OFF FEBRUARY – Let’s Stroll Not Scroll
Get On to Life
We hope that everyone can take part in OFF FEBRUARY. Safe Tech International have put together a wonderfully crafted very short video “Get On to Life, With OFF February!”. This video has been created by artist and film maker Sean Carney and also features the rock musician and film maker Tim Arnold. On the 20th February, Tim Arnold will be performing live as part of the celebration of OFF February. Put simply: “This is About Choice! Almost any alternative to the time you spend on social media is more positive to your wellbeing.”
Setting limits on social media is not a punishment, rather it is a liberation. OFF February is a celebration, not a resignation. “Let’s celebrate a life without constant pressure from platforms, together”. By not engaging with social media on your phones, incredibly, you can take back 54 hours of your life this month! This seems a great choice, so let’s all support OFF February! As Sean Carney says in the film “I don’t use social media now. It’s good for the soul to step away.”
Turning off saves 54 hours
Amanda Kenton from London, featured in the short film, expands on the benefits of turning off: “I don’t do social media, but I am looking forward to seeing people for whom 54 hours of their time will be freed up. Having more time to spend together, face-to-face in real life. Get into Life with OFF February”. By engaging in this welcome release from social media, it allows us to slow down in our ever-digital world and make space for greater mindfulness. Get back to Life with Off February. OFF February allows us all an opportunity to stand back, and see things from a new angle. During times of space weather and power outages, copper landlines allow us to stay connected.
From Spain: OFF Movement
“All over the world, individual acts of rebellion against tech giants are taking shape. But to fight effectively and move forward on this frontline, we cannot afford to remain isolated. Our ambition is to intertwine local actions and transform them into a global movement. That is why the OFF Movement is bringing together an increasingly vibrant community of committed individuals and organisations under a shared banner.
How OFF February began
On April 29 of 2024, John Haidt (an American author of the Anxious Generation) reported: The Revolution Has Begun in the UK 75,000 UK parents have come together to give their kids a smartphone-free childhood. Concern about social media and cell phone use by children has been amplified by very popular UK entertainers, including but not limited to Hugh Grant, Sophie Winkleman, and rock musician Tim Arnold, among others. Now, OFF February offers an opportunity for adults to become more aware of social media use, in themselves.
OFF February initiative includes:
The OFF Manifesto – this is about regaining control over digital technology
OFF Coffees – provides open, face-to-face meetings that discuss the urgent need to regain control of digital technology and reclaim screen-free spaces
OFF ED TECH – this offers a petition to sign and provides reasons Why Ed Tech should be banned from schools
OFF FEBRUARY encourages people to:
Delete non-essential apps from your phone: making the choice to not carry the tether to social media.
Active social science research: It’s not compulsory to register on the OFF February website (https://offm.org/en/off-february) to participate, but it’s recommended, as it gives the opportunity to take part in the impact study (OFF February Barometer).
FEBRUARY 7th WALK INSTEAD OF SCROLL
Finally, if you’re near, or able to visit, the Cambridge area, you may wish to join a walk dedicated to “Walk instead of Scroll” on 7th February 2026, in the real world, free from digital interference. More information here: meetup.com/walks-by-water/events/312004671/