In our increasingly digitized society, being constantly connected has become the norm. Bringing undeniable benefits, but also mounting concerns over digital overload and mental well-being. Many people attempt to disconnect from digital media to restore balance, but not everyone is equally successful. As a result, a new form of digital inequality is emerging, not based on access or skills alone, but on the ability to disconnect.

Dr. Nguyen’s project introduces the concept of “disconnection inequality,” a novel framework that explores how people vary in their ability to regulate their digital connectivity. Unlike traditional views that equate more connectivity with more opportunity, this perspective recognizes that in today’s world, being able to disconnect is itself a valuable and unevenly distributed resource.

A Multi-Method Approach to Understanding Digital Disconnection and Inequality

The project follows a multi-method approach to understand voluntary disconnection as a sequential process, moving from the intention to disconnect, to actual behavior, perceived success, and ultimately, well-being benefits. It seeks to uncover where people falter in this process and what factors (personal, social, or digital) contribute to their struggles.

Through interviews, large-scale longitudinal surveys, and real-time experience sampling combined with mobile trace data, the research aims to identify the individual competencies, social dynamics, and platform features that influence disconnection inequality.

By redefining digital inequality to include the ability to disconnect, this project has the potential to inform public discourse, policy, and platform design in ways that promote digital well-being and social equity. Dr. Nguyen’s research marks an important step toward understanding and addressing the often-overlooked challenges of life in an always-on digital age.