What the ‘Dumb Phone’ Trend Misses
In this New York Times article, tech columnist Brian X. Chen tried using a minimalist Light Phone III to see if it could cure what he calls "brain rot", the modern-day burnout caused by endless scrolling. The phone, which costs around $600 USD, removes distractions by cutting out internet access, social media, email and almost everything else we’ve come to rely on. For Chen, it was a mixed bag. He appreciated the quiet, but quickly ran into everyday problems. Without access to basic tools like transport passes, QR codes or even the ability to close his garage door, the experiment felt more like inconvenience than clarity.
His story is timely. It taps into a growing desire to disconnect, even briefly, from the pressures of a tech-heavy world. But for us at DECA, it also highlights an important gap in the conversation.
For many people in Aotearoa, not having access to a high-functioning smartphone is not a lifestyle choice. It is their daily reality.
There are whānau who rely on older 3G-only phones that are about to be disconnected, students without enough data to complete their homework, kaumātua who miss appointments because their device is incompatible with modern systems and entire communities without reliable internet access. This kind of disconnection isn’t chosen. It is the product of cost, infrastructure gaps, limited support and systems that assume everyone is digitally equipped.
In this context, using a "dumber" phone as a way to simplify life can feel like a luxury. The ability to step away from tech should be a choice but for too many, that choice has already been made for them.
This is exactly why DECA is hosting No Tech Day on Friday 22 August. We’re asking people who use tech every day to voluntarily put it down for two hours. Not as a gimmick, but as a show of solidarity with those who cannot fully participate in digital life. It's a way to reflect, reset and raise awareness of the digital divide that affects over 130,000 households across the motu.
Visit www.notechday.nz to register and take part.
Registering will give you access to tools to help your workplace, whānau or community take part in a way that makes sense for you. And you’ll be supporting practical action to close the digital divide.
We all deserve to choose how connected or disconnected we want to be. But first, we need to make sure everyone has the choice.
Craig Young at TUANZ shared the original New York Times article in his pānui. Cheers Craig! If you’re not already on their mailing list, we recommend signing up here: https://tuanz.org.nz/mailing-list/
