Understand
4 min
Should I Delete Social Media or Block It?
Since we started working on Jomo in 2022, there’s one question we hear a lot: why build an app that blocks social media apps, well, not only those, instead of simply deleting them?
Good question. And the answer is simple: deleting them is impossible. For some obvious reasons that I’m going to share in this article. But more importantly, I’ll explain why blocking is much more interesting and will help you effectively reduce your screen time in the long run.
Let’s not beat around the bush: if you clicked, you’re probably not trying to delete just any app. You’re most likely thinking about a colorful app, or one with a white “t” on a black background. Yep. We’re talking about social media. With these apps, it’s a bit of a “can’t live with you, can’t live without you” situation. One day you need them, they feel vital. The next day, they destroy your mood and you want them gone. Repeat forever. So if that sounds like you, you’re in the right place.
But before going any further, let me introduce myself. The little voice talking to you is Laureline, designer and co-founder of Jomo. Since 2022, my days have been entirely dedicated to you, and my mission is simple: helping you take back control of your phone, and your time. So if you need a little help, download Jomo for free.
Why Do We Really Use Social Media?
On paper, the mission of a social network is pretty simple: to help you stay in touch with friends, relax, get informed, learn things, share moments from your life, and so on. And that’s true. Well… often.
The small catch is that social networks are no longer just communication tools. They’ve become empires worth billions of dollars. Before, their goal was to offer social connection for free. Now, it’s mostly to show you the most relevant ads possible so you consume as much as possible.
So even if your intention was just to check your friend’s story, watch 1 or 2 reels, or find a nice restaurant in town… it’s actually a bit more than that. In most cases, we’re not really the ones using social media. Social media is using us. Why? For business.
So, Is Using Social Media a Good Thing?
We really want to say yes, but the reality is more nuanced.
The visible part of the iceberg is pretty cool and practical, let’s be honest. But what happens under the surface is less glamorous.
The Pretty Cool Stuff
What’s great about today’s social media is its power to connect you to the whole world. Today, almost every country is open to you, its culture, its landscapes, and more. With one click, swipe, or tap, you can travel without leaving your home.
These platforms can inspire, educate, help us create, connect us with others, help us meet professionals, build and maintain relationships… so many possibilities.
And we can’t lie and say this is a “bad tool.” However…
The Not-So-Cool Stuff
Have you ever read Meta’s Legal and Privacy Policy? Have you ever wondered what they collect about you and what they do with it?
Yeah. While you’re scrolling, answering DMs, building your future shopping list for your apartment, or looking up where to go on vacation this summer, the algorithm of your social network is working hard in the background. Because on social media, nothing happens by chance.
When you see a piece of content, it’s because someone wants you to see it. And that happens before you’ve even thought about it. Because where social networks have become extremely powerful in recent years is behavioral prediction, in other words, their ability to predict and influence your behavior.
Art by Visuals
Why? Because while you scroll, social networks are sorting the best ads and completing your advertising profile. To do that, they track: the content that makes you stay, the optimal moment to show you an ad, the format that maximizes your engagement, the topics that trigger an emotional reaction, the content that will keep you for another 15 seconds, contacts if you accepted the permission or through your friends, location, shared interests, websites visited, places you go to through Wi-Fi, and more. Basically, a lot of information about you… too much?
Basically, social networks siphon your data, with your consent, to sell your targeted attention to advertisers, all while you watch a few reels to relax.
I told you: less cool.
So What Should You Do?
Well, exactly. When most people discover a bit of what’s happening behind the scenes, they all think of one thing: delete everything. Accounts, history, apps, everything goes. But… is that really the “right” solution?
Yes…
For some people, there needs to be a real break: clean, clear, and with no going back. It’s the moment when you realize you were opening apps automatically instead of by choice, that you can get a lot of time back, sleep better, feel calmer and more peaceful…
But in many cases, this commitment is only temporary. You absorb the shock, and then later, things go back to how they were before. Because the force of habit is too strong, the body keeps craving that stimulation, it was serving as emotional avoidance, and now there’s nothing in its place.
…But Also No.
Yep. When problems come back, they often come back fast. And the impact is often much stronger than expected. In many cases, people reinstall the apps very quickly, and their screen time often jumps. They experience it like a form of withdrawal and need to “make up for” that short period of abstinence.
The risks have been erased, minimized, brushed aside, or accepted. And that’s really not great, because it literally means sweeping the risks and dangers under the rug when another solution exists.
Blocking Social Media: Why It’s the Best Method
Blocking is not deleting. Deleting means removing access completely. Blocking means adding friction at the critical moment. Blocking is not giving up, it’s choosing. Choosing when I want to use something, for how long I want to use it, and what I want to see. It’s not running away from the problem, it’s addressing it while keeping the pleasure.
Acting at the Right Moment
It’s often all about timing. In reality, when we use social media, a lot of our usage is impulsive. We rarely planned to use that specific social network, right there, for 1 hour and 24 minutes at 11:56 PM. It just happens.
When the app is blocked, free-flow access becomes impossible. You can no longer access the app as easily. And that’s a very good thing: it gives your brain a small wake-up call and interrupts the automatic behavior. Sometimes, those few seconds are enough for your brain to regain control.
And Does Blocking Apps Actually Work?
Yes. Especially when the blocking is coherent, simple, and not too frustrating, just enough. Because it’s all about environment. Studies on self-control and motivation often show that you need to change your environment instead of relying only on willpower. In other words, change what can be changed instead of hoping for results based only on “I will…”
You need to change the context. You need to change the cues. And that requires understanding the triggers to your own behavior — Sally Hicks
In reality, the key with blocking is avoiding “simplistic” methods that are bound to fail because they rely too much on mental strength:
Time limits, for example. Nothing is more frustrating than being cut off in the middle of a video. Super hard to stick to.
Blocking for overly long periods. At first, motivation is at its peak, but as the hours pass, it gets hard.
Trying to go from everything to nothing. If you spend 6 hours a day on a social network, don’t expect to drop to 0 the next day. Reduce gradually. It takes longer, but it’s more sustainable.
How Do I Block My Apps Properly?
For that, you need a GOOD app blocker. An app that gives you enough options to fit YOU and blend smoothly into your daily life. We’ve been building Jomo for 4 years, available for free on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, so it can work for as many people as possible.
In the app, you can do pretty much everything, and very simply:
If you want to block during specific time windows, you can.
If you want to block apps continuously, you can.
If you want to limit your time on an app, you can.
If you want to force yourself to do things or use more positive apps before scrolling, you can.
Because we’re nice, we made you a little “top list” of our favorite blocking rules that are easy to set up and sustainable over time.
Our Favorite: Use With Intention
The way it works is simple: by default, apps are blocked. To use them, you’ll need to temporarily “unlock” them, and you choose for how long. You complete your exercise, Jomo offers 10 different ones, from very simple to genuinely hard. You use your app, and once the time is up, it’s blocked again.
Open the app, then go to Rules ▸ Templates and tap Use With Intention.
Configure it however you want.
Tap Schedule.
Our Must-Have: The Evening Session
This one is also very simple, but extremely effective. We know a lot of people tend to scroll hard in the evening, whether it’s while watching a movie or show, or directly to fall asleep. This bad habit can quickly keep you awake until very late at night. So the goal is to block apps a little before the evening begins. You only leave them alone during that time window, and the rest of the time, use is allowed. Less frustrating than deleting everything. We take it gradually.
Open the app, then go to Rules ▸ Templates ▸ See more, then select Wind Down.
Configure the apps you want to block.
Tap Schedule.
Our Superpower: Actions
Sometimes, whether you block or delete… when laziness has settled in, it’s hard to move it out. Don’t worry, we’ve got what you need: Actions. With this blocking method, you need to complete specific actions, validated by Jomo of course, before you can unlock apps. Use other apps, for example to force yourself to learn something before scrolling, walk, exercise, and more. It’s simple and effective.
Open the app, then go to Rules ▸ Templates ▸ See more ▸ Actions (or Routines depending on your version), then select one you like.
Configure it however you want.
Tap Schedule.
But If I Block, Won’t I Regret It?
Since 2022, we’ve seen all kinds of profiles. Enthusiasts, and people who were more cautious. And we’ve heard some pretty interesting comments that really made us think.
Art by Steph Maede
“If I Block… I’m Definitely Going to Miss Out”
To that, we say: yes and no, but mostly no.
Social media keeps you coming back by playing on FOMO: the fear of missing out. These platforms constantly cultivate novelty, the “trends.” If people didn’t see anything new, why would they come back? That’s why “virality” exists: views, likes, shares. That’s what makes you afraid of missing something. But between us: what you might miss, is it really that important, or is it just an excuse?
Because the reality is: your friends will always find a way to contact you, important news always gets around eventually, and the vast majority of content consumed on social media is so insignificant that you’ll forget it a few minutes later.
“If I Block… My Friends Will Stop Talking to Me”
The question to ask is: did social media really deepen that friendship? Did it truly add something that couldn’t have happened in “real” life?
In many cases, we realize this is another excuse, because most social media exchanges are superficial, anecdotal, and not very useful. Sometimes, we even start judging the quality of a friendship not by the bond we have with the person, but by the streak we have on the app.
In reality, blocking is not a binary choice: all or nothing. There’s plenty of nuance. You can block social media loopholes while keeping chat apps.
The Takeaway 🍔
As you’ve probably understood, we think deleting apps is a little… outdated. We know we’ll go back to them, so why pretend otherwise? Our thing is more about believing in moderation: using better and using less.
Thank you for reading this far. I wrote this article with my own little hands, my little brain, and my big heart. If you want to try Jomo Premium, you can use my referral code FG2HA9, which gives you a 14-day free trial.
See you next Monday! 🫡
