Marketplace Tech Trying to stay off your phone? There’s an app for that
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Jan 2, 2026 Maria Hollenhorst, a tech and digital culture reporter for Marketplace, dives into the burgeoning digital detox economy, projected to hit $20 billion by 2032. She unveils the Clear Space app, which encourages breaks through guided exercises. The discussion highlights how gamification tactics from social media are being repurposed to help users minimize their phone use. Maria also explores innovative physical devices aimed at restricting access and reflects on why many are willing to pay for these solutions—hinting that the design of our phones plays a significant role in overuse.
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Digital Detox Is A Growing Market
- Market researchers estimate the digital detox industry could reach nearly $20 billion by 2032.
- This projects a growing commercial response to widespread desires to cut phone time.
Exercise Prompts To Curb Scrolling
- Maria Hollenhorst describes Hannah using Clear Space, an app that forces push-ups or deep breaths when opening locked apps.
- Hannah pays $50 a year and says the pause and dashboard helped her be more conscious of scrolling.
Pause Before You Open An App
- Try pausing before opening addictive apps to build awareness and reduce automatic scrolling.
- Use dashboard tracking to monitor and reinforce reduced screen time progress.