A unique app called DinnerMode is challenging users to break tech addictions during meals and enhance meal time socialising by staying away from smartphones.
Phone alerts and beeps are a common occurrence during meal time, but the creator of the app DinnerMode says it does not have to disrupt the moment.
Sloane Davidson, the app developer, claimed that should a user for a second sneak a peek at their phone during a meal or a gathering it would encourage the behaviour and further more signal to those around that the time spent was not significant.
It was the unsocial behaviour of individuals in restaurants, check-out counters and those walking down the street that caught the attention of Ms. Davidson who told First We Feast about her inspiration for the app.
In order to use the DinnerMode app, individuals set up a timer as to how long they would wish to stay away from their phone. This could be 20 minutes, 15 minutes or even an hour. Afterwards a prompt from the app will indicate to turn the phone face down.
Should users fail and look at the face of the phone, a prompt red screen pops up to tell users they failed the challenge and the option to start over.
If users make it through the time limit of not gazing at their phone a green screen with a congratulatory message pops up with the question of if they would like to challenge friends and others to do the same.
However, this unique app while created to help keep away the urge to look at one's smart phone is not extreme. It is reported the app does not have complex repercussions or lock users out of their phones.
According to Davidson, many parents had begun using the DinnerMode app at home with their families as part of a movement to take back dinner time and bring back traditional socialising.