"At the dawn of 2026, social media influencers at home and abroad proclaimed it the year of the "analog lifestyle," a call to reduce digital connectivity as smart tech and screen time dominate a person's attention span. Selly Tan, an influencer from California, said people are "craving something real again," and vowed to print her photos, read more books and magazines and take up hobbies that don't need Wi-Fi."
"Rosie Okatcha, an influencer from the U.K., proclaimed the year would be "The Age of Analog" with consumers swapping music streaming for iPods and vinyl records, and choosing crafting over doomscrolling. Sanchi Oswal, an influencer from Germany, said in a post she felt going analog would reduce her "exposure and reliance on digital stimuli" and, in particular, to her phone."
""From noon to 5 p.m., I'm looking at screens all day and then I'm going home and I'm just looking at my phone, scrolling on social media," said Lillie Beacope, a senior at USC enrolled in a class on entertainment, marketing and culture. "I just feel like there's not a chance for us within our day-to-day lives, to really get a break from technology.""
Influencers in multiple countries proclaimed 2026 the year of the analog lifestyle, urging people to print photos, read physical books and magazines, use iPods and vinyl, craft, and pursue hobbies that do not need Wi‑Fi. The goal of the movement is to wean people off constant digital connectivity and reclaim time through tangible activities. A USC student described relentless daytime screen use followed by phone scrolling at home, expressing a lack of breaks from technology. Widespread smartphone ownership contributes to constant digital reliance: Pew Research Center reported 91% of U.S. adults owned a smartphone in 2025, up from 35% in 2011.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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