Brief

UAE teens weigh a month‑long social‑media break

Teens in the UAE discuss potential benefits and drawbacks of a month offline, highlighting sleep, concentration and fear of missing out.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 29 Sep 2026 21:34:18 GMT

Gulf News reported that a group of UAE teenagers expressed mixed feelings about taking a 30‑day break from social media, outlining personal challenges and expected benefits.

What happened

The article, published on September 29, 2026, features comments from five teens who answered a Gulf News questionnaire about a month‑long offline period. Responses include concerns about isolation, FOMO and dopamine addiction, as well as hopes for better sleep and mental clarity.

What the reports add

Gulf News highlighted that one participant, 18‑year‑old Gogulnath Dhayalan, said daily social‑media use feels “engraved into my brain” and that a month without it would make him feel isolated. He also noted that AI‑driven algorithms intensify the urge to scroll.

What was said

“I have become dependent on social media. Using it on a daily basis has become part of my routine, and it's been engraved into my brain that a month without it would make me feel isolated from the rest of the world,” Dhayalan told Gulf News.

“I've been working on fighting the dopamine addiction that these platforms are engineered to create in order to keep us hooked,” he added.

How it came about

The discussion follows previous Felo News coverage of UAE social trends, including the Max Fosh interview on the power of algorithms (max-fosh-social-media-fame) and the recent debate over platform ad policies (social-media-ad-rejection-for-musk-documentary).

Key facts

Five UAE teens responded to Gulf News about a potential 30‑day social‑media break. (gulfnews.com)
Gogulnath Dhayalan said a month offline would feel isolating and impact his routine. (gulfnews.com)
He cited sleep improvement and better concentration as possible benefits. (gulfnews.com)