I didn’t quit social media in 2025, but I might have to if this awful trend continues in 2026

At the end of 2024, I wrote that I’d be stepping back from social media in 2025 due to its impact on my daily routine. As TechRadar’s Staff Writer for all things mobile, I know all too well that using my pocket supercomputer to swipe through vertical videos doesn’t exactly count as getting the best possible smartphone experience.

No prizes for guessing what happened next – I didn’t quit. In fact, if I had to guess, I think I’ve used Instagram’s mobile app more this year than in 2024.

And in the spirit of Christmas (or something like that), I’m forgiving myself for that transgression. In the past 12 months, I’ve accepted that, while I still need to cut down my smartphone screen time, social media isn’t going anywhere as a way to make plans and stay in touch, and that I ...