Many young adults feel that social media takes too much of their time and hurts their friendships. Nelissa Moukoudi, a 19-year-old university student, felt that her life was only school and screens after joining Instagram and TikTok. To take back control, she downloaded an app that makes users solve math problems before they can open distracting apps.
Other young people are trying different ways to spend less time on screens. A 23-year-old woman named Kendall Schrohe stopped using her smartphone and bought a simple phone with few features. Another student, 19-year-old Shreya Nallamothu, made her own small tool with eight-dollar electronic tags to block social apps on her phone.
Surveys show this is a common feeling among young people. In an April poll, nearly 60 percent of Generation Z respondents said they had a social media addiction. A survey from 2025 found that one-third of the generation had deleted some social apps.
For some people, the solution is simple and free. Han Choi, 26, deleted all social media apps from his phone last year. He now spends his free time working out and meeting friends for trivia games.