What would you do with your free time if Facebook went offline?

An April 2012 Utah Valley University study of current
and former college students examined how much they use
Facebook and how Facebook helped or harmed their
relationships.

For the study, more than a thousand people filled out a
survey about their online social habits, their non-
electronic social habits, and the differences between the
two.

The last question on the survey provided insight into what
people might be doing instead of spending time in
electronic distractions. It asked, “If everything
went down for one week, (no Internet, phones, computers,
Facebook, or TV) what one thing would you do with your
free time?”

Spending more time with people, reading, and doing outdoor
activities were among the most common responses.

Thirty-three percent of married people said they would
spend more time with the family, making it the most common
response. An additional nine percent of married people
said they would spend more time with their spouse, while
12 percent said they’d spend more time with their
children. Another 12 percent said they’d spend more time
with their extended family.

Thirteen percent of the singles surveyed mentioned family,
but fifteen percent mentioned spending time with friends.
Married people only mentioned spending more time with
friends at 2 percent.

Spending more time with people offline was a major theme
in this study. As one married respondent said, “
[I’d] go visit with the people that I visit with
through the phone and Internet.”

Reading was also a common theme with 17 percent of
marrieds and 23 percent of single listing it as an
alternative. Most reported about leisure reading as
opposed to school-related reading.

One respondent said, “enjoy the quiet that it would
bring. I would read books and get things done around the
house that typically don’t get done because of the
distractions that technology causes.”

Finally, doing something outdoors was listed by married
couples 20 percent of the time and by singles 16 percent
of the time. Taking a hike, fishing, camping, and other
outdoor recreational activities were identified, most
often suggesting they would do them with family or
friends.

Perhaps one respondent summarized it best. He said,
“I would read the long list of books I haven’t
been able to get to and enjoy more time with my family and
friends. It would actually be a relief, my electronic
leashes are stressful sometimes.”

These findings beg the question, why would Facebook have
to go down for a week before we would participate in these
activities?

Ron J. Hammond, Ph.D. and is
the Family Studies Program Coordinator at Utah Valley
University. Heather Burton and Isaac Hawker are Senior
Research Assistants in Family Studies. You can find more
information here