If you were an avid Doomscroller, you would probably have been told to touch the grass.
According to the 2024 reportApproximately one in two adults in the US is exposed to “excessive” screening times, defined as more than seven hours a day, with about 30% of adults reaching that point from recreational activities rather than from work.
In contrast to online experiences and interactions, this is important for those who spend seven hours a day on their screen to go to “Touch Glasses,” a popular internet slang term that means taking part in real-world activities.
Now there is an app that will literally touch the grass before scrolling again.
Of course, a viral app called Touch Grass asks you to choose the two most distracting or the most time-consuming apps, and the app blocks them.
The only way to unlock the app is to take a photo of yourself outside literally touching the grass and uploading it to the grass. You can then choose how much time you can spend with each app.
Some people use app timers, which are kicked out of the app after a certain amount of time, but then touching the grass makes the user go outside. Until you do so, you will not be able to use the app.
When the app was created by UK app developer Rhys Kentish, he realized he was spending time on his phone and decided he didn't want to be part of the statistics.
“My reflex in the morning was to reach out and grab the phone and start scrolling. I knew this wasn't healthy, and on top of that, I needed an incentive to get out more, especially during the winter,” said Kentish. I told CNET.
“I also love apps that combine the digital world with the real world, and I found the concept of touching the grass interesting, so why not create an app that forces you to do that?”
Touch glass will be Available on the App Store Pre-orders are available for pre-orders now for iPhone users on Friday, March 14th. The app is free, but the upgrade costs $6 a month or $50 a year.
The upgrade to Protia allows users to block an unlimited number of apps rather than two, providing a more detailed screen time report. Users can also get one free skip per month. There you can unlock the app without going outside, but you will need to buy Skip.
Kentish knows this idea is stupid, but he believes he also has a true end goal.
“I hope it gives first [users] It's a big laugh, but more importantly, I hope it will give them the opportunity to separate themselves from the bondage of the digital world and allow them to connect more with nature,” he told CNET.
