In our earlier posts in this series on screen-free spaces, we talked about encouraging screen-free spaces at home and in the workplace. Home is a place where most people have a significant degree of control over their exposure to screens, and work, while a bit less flexible, still offers many workers opportunities to limit their screentime when possible. They’re both places where a person has either direct control over their circumstances or has the ability to talk to others and work to make change happen.

But what about public spaces?

Out in the community, most people have very little control over what’s happening around them, and as a general proposition, that’s a good thing. Nobody really wants the nosy person three tables over telling them what they should and shouldn’t do, especially since that nosy person doesn’t know your circumstances and needs.

Public spaces also often tend to be spaces where the power to make change is very concentrated. Individual cafe patrons can’t do much on any given day, but the cafe owner could implement a new policy immediately. Individual bus riders likewise have very little power, but the driver can set some rules, and the transit authority can set others. 

That doesn’t mean you’re powerless to help make public areas screen-free spaces when you venture out into the world, though. Here are some ideas for establishing, finding, and encouraging screen-free spaces around you.

1. Take control. One way to encourage screen-free spaces is by starting them yourself. You can gather a group of like-minded friends for a weekly meetup somewhere and conspicuously operate without screens, either by just chatting with each other, working with pen and paper instead of a laptop, or reading and discussing physical books. You can also create events, like a group hike or museum trip, where you specifically tell everyone ahead of time that it’ll be a screen-free event.

2. Get outside. Leaving the city is the most extreme version of this, but even going to a park or the beach or, if you’re in a city like Los Angeles, hiking in the hills within city limits can still be effective. Here’s why it helps. First and foremost, outdoor spaces generally don’t have power outlets. Batteries die eventually, so people will be less likely to just sit and stare at their screens around you. Second, people are more spread out in outdoor spaces, so you’ll be less likely to be affected by others’ second-hand screen time. 

3. Express your support. When you encounter screen-free public places, like coffee shops or board-game cafes, let the staff know that you appreciate their decision. Their management can’t see into customers’ heads, so the only way to know whether to keep the policy is if the customers express how they feel about it. Patronize those places over places that aren’t screen-free whenever you can. Use your dollars and your presence to vote in favor of places that encourage the kind of environment you want.

Screen-free public spaces are probably the hardest piece of the puzzle when you’re trying to reduce your screen time, but with these strategies, you can start to make change happen. It took decades of work for smoking culture to change, and it will probably be similar for public screen use, but we’re confident that a dedicated group of people can help make this dream a reality.

Have you created or supported a public space that was screen-free? How did you do it? Leave a note in the comments and share with the Myrth community.

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