Isobel Lewis is a culture and lifestyle journalist based in London, with a special interest in stand-up comedy, TV and theatre. Her bylines include 

The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic,

People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

Reality Split

“It's a dumb question but [does] anyone know how to find a hobby?” This is the question one 19-year-old Reddit user asked 

 – and they were right to. While we’d assume most of Gen Z have hobbies, in the digital era, that may be harder to determine. After all, the majority spend 93 minutes a day on social platforms, much longer than the older generation. 

Statista

Despite this, almost half of young people would rather live in a world where the internet does not exist, and they’re actively ditching doomscrolling and seeking to become active hobbyists. 

The British Standards Institution

 – so-called ‘grandma hobbies’ – with corresponding apps popping up in tandem to support them, including 

Vice

The Guardian

 For a generation raised with constant internet access, letting go of it entirely is a near-impossible task, but these niche apps are seen as a healthier, less addictive and more productive alternative.

The central motivation for using these apps? To keep a digital record of real-world activities. The most popular of these platforms include Letterboxd for film buffs (17 million users), Goodreads for bookworms (150 million users) and 

Deadline

The Conversation

 Beyond logging their metrics, these apps enable community participation, allowing users to follow friends, send messages and give them likes or ‘kudos’ in Strava’s case. Most crucially, their limited scope for doomscrolling renders them far less addictive and is a crucial part of their appeal. As one Letterboxd user 

: “Letterboxd has become my go-to app. It’s so sincere [and] wholesome [and] free of toxicity, [and] there are no temptations to waste time.”

Subsequently, these activity-driven apps have grown in tandem with Gen Z’s newfound interest in hobbies, while also fueling these hobbies. But while these apps are seen as less ‘toxic’ than big tech social media platforms, there’s an irony in people using screen-based devices and mobile apps to pursue traditionally offline hobbies. Sports nutritionist and running content creator Siân Seccombe offers cautious cynicism. “It’s a great way to measure progress and put a number to what you’re doing, [but] I think it has slightly become part of the tick-box culture and [a means of] quantifying achievement,” she says. 

Interview with Siân Seccombe conducted by the author

 In a landscape where Gen Z are becoming increasingly utilitarian and self-optimising with their social media and distancing themselves from less productive habits, how can brands operate organically in the digital space and avoid earning the reputation of a ‘doomscrolling’ platform?

Analogue hobbies once favoured by the pre-internet generation – think knitting, rollerskating, and even birdwatching – are being embraced by Gen Z in a bid to ditch the endless scroll and re-engage their minds and bodies. 

 Even swapping a mobile screen for the cinema is seen as a better alternative. “If you're going to a theatre, you're still offline for at least 90 minutes to two hours,” says Letterboxd head of community Matt Kolowski. 

Interview with Matt Kolowski conducted by the author

 Many of Gen Z film buffs may have been introduced to these movies through something they saw on Letterboxd and will immediately assign their own star rating on the app; this is considered an acceptable use of screen time to support their offline hobby. Central to the appeal is the tactility of the experience, rather than the finished product itself, while simultaneously feeding into a culture of self-optimisation and status signalling through taste – a phenomenon especially prevalent among Gen Z.

More active pursuits, such as rock climbing, mountaineering and pilates, offer a greater sense of purpose and fitness, compared to doomscrolling or drinking, which are often described as wasteful of time and damaging to mental and physical health. People who take part in arts and crafts feel higher levels of life satisfaction, while physical activity – team sports in particular – has been linked to improved mental health. 

Anglia Ruskin University

Mental Health Foundation

 Gen Z are seeking out these activities in search of greater mental health, and these apps can allow them to both share their hobbies and find community through them.

Running, in particular, has shot up in popularity as a result of this desire for activity tracking. In the middle of the sport’s ‘third great boom’, young people are getting outside to connect with the world. 

Run clubs are all the rage when it comes to both exercising and socialising, with 59% of people wanting to meet new people through a fitness group rather than at a bar (14%). 

Strava

 (289,000 followers) have built followings around running streaks into the thousands of days. These activities develop their own language of cultural signifiers, including kits and stereotypes that can be referenced or 

. “‘Running influencer’ culture is a huge thing and it’s becoming a personality type or lifestyle, definitely [among] the younger generations,” says Seccombe. “An early morning run ending with coffee and a bakery visit [is] cool now instead of going out drinking.” 

Image-based apps such as Instagram and TikTok have been integral to Gen Z finding new hobbies, with 

 both popular tags on the video-sharing app. 

The Week

Yahoo! Entertainment

However, social media scepticism is also on the rise among users who recognise that these platforms all have similar offerings and little differentiation. For instance, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts have become TikTok alternatives, with short-form video features ready to inflict algorithmic harm to maintain their audience’s dependency. In fact, nearly half of UK Gen Z agree that social media is the top negative influence on teenage mental health, and 50% say they wish they had spent less time on their phones growing up. 

New Britain Project

By virtue of being based around a singular activity, hobby-centred apps are far more limited in their ability to ingrain harmful habits within their user base. All contain some social media elements, but these are secondary to the main aim of supporting real-world activity. Where the social media giants utilise algorithms which analyse metadata to prioritise the recommendation of content that feels eerily specific and tailored to viewer habits and tastes, the intention with these newer platforms is instead on what Kolowski calls “human-curated recommendations”. “There was no – and still isn't – any algorithmic-like re-sorting of your feed,” he says of Letterboxd. “We view it as a community platform, because it's only as social as you want it to be.” 

With the perception that these platforms aren’t built to dominate your life, they’re also viewed as far less addictive. Goodreads is considered to be the most popular online platform for reading, despite 

 for its ‘dated’ user interface. Strava is undeniably more visually impressive and has 

 with the introduction of new sports and activities into the app, including badminton, pilates and even table tennis. Still, Seccombe says that Strava feels more like a community platform than social media and has ‘less pressure’ as a result. “I post things on Strava I wouldn’t on [Instagram] because it feels less judged,” she says. “When it comes to sharing [activities] to Instagram, the comparison and social element increases.” 

 As with any app, there will be public figures and professionals with significant followings. On Goodreads or Letterboxd, these may be traditional critics or online video essayists, while for 

, the three thousand professional athletes who use it. But because these apps feel smaller and more niche, there is still a feeling of exclusivity that feels more like healthy competition than harmful comparison.

 they want to spend less time on social media, disentangling their lives from it and living a life where they don’t post, share stories or create any kind of content around their experiences is a tough ask. Many see the positive side of social media platforms; for roughly three-quarters of US teens, what they see on social media makes them feel more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives. 

Pew Research Center

 That’s where these niche community apps come in, where the focus is on smaller communities and sharing with friends they really 

. “I just wanted to discover new stuff to watch with my friends; that's the bread and butter of Letterboxd,” says Kolowski. 

 Sian Seccombe sings a similar tune. “I just like to see what my friends are up to and cheer for people,” she says. 

Whether it's a craft group or a birdwatching troop, the social aspect of hobbies is a major motivator for people to actually pick up new activities. 55% of Gen Z fitness enthusiasts say social connection is the main reason that they join fitness groups. 

 As a result, these apps become intrinsically linked to the activities themselves. 

of books or novellas to reach their Goodreads goal before the yearly Reading Challenge comes to an end. Running has become so associated with Strava that the phrase, “If it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen”, has become a meme in itself, spawning 

But for Gen Z, these platforms are essential to connecting, exploring and diversifying their worldview. 

 Although it’s something of a “double-edged sword”; Seccombe says this technology has helped people pick up the activity, but they also can’t imagine doing it without recording it on the app. “I know many people who couldn’t care less, but others who stress over their Strava stats not matching their [smart]watch by 0.01km,” she says. 

 Because they view these platforms as less toxic, users are less likely to see professionals on the platforms as influencers and may compare themselves unfavourably: “I think the accessibility of it is brilliant, but there just needs to be more education around fuelling, staying healthy and what is a reasonable expectation.” 

 Comparison culture exists within these apps too, albeit on a smaller scale, Kolowski admits: “If I see a friend log a movie, and they go to an early screening, I'm pissed off that they saw it before I did.” 

As complex algorithms keep users hooked, young people are finding ways to distance themselves from social media, with 45% of US teens saying they spend too much time on such apps. 

 While doomscrolling is considered unfruitful, younger generations’ lifelong experience online means they struggle to give it up completely, but are happier to spend time on hobby-based apps without the feelings of guilt associated. “Strava is a lot less scrollable – you ‘complete’ it, in a way.” 

 Subsequently, in-app marketing can be a strategic push to reach those looking to divest from the endless scroll. 

 features editorial features and lists about upcoming films, while Zalando, Ford and TAG Heuer all sponsor 

, leading to mailing list sign-ups from users hoping to win real-world prizes in addition to digital trophies. For brands looking to appeal to engaged audiences, there is an opportunity to engage with smaller, yet more passionate demographics who are less immediately dismissive of paid content than they might be on the main social platforms.

Build centralised socials for niche communities

On social platforms, content is seldom memorable and often interchangeable, and 83% of US Gen Z have taken steps to limit time spent there. 

The Harris Poll

 Meanwhile, hobby apps have fewer users, giving posts a perceived authority that makes members feel like they really know the brands and people they follow. Kolowski often hears about independent cinemas not only having Letterboxd accounts, but also integrating them into in-person marketing. “They had their members write their Letterboxd usernames on [a] chalkboard so that maybe you [could] chat with people in lobby, but you could also just follow them on Letterboxd to see what else they're watching and interact in that way,” he says, adding that “some do prefer to interact online, and maybe less so in person”. 

 Brands based around hobbies can explore the possibility of social media apps for their activity, maintaining their own profiles to strengthen their standing within specific communities.

Hobbies can foster a sense of community that feels like an antidote to social media’s emphasis on individualism. Kolowski emphasises Letterboxd’s role as a platform to get people 

considering 57% of US Gen Zers associate it with the word ‘boredom’ and 43% associate it with ‘isolation.’ 

 “Letterboxd members in the community are excited to go to the movies and be offline in that respect and hang out at a theatre,” he says. 

 What links these hobbies is the tangibility of the activity and that they have a tactile element that forces people to put down their phones, even if they will pick them up again to log their progress on a specific app. Dating app Tinder, for example, last year played into the popularity of running clubs as social spaces and launched its SoleMates Run Clubs in collaboration with Runna. 

Tinder

 Digital brands may find that sponsoring events related to popular hobbies or sports will lead to engaged customers who associate their product with these positive, mood-boosting activities.

 of Gen Z in the UK, specifically those between the ages of 

, say they would prefer to live in a world without the internet

 of people say they would prefer to meet new people through a fitness group rather than at a bar (

 of US Gen Z associate social media with the word ‘boredom’, while a further 

In an effort to untether themselves from technology, Gen Z are turning to so-called ‘grandma hobbies’ such as crafting, reading and cooking

Apps and platforms that can be used to log these activities are growing in popularity, but also encourage users to adopt these hobbies in the first place

Hobby apps have become associated with these activities to the point where many joke that they ‘don’t count’ if not logged online

Matt Kolowski is the head of community at Letterboxd, overseeing the support and moderation teams and premium member initiatives. He has used the platform to post his own reviews since 2015, and now hosts the brand’s podcast 

Siân Seccombe is a sports nutritionist and running content creator. She has 60,000 followers on Instagram, where she focuses on science-backed information about running and the importance of fuelling correctly.

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

United Kingdom

United States

Home and Relationships

To break free from doomscrolling, Gen Z is turning to tactical physical hobbies and community sports. This shift has been supported by apps such as Strava and Letterboxd, which have seen a growth in popularity, as they allow users to scratch the social media itch in a more productive fashion.

Analysis

Isobel Lewis

Matt Kolowski

Siân Seccombe

Related Macro Behaviours

Reality Split