Andrew Laubacher, executive director of Humanality, spoke at SEEK 2026 about the negative impacts of social media on individuals. Laubacher quit social media in 2018 due to its negative effects and now leads a nonprofit offering a 12-week digital detox program. He cited CDC data showing decreased U.S. life expectancy and increased depressive illness rates compared to 60 years ago. Research suggests the introduction of the front-facing camera on smartphones around 2010 correlated with drastic increases in anxiety and depression. Laubacher shared personal struggles with comparison, lust, loneliness, and scrolling before leaving social media improved his friendships, purity, productivity, and prayer life.
2 months ago
Andrew Laubacher, executive director of Humanality, spoke to hundreds of young Catholics at SEEK 2026 in Denver on January 2, 2026.1 2 3
A former touring Catholic musician, he quit social media in 2018 after feeling exhausted and divinely called to change.1 2 3
Humanality is a nonprofit offering a 12-week digital detox program to foster freedom through intentional technology use.1 2 3
Laubacher's goal is to help attendees reclaim time for meaningful pursuits like love, creativity, and vocation.1 2 3
Laubacher cited CDC data showing U.S. life expectancy drops from 2017-2019 and depression rates 10 times higher than 60 years ago.1 2 3
He linked rises in anxiety and depression to the 2010 front-facing smartphone camera, enabling self-comparison and self-definition.1 2 3
Social media fosters addiction, lust, loneliness, and poor body image while algorithms distort reality perception.1 2 3
It alters thinking, behavior, relationships, sleep, and reality for digital natives.1 2 3
Laubacher shared how quitting social media improved his friendships, purity, productivity, and prayer life.1 2 3
Everything got better post-detox, motivating his work.1 2 3
An average 18-year-old in 2025 faces a 90-year lifespan, yielding 334 months of free time.1 2 3
Currently, 93% of that—equating to 27 years—is spent on screens.1 2 3
Laubacher outlined three of Humanality's 11 principles: "be light," "be giving," and "be present."1 2 3
"Be light" means ending nighttime scrolling; modern indoor life (90% indoors vs. 90% outdoors 100 years ago) and blue light disrupt sleep and mental health.1 2 3
"Be giving" counters social media's self-focus, promoting outward-oriented living for greater happiness.1 2 3
"Be present" encourages presence with self, others, and God, aiding self-love and divine purpose.1 2 3
How should Catholics cultivate intentional technology use?
Catholics are called to approach technology not as an end in itself, but as a tool that serves human dignity, fosters genuine relationships, and draws us closer to God. Drawing from pastoral reflections by the Dicastery for Communications and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, intentional technology use involves discernment rooted in faith, periods of silence and digital detox, practical boundaries especially in families, and a commitment to authentic encounters that proclaim the Gospel. These practices counteract the overload of digital stimuli, promote prudence, and align our digital lives with the Church's vision of technology as a means for respect, dialogue, and friendship.
At the heart of intentional technology use is discernment, viewing our online presence through the lens of faith. The Dicastery for Communications emphasizes that deciding what and how to communicate on social media is not merely practical but spiritual, requiring prudence and prayerful consideration. Echoing the Good Samaritan parable, we must ask, "Who is my neighbor?" in digital spaces, recognizing God's presence in our interactions. This means prayerfully evaluating whether our posts build up community or scatter attention, always prioritizing relationships that promote a culture of respect, dialogue, and friendship, as Pope Benedict XVI urged.
Pope Francis has warned that the digital world's indistinguishability from everyday life demands wisdom beyond quick searches or unverified data. True maturity in technology use comes from listening attentively, recovering deliberateness and calm, and patiently understanding others—habits that expand knowledge without losing our bearings. Without this discernment, technology risks isolating us from neighbors and confirming biases rather than fostering mutual understanding.
In an era of constant stimuli, silence emerges as a precious commodity, creating space for focus, discernment, and deeper engagement with God and others. The Dicastery describes this as a "digital detox", not mere withdrawal, but an intentional detachment from devices in educational, work, family, and community settings. This practice counters the "flood of information" that hinders wisdom, echoing Pope Francis's call to avoid the pitfalls of rapid, unreflective communication.
Such silence mirrors the Church's long tradition of reflecting on communications technology, from World Communications Day messages since 1967, which urge using digital tools to serve humanity's transcendent calling rather than dominate it. By stepping away, we reclaim time for prayer, listening, and authentic self-expression, ensuring technology enhances rather than erodes our humanity.
The U.S. Bishops' pastoral response to pornography offers concrete strategies adaptable to broader technology use, stressing ongoing faith formation in family and sexuality, alongside rules to combat isolation and addiction. Parents should model reduced device dependence, build non-digital routines, and discuss chastity age-appropriately while encouraging critical thinking about digital media.
Key family rules include:
These boundaries protect against harms like pornography, which exploits loneliness, and extend to general tech use by safeguarding mental health and peer pressure. Parishes can support this through formation on technology's role in holiness, support groups, and resources upholding Catholic teaching.
Social media should be spaces, not just tools, for proclaiming the Good News and co-creating encounters. Young people, integral to digital culture, need guidance to use platforms for justice, human rights, and dialogue across divides. Pope John Paul II called for a moral vision rooted in faith to transform the computer age, storing Church teachings accessibly while respecting the human person.
Pastoral efforts should articulate the Gospel's power over technology, offering support for the lonely and preaching on its addictive risks. Civil recommendations, like age verification and parental tools, align with Church advocacy for protecting the vulnerable. Ultimately, technology serves the family and common good, never undermining parental authority or enabling abuse.
In cultivating intentional use, Catholics integrate these elements—discernment, silence, boundaries, and encounter—transforming digital highways into paths of loving neighborliness. This aligns technology with God's plan, ensuring it glorifies Him while serving our vocation to holiness.