Young People Use Simple Phones and Apps to Cut Screen Time

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.

makes users solve= 「make + 受詞 + 原形動詞」表示使役用法，意為使或強制某人做某事

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.

stopped using= 「stop + 動名詞（-ing）」表示停止原本正在進行的動作或習慣

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.

學習筆記

文法整理

句型	意思
makes users solve	「make + 受詞 + 原形動詞」表示使役用法，意為使或強制某人做某事
stopped using	「stop + 動名詞（-ing）」表示停止原本正在進行的動作或習慣

詞彙整理

單字	意思
social media	社群媒體；讓使用者透過網際網路彼此互動、交流，並發布文字、圖片、影片等內容的網路平台或服務的總稱。
distracting	使某人的注意力從正在做的事或應注意的對象上轉移開
addiction	對某種物質或行為產生難以控制的依賴，即使已經造成身心或生活上的不良影響，仍會持續使用或從事；常指對酒精、毒品等物質的依賴。
solution	由兩種或兩種以上的物質均勻混合而成的混合物，通常為液體，例如鹽水。

延伸學習

•本文的「simple phone」指功能較少的手機；這類基本手機有時也稱為功能型手機。
•「Generation Z（Z世代）」通常指1990年代末至2010年代初期出生的人群。