The Quitting Social Media (QSM) project engages with people who have voluntarily quit, or considered quitting, social media. Through this research, we hope to gain insight into how social media users – and former users – negotiate tensions and pressures around today’s connectivity culture. Amidst recent debates and consumer services addressing digital addiction and detox (e.g. Otto 2016, Löchtefeld et al. 2013, Portwood-Stacer 2013, Brabazon 2012), QSM aims to locate the practices of and motivations behind digital retreat.

King’s lead researcher: Zeena Feldman

Quitting Social Media (QSM) is a research project that seeks to engage with people who have voluntarily quit, or considered quitting, social media. The project is based at King’s College London in the Department of Digital Humanities.

Through this research, we hope to gain insight into how social media users – and former users –  negotiate tensions and pressures around today’s connectivity culture. Amidst recent debates and consumer services addressing digital addiction and detox (e.g. Otto 2016, Löchtefeld et al. 2013, Portwood-Stacer 2013, Brabazon 2012), QSM aims to provide insight into the practices of and motivations for digital withdrawal. To facilitate this understanding, we wish to engage with a broad range of participants. We are especially keen to hear from anyone who:

  • has quit a specific social networking site (e.g. Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, LinkedIn);
  • has considered quitting social media;
  • has abandoned all social media platforms;
  • is taking a temporary break from social media use;
  • has decided to permanently stop using social media services
  • has participated in a digital detox programme (whether formal or informal)
  • is concerned about the possibility of social media addiction;
  • has stopped using a smartphone.

Participants of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. To learn more about how you can take part in this research, please visit the Call for Participants page.

Keywords: digital detox, digital addiction, quitting social media, social media, information overload, digital retreat