Quebecers are invited to put away their mobile phones, tablets and other screens on Sunday to take part in the 24-hour de Pause disconnection event.
The objective, for this fourth year, is to become aware of the place that screens take in our lives and to rebalance our digital habits.
Young people aged 16 to 29 are particularly concerned, and a contest with a $1,000 cash prize is on offer.
They can choose to spend 24 hours without screens for leisure or only without social networks, video games or streaming.
Pause's youth coordinator, Carolanne Campeau, explains that the reason for the project is to prevent the risks associated with hyperconnectivity.
"We can see it as a social context in which we live that pushes us to connect more, as much as possible and at all times," she said. "And that has its benefits, but also its risks and possible negative impacts."
The consequences of hyperconnectivity include vision problems, posture-related pain, a sedentary lifestyle and excess weight.
"But the psychological aspect, I think, is what is very present in young people," said Campeau, who is also a lecturer at the University of Sherbrooke.
For example, a person can be led to compare themselves through the use of social networks, and this can have an impact on their psychological health, particularly with stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms.
According to a Léger survey of 752 Quebecers aged 18 to 24, 89 per cent of respondents would like to reduce the time they spend on the Internet.
"They themselves see the impact on their physical and psychological health, as well as on their school performance and quality of sleep," said Campeau.
In addition, almost two-thirds of the respondents to the survey say they go online automatically.
"This is not a coincidence," said the coordinator. "There are people behind the screens, developers, who study human behaviour and make sure we develop this kind of reflex. The time we spend online is money for them."
According to a study by the Montreal Regional Public Health Department in 2019, screen use of more than four hours a day for leisure activities is associated with higher levels of psychological distress, poorer physical health, sleep difficulties as well as higher levels of dissatisfaction in several areas of life, such as relationships and finances.
The aim of the 24-hour break is to regain control of screen use.
"We only have 24 hours in a day, so if we dedicate most of that time to screen-based activities, we end up displacing other types of interests or passions we may have," said Campeau.
On Sunday, she suggests planning an activity, something you haven't done in a long time, like a hike or a board game night.
"It's about 'trying to see what we've put aside that we can put back into our lives," she said.
Everyone can sign up for the 24-hour screen-free challenge on the website pausetonecran.com, an initiative of the social purpose organization Capsana, funded by the Quebec government.
The website also offers resources for parents on hyperconnectivity.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 19, 2022.
