Friends Don't Let Friends Overuse Technology

Reboot Encourages Taking a Break from Technology March 23-24 for the Third Annual "National Day of Unplugging"

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Mar 19, 2012, 06:00 ET

NEW YORK, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reboot is using Facebook to unite technology addicts in a pledge to stop texting, tweeting and "checking in" for the third annual National Day of Unplugging (NDU).

Reboot, a non-profit organization that developed the annual tech detox to encourage young, hyper-connected, and frequently frantic people to take a respite from all things digital, wants users to take the Causes.com pledge to unplug for the NDU beginning sunset March 23 to sunset March 24, and then use the Causes app to rally their Facebook friends to do the same.

"The never-ending stream of information that we're exposed to on a daily basis and the ever-present glow of a screen can be overwhelming," said Reboot Executive Director Yoav Schlesinger. "Technology overuse takes an immeasurable toll on our ability to give time to the things that are most important in our lives - friends, family, good food, our communities and ourselves. The National Day of Unplugging gives people a much needed respite from the technological tsunami and a sanctioned time to disconnect."

The organization recently spread its message to many of society's greatest technology addicts at Austin's 2012 SXSW Interactive Festival. There, Reboot organized an official SXSW Interactive panel, "Tech Detox, Can You Survive a Day without Technology?", and set a RecordSetter.com record for the most people to shut off their cell phones at once at SXSWi's first Unplugging Party where nearly 150 people unplugged.

The National Day of Unplugging has roots in Jewish tradition, but this modern day of rest was developed for people of all backgrounds as a way to bring some balance to the increasingly fast-paced way of life and to reclaim time to connect with family, friends, the community and ourselves. In its first two years, the National Day of Unplugging reached tens of millions of people internationally and resonated with people of all backgrounds, from Catholic to Hindi, Buddhist and Muslim.

For those who do not know what to do when they unplug, Reboot has created The UNDO list, a free service through which subscribers will receive ideas for conversation topics, readings, local outings and creative endeavors. The service is designed to help ease people's time away from technology, both for the National Day of Unplugging and beyond.

Reboot is also partnering with Slow Food USA, a global, grassroots movement to link the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment, and Hazon, which offers programs for those who are concerned with creating healthier and more sustainable communities in the Jewish world and beyond.

Together, the partners are encouraging people to "Unplug and Eat Together" for the NDU in a way that is meaningful to them, such as sharing a table with friends and family, gathering a group for a tour of a local farmers market or collecting donations for a community food pantry.

Birthright Israel NEXT is also building on the National Day of Unplugging campaign by teaming up with Reboot to challenge 360 Taglit-Birthright Israel alumni to host Shabbat meals on March 23 and 24, 2012 with a subsidy for the meal.

The annual tech timeout runs from sundown Friday, March 23, to sundown, Saturday, March 24, 2012.

The Koret Foundation is sponsoring the National Day of Unplugging in San Francisco.

About Reboot

Every generation must grapple with the questions of identity, community and meaning on its own terms. Reboot exists to facilitate that process for this and future generations – providing the tools and methodologies to help 'reboot' inherited tradition and make it vital, resonant and meaningful in modern life. Founded in 2002, Reboot engages and inspires young, Jewishly-unconnected cultural creatives, innovators and thought-leaders who, through their candid and introspective conversations and creativity, generate projects that impact both the Jewish and non-Jewish worlds. Reboot has been responsible for producing some of the most influential and innovative Jewish books, films, music, Web sites and large-scale public events of the past five years. These projects include the National Day of Unplugging, Sukkah City, 10Q, Sabbath Manifesto, Beyond Bubbie, the DAWN Festival and the Idelsohn Society of Musical Preservation. Find out more at: www.rebooters.net

SOURCE Reboot