What is Digital Detox Day? Why your social media feeds may be a little quiet on Saturday

The initiative has been launched as part of the I Am Whole mental health awareness campaign

Celebrities including Jade Thirlwall (left), Zoe Sugg and Rita Ora are backing the first Digital Detox Day. Instagram 

Social media users may notice their feeds are a little quieter than usual on Saturday, as thousands of people in the United Kingdom and around the world take part in the first Digital Detox Day.

The initiative, launched by British YouTube star Zoe Sugg and singer Jordan Stephens from the band Rizzle Kicks, is encouraging people to ditch their devices and step away from their screens for 24 hours on Saturday, September 5.

The day is part of the wider I Am Whole initiative, which encourages young people to speak openly about their mental health and take small steps to improve their overall wellbeing.

“Do you ever stop to wonder why you get so anxious when you leave your phone at home?,” Sugg says in the promotional video for the campaign. “This obsession with our devices can lead to anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleeplessness and low self-esteem. This campaign is about how we take control of our digital lives.”

The campaign has already received the backing of a number of celebrities in the UK including singer Rita Ora and the band Little Mix, as well as a number of high-profile influencers including Joe Sugg, Alfie Deyes and Saffron Barker.

In support of the campaign, the stars having been posting images to their Instagram and Twitter profiles showing them with a circle drawn on their hand.

“I’m switching off for my mental health with @IAMWHOLEUK on #Digitaldetoxday #Iamwhole,” Ora wrote on her Instagram page.

The first Digital Detox Day takes place on Saturday, September 5.