Families unplug from tech in digital detox camps

ISTANBUL

The Family and Social Services Ministry aims to expand its “digital detox” camps, launched in Istanbul to combat technology addiction and strengthen family communication, to all 39 districts of the metropolis by the end of the year.

Following the declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family,” a new vision was introduced designating the 2026-2035 period as the “Decade of Family and Population” due to decreasing birth and marriage rates.

In line with this framework, the Istanbul directorate of the ministry has been organizing “digital detox” camps in various districts to strengthen family bonds and raise awareness about technology
dependency.

One of the camps was held at the Marmaracık Youth Camp in the Rumelifeneri neighborhood of Istanbul’s Sarıyer district.

At the camp site, where greenery meets the sea, families and children spent a day surrounded by nature, taking part in cultural and sporting activities.

Families took part in activities without using digital devices such as mobile phones, tablets and computers, allowing them to reconnect with nature and each other.

The program included traditional games such as tug-of-war, sack races, egg-and-spoon races, musical chairs and dodgeball, as well as sporting activities including archery, canoeing, volleyball, basketball, football, table tennis and table football.

Through these activities, organizers seek to increase family interaction, strengthen empathy and promote awareness of nature.

Semra Ataç, a housewife and mother of two who attended the camp, said she found it refreshing to spend time away from social media and television.

Emphasizing the importance of spending time together as a family and socializing, Ataç said children were particularly happy to relax and have fun in such environments away from social media.