DIGITAL LIFE

Return of the landline phone? Young people are betting on modern versions to take care of their mental health

Nowadays, with technological advances, it seems unthinkable to depend on a landline phone to communicate with someone. But the wired device, which fell into disuse, seems to be winning over new generations, who are resorting to ways to reduce the time spent on smartphones.

According to the Mashable website, 15 years ago, 62% of Americans said that a landline phone was a necessity of life, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. However, with the advent of cell phones, the use of landline phones plummeted rapidly, as expected. At the end of 2022, 72.6% of adults lived in homes without a landline phone, according to the National Health Interview Survey.

But just when the landline phone seems about to disappear, a wave of young people has discovered that it may be the simplest way to cure brain rot, which is the deterioration of mental or intellectual state caused by excessive consumption of superficial online content.

A new approach to the analog device is now emerging. Online content creator Catherine Goetze is one example. According to Mashable, she created a landline phone called the Physical Phone that connects to a smartphone, allowing users to answer calls without having to pick up their phone. The video she posted on Instagram explaining the concept has already surpassed 2 million views.

The idea behind the Physical Phone is to avoid doomscrolling (endlessly scrolling through your phone's feed, usually consuming negative content) and reduce screen time. Sometimes, without realizing it, you pick up your phone to call someone or send a message, but when you do, you've gone on social media, endlessly scrolled through your feed for several minutes, and haven't done what you intended. The landline phone would solve this: it maintains communication but eliminates the temptation to open social media apps.

Other people are finding new ways to adopt the landline phone concept. Erin Wakeland posted a video on TikTok, which now has over 90,000 views, showing a method that involves attaching a smartphone to a chain on the wall, creating a de facto "landline phone." This way, whenever she wants to use her phone, she has to sit in a chair at a specific point. "It's a physical boundary that helps my digital boundaries," she said in the video.

Another content creator went viral by showing her version of the landline phone, which consists of putting her iPhone in "landline mode"—meaning she only receives notifications for calls and messages. She claims in the viral video that she managed to reduce her screen time to 29 minutes a day and became more aware of how often she uses her cell phone.

Reasons for the return

-Mental health: The possibility of having a conversation without the need for multitasking (such as answering emails or messages at the same time) helps to "slow down" and focus on the conversation, being a form of self-care.

-Reduced screen time: Many young people seek alternatives to reduce the time spent on cell phones, such as games or social networks, which can be used as "escape valves" to avoid daily challenges.

-More direct and real communication: Modern landline phone models encourage more focused conversations without the mediation of emojis, being a way to create stronger bonds with family and friends.

-Independence for children: Children's landline phones allow children to contact friends and family without the risks and distractions of a smartphone.

How the landline phone is coming back

-Modern retro models: Companies are launching models with classic design, but with digital features such as cell phone chips or Wi-Fi, even allowing parental control through apps.

-Parental control: Some devices allow parents to control usage times and access, offering a safer alternative than a smartphone.

-Simplicity: The simplicity of the device, without the need for an app or internet connection, makes it a nostalgic object and a symbol of less stressful communication.

Thâmara Kaoru