[hawktheslayer]

For me the pandemic has actually allowed me to spend more time outdoors and with my children and as a result less time online. We have been taking walks daily and started gardening. I've cut down social media time to almost nothing on all major platforms (HN is my last "addiction"). The author claims the pandemic forced us inside and on social media--do people find this true for them?

[raihansaputra]

Really depends on where do people live. For example my surroundings are not the best to walk around in (very close to busy main roads), and the city as a whole have shopping malls as the main point of interests before the pandemic. Parks are closed, and walking infrastructure are available but not what I'd call enjoyable (the risk crossing a main road without stop lights just for a morning walk doesn't sit well with me). I'm definitely more locked into my devices compared to before the pandemic.

[slothtrop]

Owing to the HN audience there might be a bias against this being true, but I expect there was a boost in general population. I don't think I spend more time on social media than I did before, and not by conscious choice.

What's interesting to me is, earlier in the pandemic I would hear more lofty plans for organizing online games and having more video calls between friends and family. It's amazing how quickly the motivation for this dissipated. Maybe because it's plainly cumbersome and awkward and just doesn't feel the same, and everyone I know still works.

For my part I think I've retreated from video/audio correspondence considerably. I still write to strangers online, which is social media, but feel like this experience has made me retreat into my shell. No substitution for seeing people in person.

[kingaillas]

>The author claims the pandemic forced us inside and on social media--do people find this true for them?

I used to play in a few city-wide social sports leagues, before covid, which were all canceled most of last year and aren't back yet due to the winter weather. I filled my time by hiking and trying out some new hobbies.

So while not quite the same as being force inside and/or forced on social media, I can see where the pandemic upended various gatherings/hobbies and social media is an easy alternative for many people. Social media is free, easy to access, convenient, can be a giant time-sink, etc. along with all sorts of negative consequences.

[souprock]

It's been horrible for me.

The pandemic means classes are virtual/online. That means kids need computers with internet connections and modern web browsers. That means games, stupid videos, games, chat, games, and more games.

I'm really at a loss here.

I've gone to demanding a cold-turkey moratorium on the junk, with computer use only when supervised. This solution sucks up too much parental time and doesn't allow enough computer time for the homework.

If the classes didn't require web video, I could get an old VT510 terminal (no graphics) or an e-ink display, and then the gaming would be limited to a few things like online chess. The addiction problem wouldn't be so severe.

[Kaze404]

It definitely is true for me. I haven't left my house for anything but doctor's appointments in 11 months. The most exercise I get is when I walk to my condominium's garbage disposal room.

[luplex]

I go on more walks. But I also meet way fewer people and spend more days and evenings alone at home. Social media fills some of that time if you don't actively avoid it.