Could you spend 24 hours without your phone?
Families across Ireland are being asked to ditch smart devices for 24 hours from 5pm today as part of CyberBreak 2023.
The CyberSafeKids initiative is open to families and schools as a way to reflect on how much time we spend online and to promote a healthy balance.
Newstalk Breakfast presenter Shane Coleman said after he took stock of his day, he realised he couldn't do it.
"I went through my likely schedule over 24 hours," he said.
"I'm going to a League of Ireland match, I want to know what's going on in the other games, so I'm not going to put my phone down.
"Tomorrow morning I'm driving my daughter somewhere and I need Google Maps.
"I've got a GAA game with the team I coach on Saturday afternoon; I need the Heja app on that to make sure people are still going, to see if anything has changed.
"So, I'm not going to do without my phone for 24 hours - I couldn't.
"I don't know what that says about me and modern society," he added.
Could you spend 24 hours without your phone? @CyberSafeKidsIE are asking families to do just that, but Shane and Ciara are not too confident of succeeding. @NTBreakfast pic.twitter.com/P9lEqAbzjA
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) October 20, 2023
Driver using cellphone while driving. Image: imtmphoto / AlamyPresenter Ciara Kelly said she simply doesn't want to be without hers.
"I'm not particularly, genuinely, concerned about my phone use," she said.
"I used to use my phone way too much; when I was on Twitter, I used to look at my phone all the time.
"I really did look at it way too much."
Ciara said her usage has actually dropped in the past 12 months.
"What I've noticed is, in the last year, I've actually forgotten to bring my phone into work a couple of times because it's not attached to my arm the way it once was," she said.
"I'm not really bothered by my phone use; I think it is not excessive.
"I sometimes think we create all these things we have to worry about and berate ourselves for, and self-improvement," she added.
