NBA players, teams tackle 'dark place' of social media addiction with phone buckets, blackout period

https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sport...phone-buckets-blackout-periods-233802489.html

The NBA has a lot of reasons to love social media.

The league and its players harness the outreach of tools like Twitter and Instagram like no other American sports league.

The NBA’s tally of 27 million Twitter followers is three million more than the NFL while LeBron James’ total of 41 million followers trails only Cristiano Ronaldo among worldwide athletes.

That social media savvy plays a big role in the surge of popularity in the league that maintains a 12-month presence in the news cycle like no other U.S. sport.

NBA’s social media savvy comes with a price
Of course that social media saturation comes with a price. Social media is not generally a bastion for mental well-being, prompting players and teams to take relatively drastic measures to tackle the platforms’ addictive qualities.

Bleacher Report’s Tom Haberstroh took a deep dive into that scene in a Monday piece confronting the league’s conflicted relationship with social media.

J.J. Redick eliminated social media from his life
The story focused on Philadelphia 76ers guard J.J. Redick, who shut down all of his social media accounts after they took too much control of his life.

“It’s a dark place,” Redick told BR of social media. “It’s not a healthy place. It’s not real. It’s not a healthy place for ego”—he pauses slightly—”if we’re talking about some Freudian s—. It’s just this cycle of anger and validation and tribalism. It’s scary, man.”

Redick is a teammate of one of the league’s most prominent social media users, Joel Embiid, whose posts on Instagram and Twitter are among the most anticipated in the sports world. The 76ers are also a case study of the pitfalls of social media after a scandal involving burner Twitter accounts ended up costing former general manager Bryan Colangelo his job.

Phone buckets and phone bags
Haberstroh’s piece highlighted the lengths to which the 76ers go to limit the negative impact of social media.

The 76ers are one of several teams in the NBA that have tried to implement “phone buckets” or “phone bags” on occasion during team meals. Put the phone in the bag and, you know, have real conversations. “I’ve been on teams where you literally don’t talk to each other at dinner,” Redick says. “Just six guys on their phones.”

Kevin Durant still getting into Twitter fights

The Bleacher Report piece details how Durant and other players are looking to an app called Headspace that guides users through meditation in an attempt to combat the negative impact of social media.

Social media addiction here to stay
The report also notes that other players like Stephen Curry, LeBron James and James Harden implement dark periods on social media during the playoffs to tamp down its addictive tendencies.

It’s an interesting piece that explores a league that has a truly conflicted relationship with tools that play a big role in its success — tools that aren’t going away anytime soon.

“It’s addicting to say the least,” said Dr. William D. Parham, the NBPA’s mental health and wellness director. “It’s another way to stay connected artificially, but it works. And I don’t think it’s going to decrease.”

 

Is it sad I didn't even know Ronaldo was on Twitter? lol.

 

I’m glad that more people are becoming aware of how addictive not only social media can be, but personal technology overall. I think a lot of what ails us as a society could be relieved if we became more mindful of one another and let go of the temptation to pick up our phones all the time. Present company included.

 

Is it sad that I don't even know who Ronaldo is?

 

I cut off all social media awhile ago, so much happier. It's very liberating leaving all the hate, arguments and bullshit behind. Life's too short.

 

Here's the article: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2798257-is-social-media-addiction-in-the-nba-out-of-control

Yahoo is too petty to actually link it.

 

As someone who also doesn't know - no, no it is not the least bit sad at all.

 

I dont do social media - this is as close as I get.

I did have a FB account (still do I guess??), but I dont use it.

Its weird to me that millionaires use twitter to get into fights. Like KD doesnt have better crap to do with his time / money than make fake accounts and argue about stuff... Dont even get me going on Billionaires like Elon Musk and our president. I know its quick to send out a tweet.
Always makes me think of the Mark Twain qoute, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”

 

It seems that Dame and CJ do a lot of social media networking.

 

Most Athletes do a lot of branding on social media.

 

“It’s a dark place,” Redick told BR of social media. “It’s not a healthy place. It’s not real. It’s not a healthy place for ego”—he pauses slightly—”if we’re talking about some Freudian s—. It’s just this cycle of anger and validation and tribalism. It’s scary, man.”

I can honestly see what he's saying. I know I probably spend to much time on here, but it's addicting.
Ive never been on face book, don't twit, but I do spend a lot of time on my Mac.

 

social media can be a complete cesspool if you engage or look for it.

the fact people are getting fired over stuff that's hunted out for years or decades ago and the extreme emotional exposition and even more extreme denouncing of anything outside your echo-chamber and selfvirtue signaling that seems to have endless support from likeminded emotionally broken and outraged people is just beyond crazy.

facebook - aside from the data leaks, at least you have a little control
instagram - if you are using it for interest based stuff - i have 3 accounts - 1 personal which i never post on, 1 for whisky and watch collecting, and 1 for basketball and card collecting. that's great, im just in that lane and its all interesting. but if you chasing those likes, prepare to be engulfed. its scary af how addicted the kids are.
twitter - utter shit. and as a business its losing users and share price has been iffy.
others - meh

 

I don't do social media either -- unless this site is social media. I have not had, and will never have, Facebook. I correctly identified the dangers of giving the rights to all of my personal information to Facebook from day one. I'm not letting those fuckers mine, analyse, and fail to protect my personal information, for their own immense profit. I still can't even read twitter and don't have an account. I once had a "Myspace" account, for a short time, but that was only so I could hook up with a very hot woman I knew

 

I love social media. Use Twitter to read articles from my favorite writers. Instagram because I love photography. Facebook to stay I touch with our family all over the country. Family is huge, 35 cousins. Love keeping track of them and their families. Never had a negative experience on social media to be honest. Curious why people claim they aren’t on social media as if it’s a good thing.

 

I don't get it either. Yeah, there are trolls out there that find strength behind a keyboard and can make social media slightly toxic, but it's not hard to look past them... it is what it is.

 

The only negative situation I brought upon myself by getting into it with Jaynes and Quick. Team didn’t like it. Other than that, no issues.

 

I have a FB account which I rarely post on, but I do like to see what other people are up to.

I don't do Twitter. Twitter is a joke. People post anything on there and some people will believe it. No thanks.

I have Instagram, but I've never posted anything on it. Instagram seems to be the direction most young people are moving toward. The pictures are nice.

 

Im not claiming that social media is bad, in fact it can be extremely useful, and yes I know that people often use it for ‘good’ things. However there are also things that arent so great about it. Like people spending excessive amounts of time on it, anonymity of keyboard warriors and toxocity on the internet, throwing out opinions on everything has negative side effects as weve seen. Then the companies behind some of social media are mostly interested in data the more they know about us thats all they’re looking for. So again Social media can be an extremely useful tool, it can be great for many things but like with most tools it has a fair share of challenges and things that can and do negatively effect people too.

I choose to avoid it, and its worked great for me. That doesnt mean I look down on everyone who does use it. Its a choice.

 

is it sad that i barely know what twitter is and if it werent for clicking on twitter links from here i would have never even gone to a twitter page?

 

They just need to talk to the Dr. Jeykl and Mr. Hyde of Social Media --- Kevin Durant. He'll show use to fool the masses with a COOL MEDIUM for your brand! Pretty soon your Q Score will be sky high!