By Shirley Farmer 
Monday, January 15, is considered one of the unhappiest days of the year. Find out why and how European adults are protecting themselves with mobile phone scams, according to Kaspersky experts.
Tomorrow is Blue Monday (or “Sad Monday”). It is considered the most depressing day of the year because it is the first working day of the week, the weather is cold and rainy, the daylight hours are few, the time has passed since the last day of salary payment and the end of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
On January 15th, not only does the weekend seem far away, but so does your paycheck or even the spring and summer solstice. In the face of this reality, the cybersecurity company Kaspersky tried to understand whether we avoid reality through technology or whether we use technology to avoid reality.
In a study on digital habits, through an online survey of 5,000 European adults aged 18 to 64 years, conducted between November and December 2023, Kaspersky and Arlington Research concluded that the majority of people (80%) limit their exposure to screens to avoid facing frustrating digital realities.
About a third (32%) blocked social media accounts that did not bring them happiness, and 25% turned off notifications. Pay On news sites and another 23% silenced messages in groups, which caused them inconvenience. More: Four in ten respondents (42%) said they were more likely this year to turn to a digital escape to avoid depression in their daily lives.
“The mental health risks associated with constant social media use and the news cycle have long been documented, as have the potential long-term effects of social isolation, caused by the pandemic. So it's great to see people taking active steps to take better control of their digital lives,” said David Em. “I would like to see this trend continue, as people take back control of their online lives and the information they receive and share digitally,” said Kaspersky Senior Security Researcher.
The desire to “disconnect” is most evident in Generation Z, which includes those born in the early 2000s through 2010, because 61% said they expect to use digital escapism more in the coming months, compared to 34%. From Generation X, 24%. % of baby boomers. Furthermore, 91% have taken steps to limit their exposure to disturbing information, a higher percentage than 75% of Generation X and 65% of Baby Boomers.
“The New Year is a great time to clean up: close unused accounts that may be vulnerable to hacking, check if passwords show signs of weakness/compromise, review the way we interact with channels, apps and people, and set new standards and healthy boundaries,” suggests a company specialist. Cyber security.
“Blue Monday.” Is the saddest day of the year a marketing scheme?