Now that the world seems to gain some sanity regarding the relationship we should maintain with our smartphones – there are proposals in different countries, including Spain, to limit their use by minors – it is a good time to remember that The damage they can create is not new.. In addition to the numerous studies published to date that demonstrate that reducing the hours of use favors mental health or the relationship between its use and the decrease in the level of educationhe already made it very clear Sean Parkerone of the technological figures of the beginning of the century, a few years ago.
Parker, who in addition to co-founding napster He was one of the first presidents of Facebook in 2004, explained it clearly in 2017. Social networks are designed to take advantage of human psychological vulnerabilities and generate addiction in the user.
This was not a random effect, but something that Mark Zuckerberg and the other creators of Facebook were aware of and, therefore, they designed a ‘feedback loop’ in which the pleasurable sensation, caused by the release of dopamine that the brain receives with each like or comment and that is similar to the effect of a drug, will encourage the user to continue glued to the screen. ‘What we did was conscious. We take advantage of a vulnerability in human psychology. We knew something like this was going to happen and yet we did it.’Parker then said.
The fact is that two decades later we are where we are in our relationship with smartphones and although the limitations on use by minors are very good, What can we adults do, already hooked on our screens?
If we do not want to simply rely on willpower, one option is turn our smartphone into a ‘dumb phone’. A ‘dumb’ or minimalist mobile is a terminal reconfigured to reduce their ability to capture our attention and, in general, distract us. Now, how do you get a minimalist mobile?
Apps to turn your smartphone into a dumb one: iOS and Android
Although both Android and iOS offer options to configure the start menu to only show certain programs, some apps go further by completely modifying the user interface and leaving only the essentials. On iOS we have, for example, Minimalist Phone.
This launchera type of program that replaces the main interface of the device, promises to help the user to modify your consumption habits with your mobile. ‘Every time you unlock your phone, all you’ll see are the apps you need, without being distracted by the colorful apps on your home screen or in the app library,’ the App Store explains. Minimalist Phone is a free app, with paid options, that allows you to configure launchers for different times of the day and has a Detox mode which completely hides all non-essential apps on your mobile.
On Android, there are similar alternatives. One of them is Indistract Minimalist Launcher, also free and with in-app purchases. This launcher also eliminates a good part of the distractions that a smartphone generates so that the user focus your attention only on what you need to use, hiding the rest and giving the mobile a completely different look.