The Day I Reclaimed My Attention Sovereignty from Social Media
I happened to come across Episode 43 of the podcast Kangso Pod on Spotify: ⟨How to Live as a Master in the Digital World⟩. Hosted by two podcasters named Kang Dan and So Shin, I initially just played it as background noise for a nap. But Kang Dan's perspective on reclaiming sovereignty in the digital world resonated deeply with me, and I found myself listening with growing interest. It's been about four years since I started blocking all ads, turning off every notification, stopping YouTube viewing history, and avoiding Reels and Shorts because I hated being trapped in algorithmic bubbles. Kang Dan recommended Social Focus or wiper2. While Wiper2's effects aren't immediately noticeable yet, SocialFocus is absolutely the best app for social media addicts like me.
How to Use SocialFocus
- First, search for SocialFocus in the App Store and install it. As of today (2025-02-09), it's a paid app costing 4,400 won. Considering it prevents wasting time endlessly scrolling through social media, it's incredibly cheap.
- When you open the app, you'll see a tutorial video. It's very simple. Go to Settings, enable the extension in Safari, then allow SocialFocus access to your desired social media platforms.
- Now, open Safari, search for Instagram in the address bar, and once you're there, configure the extension settings as desired. The truly amazing part is that I can now control all the points Instagram uses to keep users hooked and grab their attention. As a former service planner, it stings a little (well, not really), but this is it… this is how you break free from the attention economy. That such an extension exists in the world? Long live Gangso Pod! Long live Gangdan! Thank you.
- With Sponsors, Reels, and Stories all gone and everything in gray mode, I'm not binge-scrolling like before. Of course, it's only been half a day, so I'll need to observe further. I'll use it for about three months and document my experience then.
- I've set up similar configurations for Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube too. And I deleted the apps entirely! Whew… Today, I reclaimed my attention sovereignty from social media. I was so happy that after finishing all the settings, I went for a walk around the neighborhood watching magpies. It felt amazing—finally putting change into practice in my life, about two and a half years
after reading Jenny Odell's How to Do Nothing
