Deutsche Telekom supports the digital detox trend and encourages conscious timeouts from digital communication.
At first glance, it might appear contradictory that a company like Deutsche Telekom should appeal to people to go without digital communication sometimes. After all, Deutsche Telekom's revenue comes from products and services for connected life and work, and the company provides these services to its customers around the clock, 365 days a year.
Nonetheless, digital detox offers an antidote to the option of being online anytime, anywhere. The message behind it is that sometimes, during special moments, it's okay to switch off your smartphone and other digital devices!
Deutsche Telekom supports the digital detox trend and encourages conscious timeouts from digital communication, because during special times it can sometimes simply be more important to connect with the people around us.
Digital communication will only retain its value for all, if communication services are used responsibly.
With this in mind, Deutsche Telekom's ongoing TV campaign saw the Heins family celebrate a joyful Christmas together, without a smartphone or Internet connection in sight. The film shows how, one by one, the members of the Heins family switch off their smartphones and other digital devices, so they can celebrate together. We see them sitting around the festive table, with no need for any connection other than the personal one they share.
But Deutsche Telekom sees no contradiction in marketing digital services while also advising users to switch off from time to time when they need to.
A careful approach to digital devices is important. Deutsche Telekom has teamed up with the Teachtoday initiative to offer assistance to parents and educators in particular in teaching children and young people about the responsible use of modern communication media. As more and more social and economic processes are digitized, the importance of the careful use of digital communication tools will continue to increase.
With this in mind, Deutsche Telekom also uses its internal guidelines to regulate business communication by employees using smartphones at the weekend; business communication is a strict taboo at these times, with the devices only intended for weekend use in exceptional cases. In this way, the Group shows how seriously it takes concerns such as burnout and information overload.
