In a cozy cafe in Amsterdam, with plush sofas and warm lighting, a group of people are sitting talking, laughing and playing board games. But something noteworthy is missing. There is not a single phone in sight. It’s one of a regular series of community events held by the growing offline club, where members pay about $8.00 to leave their phones in a lock box at the door and spend the next few hours unplugged. Demand is growing rapidly. What started as a local initiative is quickly turning into a global movement with regular events held in fast-selling cafes, churches and town halls in the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands.
2025 marks the turning point when people will spend less time on screens and seek to reclaim meaningful connections in person.
YonderEstablished in America, partners with comedy clubs, arenas, clubs and schools to organize phone-free events. Jack White, Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, John Mayer, Madonna, and Adele have implemented cell phone bans at their concerts to stop staring at a sea of blinking smartphones, and to help audiences disconnect and connect. for
Meetup, a global platform that enables more than 60 million people to use the Internet to meet off With the Internet and the real world meeting, registrations were up 19 percent in 2023. The latest Meetup Measurement report shows that the number one reason people use the platform is to find personally meaningful connections, a 50 percent increase over previous years. “Friends” is the most popular search term for events, and “book club” is back in the top 10.
We are reaching for things that weave us back into the social fabric of local life. According to new research from the UK National Lottery Community FundHalf of UK adults intend to take part in local volunteering activities, both formally and informally, in 2024. More than 70 percent say it’s important to them to feel part of their local community.
Increasing demand for Real-world interactions Emerging from a confluence of societal challenges, namely growing awareness of the negative effects of spending too much time on screens, and the loneliness epidemic. Recent Gallup research showed that 80 percent of young people under the age of 18 feel lonely, with 22 percent saying they have no real friends. zero In 2021, 12 percent of adults admitted to not having a close friend, compared to just 3 percent 30 years ago. There is a collective cry of loneliness in these figures. People don’t just want followers anymore; They want real friendship.
But 2025 could mark a turning point in this deep friendship slump. This is the year when an increasing number of people swap screen time for real-world interactions.
