After reading former GP Dr Jenny Goodman’s book *Getting Healthy in Toxic Times*, Beth Long took the step of confiscating her three children’s iPads and converting the top floor of her home in Dorset, UK, into a tech-free zone. Her middle child, aged 11, was reportedly addicted to his iPad, and the transition away from the device was challenging, lasting three months before the child stopped requesting it. Long replaced the tablets with Yoto and Tonie audio players, installed a 24-hour plug timer to switch off WiFi between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and added a landline phone to allow her 13-year-old daughter to communicate with friends without using a smartphone. While the adjustment was difficult, Long said that ultimately her family experienced greater peace.

Long’s household reflects a growing trend toward creating tech-free or reduced-tech spaces in homes, a movement gaining momentum in 2026. This coincides with recent policy measures, including the UK’s decision in June to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms—a measure mirrored by countries such as Australia and Turkey. According to Alice Crossley, deputy foresight editor at The Future Laboratory, this "tech resistance" is becoming a defining characteristic of the year.

A survey conducted earlier this year among 3,000 adults across the UK, US, and Australia found that 57 percent of respondents are seeking slower, more analogue ways to perform everyday tasks, and 46 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds are actively trying to reduce screen time. The report characterizes these individuals not as technophobes but as informed skeptics who understand technology and consciously choose to resist its pervasive influence.

Architect Felipe Correa, co-founder of the New York-based Somatic Collaborative, emphasized that the goal is not to create "dumb homes" but "wise homes." He noted a growing desire to design living spaces that foster physical interaction and thoughtful conversation, addressing social withdrawal by prioritizing human connection in the home environment.

Various strategies are being employed to limit digital distractions. Devices like Brick—a battery-free, magnetic gadget that attaches to surfaces such as a fridge—allow users to block specific apps, including social media and messaging platforms, with a simple tap. Created by Chicago entrepreneurs TJ Driver and Zach Nasgowitz in 2023, Brick introduces what they call “digital friction,” an intentional barrier to mindless app use.

Interior designer Henriette von Stockhausen highlighted projects where clients have requested a single switch to cut off all electrical and wireless signals during evening hours, effectively unplugging living spaces to encourage family members to disconnect. Some homes also feature dedicated media rooms where WiFi access is confined to specific areas, reducing the temptation to engage with devices elsewhere in the house.

Nostalgic approaches to communication are part of the trend as well. The Seattle-based start-up Tin Can, co-founded by Chet Kittleson in 2024, offers WiFi-enabled landline phones that encourage screen-free calling, especially aimed at children. The phones, designed with retro features like twirling cords and pastel colors, launched in the US and expanded into the UK, Australia, and New Zealand this year. Similar products include Austin-based Pinwheel and the British landline maker Cordee, both responding to a desire for simpler communication tools.

Beyond communication, analogue entertainment has gained appeal. Nancy Davis, chief creative officer of the Global Wellness Summit, turns her dining table into a creative zone with physical crafts such as stickers, feathers, and origami kits for her grandchildren, promoting hands-on activities over digital interactions. Adults also pursue tangible experiences; Kayla and George Wallace, after renovating an 1850s shotgun house in New Orleans, structured their home with minimal technology and social spaces organized around three interconnected salons. They installed a ceiling projector for film screenings and a record player, emphasizing the intentionality of using physical media rather than Bluetooth devices.

Together, these shifts reflect a broader reassessment of technology’s role in daily life, as more people seek balance and mindful interaction within their homes.