Solitude 3.0: How tech isolates us in a hyperconnected world

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A large survey conducted by Harvard researcher Laura Marciano among 500 teenagers outlines the contours of a paradoxically disconnected generation. More than half of them regularly spend an hour without any social interaction, whether online or in real life.

For several weeks, the participants, recruited via Instagram influencers, documented their social interactions three times a day. The findings are edifying: even during school holidays and despite intensive use of social networks, the majority of them were living in a worrying state of social isolation. Is Australia on the right track, having banned the use of networks by under-16s??

The trap of virtual comparisons

Dr. Vivek Murthy, a surgeon in the US, does not hesitate to call loneliness a national epidemic. The research conducted by his team highlights a complex phenomenon where technology, without being directly responsible, fuels behaviors conducive to isolation.

The analysis of thirty studies conducted during the pandemic reveals a particularly pernicious mechanism: social comparison on networks. Whether it's counting the “likes », physical appearance or personal achievements, these constant comparisons can lead to feelings of inadequacy and isolation. Professor Chia-chen Yang of the University of Oklahoma, however, points out that not all comparisons are harmful – some can even be motivating in an academic or professional context.

The tyranny of the instant

The study also highlights the limits of instant written communication. While teens overwhelmingly prefer text messages, only 2% of them use video calls. This preference for writing deprives exchanges of the nuances essential to a true human connection: paralinguistics (tone of voice, volume, rhythm, etc.), facial expressions or body language.

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Dr. Marciano then wonders: “How can we feel a true connection with someone without full communication? ? » This evolution of practices is evident even in the simplest rituals: traditional birthday calls are now often reduced to a terse “HBD » (Happy Birthday) sent by message.

The spiral of solitary entertainment

A third factor of isolation is emerging: compulsive consumption of streaming content. Dr. Marc Potenza, an addiction expert at Yale, observes that ” binge-watching » (watching several episodes of a television series in a row, usually on a streaming platform, without interruption) is frequently accompanied by depressive and anxiety symptoms.

This phenomenon, initially associated with Netflix, of course extends to the wave of highly addictive short formats on TikTok and Instagram, Reels. More than just a hobby, this practice can become a social avoidance mechanism, creating a vicious cycle of isolation.

Emily Weinstein, a specialist in the digital practices of adolescents, is concerned about a new trend: the growing use of AI chatbots as substitutes for human relationships. She testifies: ” Teens tell us things like, “This robot really listens to me; people are mean and judge you, but AI tools don’t. I wonder what this will look like in the future.” We can only understand this concern raised by the researcher.

If loneliness is one of our modern ills, then the real miracle of technology has been to give it a new face. With so many tools and platforms to stay connected, it almost takes on the appearance of a self-inflicted fatality. Perhaps technology, at its core, is just a mirror of our own relational and societal failures, offering us the perfect companionship: silent, nonjudgmental, but mostly terribly empty.

• A survey reveals that more than half of teenagers spend hours without social interaction, despite heavy use of social media.
• Online social comparison and the preference for written communication further reinforce their isolation.
• Digital loneliness is accentuated by binge-watching and the use of AI chatbots as substitutes for human relationships.

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