Gen Z Pushes Back Against Digital Overload
Hannah G. Morris, Editorial Intern
Rage bait, doomscrolling, thirst trap: The internet has developed a vocabulary to describe how technology and social media capture, manipulate and monetize the human gaze. And participants in this digital environment, which heavily consist of young people, are often left exhausted and worse for wear because of it.
As the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, many Gen-Zers have had enough of this corporate manipulation. Instead, they’ve come to desire what they can’t find online: face-to-face conversations, hands-on activities and a break from constant distraction. In response, some Gen-Zers are choosing to unplug this season and have an ‘Analog Summer.’
The Analog Summer essentially involves spending time away from technology to pursue creative projects and engage in offline experiences such as reading, hiking and more. Amid increasing concerns over screentime, as well as an influx of Instagram posts promoting anti-scroll apps, the conversation about unplugging has emerged among the South Bay and Los Angeles Harbor Area youth as well.
Whereas online influencers have taken to posting their ‘analog bags,’ which are filled with non-technology entertainment options, local youth are taking a more organic approach.
San Pedro local Noel Marin emphasized “just how much time” social media takes away from other activities people could be doing. Instead, he chooses to spend time offline engaged in physical and social activities, including going to the gym, playing basketball and spending time with friends, as well as artistic endeavors such as improving his guitar skills.
“I’ve seen how (for) younger kids these days, being on the phone really affects them growing up and their social skills,” Marin said. “So I think knowing how messed up the youth is, I feel like that opens up my eyes to how bad being on the phone and on social media a lot can be.”
Allison Perlman, an associate professor in the University of California, Irvine’s film and media studies and history departments, says this shift to analog by Gen-Zers “follows in a long tradition of youth seeking more authentic ways of living and communicating and understanding their relationship with technologies.”
Allison Perlman, an associate professor in the University of California, Irvine’s film and media studies and history departments. Courtesy of University of California, Irvine
Perlman identified the commune movement of the 1960s-70s, which she described as a reaction to feelings of alienation in a corporation-dominated “mass society,” and the DIY culture of the 1990s.
“It is possible that today’s youth are similarly cynical about how a few very large — and largely unregulated — multinational corporations have structured their communicative experiences and have sought to capture and monetize their attention and are looking for more authentic modes of expression and engagement,” Perlman said in an email.
Local Gen-Z members echoed this sentiment, though the authenticity they sought looked different from person to person.
For aspiring local artist Liam Messer, unplugging is about creating more than he consumes on social media. Messer often spends his time offline developing his creative talents, exploring fine arts such as painting, sculpture and textile art.
“What’s pushed me to spend time off of my phone would probably be personal career goals with my art,” Messer said. “I often get caught in cycles of consuming on Instagram and YouTube and as an artist, you have to be the best or else you’re not going to make it.”
San Pedro resident Camilo Visessiri-Petite is using his time spent offline to rediscover his passion for old hobbies. He noted that putting his phone down this summer could allow him to get back into surfing.
“Summer is a rare time of the year where, as a student, it’s one of my only times off,” Visessiri-Petite said. “So by being able to spend it not on my phone, I get to do more things [that] I love doing.”
Beyond time management, some local Gen-Z members also expressed the harmful effects of social media on mental health. For Manhattan Beach resident Sufi, her time spent offline — engaged in activities such as reading, baking and learning more about topics of interest — has been an exercise to improve her focus and mental clarity.
“I think it is really grounding to be able to spend time offline,” Sufi said in a survey response. “When life gets stressful, it’s super important to be able to have activities that bring you peace and allow you a healthy outlet.”
Similarly, for San Pedro resident Faris Ibrahim, his time spent offline offers him “a chance to recharge and focus on what matters most in [his] life” — friends and family. He noted that unplugging allows him to step away from the overwhelm of social media and connect with the people he cares about.
“[Being offline has] a positive impact on my mental health as it gives me a break from the constant distractions and pressures of being online,” Ibrahim said in a survey response. “It helps me reduce my stress, feel calmer and lets me focus on the present moment.”
Julian Mejia, a 2026 San Pedro High School graduate, painted the difference between social connections found online and those found in person.
According to Mejia, people on social media may feel confident to speak and act in ways that they wouldn’t otherwise, which can make genuine interactions more elusive. However, with locals at the park, Mejia has found it easier to spark up simple but meaningful conversations.
“I feel like it’s easier to talk to people in person than it is online because, one, you don’t have to wait for a response,” Mejia said. “And it’s easier to make conversation, like you can talk about something [that] you guys are both doing.”
Marin called the smartphone “the biggest distraction in our lives” — a sentiment that Messer, Visessiri-Petite, Mejia and Ibrahim echoed.
And for the Gen-Z locals interviewed, it appears that spending time offline has been a conscientious choice in an era saturated with technology.