This year we’re trading in our smartphones for corded landlines and dial-up internet! Right? 

Well, maybe not. But people have definitely been trying to use their phones less.

Digital cameras and refurbished iPods have gotten more popular in the past few years, especially in younger generations.  

And on TikTok there’s the trend of “analog bags” – people filling their bags with knitting sets, books and other screen-free activities to avoid the temptation of reaching for their phones.

All of that sounds nice. But at the end of the day it’s really hard to get away from our phones because they do everything for us! And those algorithms are so good at drawing us in. 

Meta and YouTube were recently found liable in a landmark case after a woman accused the companies of fueling her social media addiction, beginning when she was a child. 

But what’s it like, and how hard is it, to give up on digital convenience? We’re going to ask a couple of experts for tips on how to use our phones a little less. 

Guests:
Julianne Bell is a staff culture writer at The Stranger.
Jordan McMahon is a technology writer for The Strategist. He also writes a newsletter called “Rebooting.” 


 

Related links:
My So-Called Luddite Life | The Stranger
Rebooting | Jordan McMahon | Substack
What Is an Analog Bag? Inside the TikTok Trend Fighting Digital Burnout | Business Insider
Why people are buying iPods again | Axios 

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

This year we&rsquo;re trading in our smartphones for corded landlines and dial-up internet! Right?&nbsp;
Well, maybe not. But people have definitely been trying to use their phones less.
Digital cameras and refurbished iPods have gotten more popular in the past few years, especially in younger generations.&nbsp;&nbsp;
And on TikTok there&rsquo;s the trend of &ldquo;analog bags&rdquo; &ndash; people filling their bags with knitting sets, books and other screen-free activities to avoid the temptation of reaching for their phones.
All of that sounds nice. But at the end of the day it&rsquo;s really hard to get away from our phones because they do everything for us! And those algorithms are so good at drawing us in.&nbsp;
Meta and YouTube were recently found liable in a landmark case after a woman accused the companies of fueling her social media addiction, beginning when she was a child.&nbsp;
But what&rsquo;s it like, and how hard is it, to give up on digital convenience? We&rsquo;re going to ask a couple of experts for tips on how to use our phones a little less.&nbsp; Guests:
<ul>
<li>Julianne Bell is a staff culture writer at The Stranger.</li>
<li>Jordan McMahon is a technology writer for The Strategist. He also writes a newsletter called &ldquo;Rebooting.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Related links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.thestranger.com/culture/my-so-called-luddite-life-80507166/">My So-Called Luddite Life | The Stranger</a></li>
<li><a href="https://rebooting.substack.com/">Rebooting | Jordan McMahon | Substack</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/analog-bags-tiktok-trend-replacing-screen-time-2025-11">What Is an Analog Bag? Inside the TikTok Trend Fighting Digital Burnout | Business Insider</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/21/ipods-music-genz-nostalgia">Why people are buying iPods again | Axios</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

It’s really hard to get away from our phones because... They do everything for us! A couple of experts give us tips on how we can cut back on our screen time.