“Put away your phone and other electronic devices, talk quietly with fellow delegates, try yoga and meditation, colour in pictures—or simply sit and rest in silence for a while, observing the world around you!”

With this invitation the Detox Room—a digital-detox space—opened its doors at the Global Digital Forum.

Here any participant can stretch, move around, practise yoga, meditate or do breathing exercises under the guidance of professional yoga instructors. Additional activities include art therapy and anti-stress colouring pages. Entry to the Detox Room is allowed only without phones or laptops.

The rise of the digital-detox concept is linked to changes in society: it is a response to the ever-growing volumes of information that are increasingly hard to navigate. As the online and offline spheres converge, digital algorithms exert a stronger and more visible influence on society. In a high-intensity technosphere many people seek to curb their dependence on digital information channels and redefine their relationship with technological devices.