An Eastern Michigan University educator wants people to give themselves a 24-hour break from smartphones, text messages and other media-based technology. Professor Christine Tracy is urging students, faculty and others on the Ypsilanti campus and in nearby communities to spend today celebrating the fifth annual National Day of Unplugging.
Tracy teaches digital journalism and media ecology. She says people have a "mostly unconscious dependence on technology" and a "daylong respite is just the first step toward more enlightened use of" digital tools.
The National Day of Unplugging runs from sunset to sunset beginning on the first Friday in March. Organizers say important moments in lives are missed due to the time spent on cellphones, similar technology and on social media.
