While increased WiFi connectivity was intended to foster more online engagement, some analysts have found it may not have that effect. In the past six months, many consumers have made more noticeable efforts to distance themselves from digital devices. One expert comments that after living with smartphones for awhile, people started to feel the "itch to return to a more disconnected life" as they internalized the effects of phones on their lives. In response, some consumers are seeking non-digital forms of meaningful social engagement, exemplified by the rise in popularity of adult sleepaway camps that ban all digital technology, aiming to help visitors step back from busy, digitally-occupied lives.

1. DISCONNECTING FROM THE
DIGITAL SPACE

2. The increase of wifi spots across New York City, along with a wide
spectrum of global, cosmopolitan cities have all been participating in a
digital connectedness as a means for locals, tourists and passerbyers
alike to all stay interactive on their devices. While this was primarily
initiated to further connectedness on social media platforms, to
promote engagement via text messaging and internet browsing, both
Olson and Roder of Horizon’s TrendSights have concluded that
becoming a “smart city” may not necessarily spark an overall increase
in user engagement.

3. Although both Olson and Roder have noticed this trend
gradually appearing in consumer and social behavior, they
agree that the increased effort on the consumer’s behalf to
distance themselves from their devices has been far more
noticeable in the past six months. Olson comments on this
trend by stating that "Most people have had smartphones
for awhile now, but I think people had to kind of live with
them for a while and internalize all the effects the phones
have on one's life before they felt this itch to return to a
more disconnected life."

4. Olson comments on this trend by stating that
"Most people have had smartphones for awhile
now, but I think people had to kind of live with
them for a while and internalize all the effects
the phones have on one's life before they felt
this itch to return to a more disconnected life."

6. As this concept of distance from devices has augmented
within the last year or so, consumers have been responding in
different forms in order to counteract what they feel is the
lack of meaningful social engagement. More concretely, one
interesting that has been making a strong statement as an
overall response to the digital connectedness as a whole, is the
fad of adult sleep-away camps that mandate an environment
which calls for no devices or anything digitally related.

7. An adult sleepaway camp called “Camp Grounded,”
has locations from New York to Northern California
and offers features like typewriters, stargazing, sweat
lodges and gourmet cuisine in the hopes of visitors to
take a step back from their busy, digitally occupying
lives. click on this link.

9. This essentially highlights how adamantly digital
consumers of all ages are actively attempting to
create more authentic, face to face human
interaction in their daily lives. To read more
about how consumers are disconnecting from the
digital space