
experience a high and subsequent withdrawal. Digital addiction now impacts 6%
of the global population, and many young people want to disconnect and enjoy
offline experiences instead.

50% of Gen Z in the US, UK, Canada and Australia want to disconnect from their phones.
Some have already started to invest in healthier digital habits: 30% of US Gen Z set
themselves screen time limits in 2022; others are taking more drastic measures.
Bogged down by the pressures of being online, a cost of living crisis (opting for a dumb
phone could save a user roughly $3k over two years) as well as the threat of privacy
concerns, some Gen Z are swapping smartphones for dumb devices. American Gen Z
actor Dove Cameron has made the switch; creator @skzzolno posted a viral video (3m
views) documenting how she and her friends take $50 flip phones on nights out, to help
them better live in the moment. This movement is contributing to slowing smartphone
sales, which in 2022 experienced their lowest figures since 2013.
HMD Global, which makes Nokia devices, is selling record numbers of feature flip
phones – tens of thousands monthly – with 80% of sales originating in the Middle East,
Africa and India. Sales of feature phones are set to decrease 10% in the next five years as
emerging markets and older global generations embrace smartphones. US sales of
dumb phones, however, could rise around 5%, as concerns around digital media
intensify. Brands such as Light Phone in the US and Punkt in Switzerland are offering
"digitally minimal" devices, with stripped-back functionality and features that prioritise
essential communication.
Cottonbro Studio / Pexels

In a post-connected world, luring in Gen Z will require brands to adopt clever IRL tactics that
“What we’re trying to do with the Light Phone isn’t to create a dumb capture attention and incentivise their engagement. Look to the IRL revival for key strategies

phone, but to create a more intentional phone — a premium,

minimal phone — which isn’t inherently anti-technology, but it’s
about consciously choosing how and when to use which aspects of
technology that add to my quality of life versus tempting me with all
sorts of vulnerabilities of the smartphone."

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- Joe Hollier, co-founder, Light
Effects of the tech-backlash: the pushback against technology and the internet has
created an entirely new genre of internet content. On Reddit, r/dumbphones boasts
21.9k members and centres on lo-tech lifestyles. There are creators dedicated to the
dumb phone niche too, such as Jose Briones, a self-proclaimed "digital minimalist" who
has used a dumbphone for three years and helps others determine which device is best
for their lives with a quiz. He also runs a YouTube channel that reviews dumb devices
and has a newsletter called Moving Offline, which chronicles how to live a lo-tech
lifestyle.
The tech-backlash is spearheading a number of Gen Z-led movements, such as the
Luddite Club, an emerging Brooklyn-based group who engage in analogue artistic
activities in IRL settings, free from the restraints of smartphones. These 'screenagers'
represent an anomaly in an era of chronically online youth, landing them a feature in
The New York Times in 2022. Similarly, there's the Log Off movement. Founded by a teen
and designed for teens (and their parents), it encourages digital media hiatuses and aims
to weaken the link between social media use and poor mental health. In February, its 19-
year-old founder, Emma Lembke, addressed the US Senate Judiciary Committee at the
hearing on internet safety for children. Brands should work to amplify voices like
Lembke's in campaigns and messaging.
To push back against the negative effects of mobile phones, a number of US institutions,
such as St Andrews boarding school in Delaware, have banned phones in some areas of
the building. The Buxton School in Massachusetts does not permit smartphones, but
does allow dumb phones. This shift has infiltrated governments too, with California and
Tennessee in the US both passing laws that permit schools to ban phones on campus.
Cottonbro Studio/Pexels
Meanwhile, Seattle schools have gone after big tech, filing a lawsuit against TikTok,
Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube for contributing to students’ anxiety and
depression. While it will be impossible to ban phones outright, the tech-backlash will
create new appetites for dumb technology in the years ahead.

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Post-influence era
While 61% of US Gen Z say they would quit their jobs to be a full-time influencer, those in the industry
already are feeling burnout from the constant churn of content and the demands of big tech. This is
accelerating the first class of post-influencers: some of the earliest creators are leaving platforms to
pursue more normal, tech-free or slower lives, which can impact brand messaging in the years ahead.

US-based self-proclaimed ex-wellness influencer @leefromamerica has reclaimed her identity and
parted ways with the churn mentality of her online persona in pursuit of a more average life. In March,
she launched a 90-minute Goodbye Influencing Zoom workshop to help other influencers leave the
industry, gain financial freedom from brands and discover what could be next for them

Beloved Gen Z YouTuber Emma Chamberlain has previously taken hiatuses due to burnout. She's now After realising she was spending her time “disillusioned with the expectation to prioritise business
7deprioritising content creation and instead focusing on pursuing her podcast and modelling work as output over purpose", US writer Rachel Schwartzmann rebranded her blog to Slow Stories, now a
a Lancôme ambassador thriving podcast and platform that explores slowing down against the backdrop of a digital world
Intentional tech use
Users are beginning to adopt more intentional digital behaviours, seeking out
slower, more authentic digital spaces to escape the dangers posed by online life.
Governments, brands and creators will need to step in with support and help
develop these safer spaces.

Gen Z's shifting mindset will not bring about a mass user exodus but rather a deeper
focus on user mental health, privacy and safety in digital spaces. Policy makers are
already starting to step in: in April, France introduced a new law that requires creators
to disclose if their appearance is digitally altered in an image. Failure to declare could
potentially lead to imprisonment or a significant fine – though many argue that much
more policy change is still needed.
Businesses should start to embrace actvertising, moving beyond vague blanket
statements of support. They will need to act with purpose on key issues they align with
and develop long-term strategies. Look to US hygiene brand Dove, which has promoted
healthy self-esteem via its Self-Esteem Project since 2004. As part of the initiative, it
launched its Campaign for Kids' Online Safety. This advocates for the Kids Online Safety
Act, which would protect young users from harmful content, including across beauty
topics. A three-minute film from the brand details the harrowing true story of a young
woman whose disordered eating was impacted by digital content.
For a second consecutive Mental Health Awareness Month, US outdoor retailer L.L.Bean
went dark for a month-long social media hiatus. The aim was to push its audience into
the great outdoors to enjoy its mental health benefits. It also teamed up with fitness
tracking platform Strava, pushing customers to track their outdoor time as part of the
L.L.Bean Feel-Good Challenge, an initiative which reached its goal of 500k hours spent Oye

outside. Proceeds went to the Mental Health America nonprofit.

Colombian reggaeton artist J Balvin launched bilingual wellness app OYE (listen in Spanish) to help
Platforms are stepping in with new safeguards to protect users. In April, Pinterest users access mental health support via creative wellness practices. Last year it launched an open
announced plans to expand its age verification process and parental controls for users call for OYE Creators, a new programme with Latinx bilingual artists, musicians and healers to
develop digital content designed for healing
under the age of 18. It also revived in-app tools that can curb unwanted messages for
young users. This comes amid its existing policies around body shaming, restrictive
weight loss ads and beauty filters that alter a user’s face, designed to protect user
wellbeing. Meta launched a new suite of 30 family tool features in May with the aim of
helping to create dialogue between parents and kids around their screen time.

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Action points
Listen to consumer needs
Gen Z are spending a great deal of time
logged on and are enduring physical and
mental health problems as a result.
Show you understand their realities by
offering support and care strategies
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Act intentionally
Partner with advocacy groups to launch
initiatives that offer long-term help or
solutions for chronically online youth.
For key strategies to adopt visit our new
Actvertising report
Brace for the tech backlash
A small group of Gen Z are starting to
push back against logged-on lifestyles.
Give outspoken critics and groups a
voice by offering up your platform as
support to amplify their cause
Don't be afraid to go dark
The pocket of Gen Z pushing back
against being online could grow, but it's
not time to abandon social media
altogether. Create moments of respite
and opt for short hiatuses – look to
L.L.Bean as a case study
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