Though no one is denying the infinite, worldwide benefits of Facebook, we have all experienced that moment when you realize your “quick Facebook check” turned into hours of procrastination as you scrolled through your ex’s sister’s wedding photos—all 756 of them.
Well, a campaign called “99 Days of Freedom” is underway and is challenging any and all Facebook users to take 99 days off the network and see if they are happier afterwards. The initiative was designed by a creative agency in the Netherlands called Just Art, according to WMUR, and is a response to Facebook’s recent emotional experiment on its users.
Participants of the movement will refrain from using Facebook for 99 days and complete mood surveys on days 33, 66, and 99. A “time-off” logo will replace their profile pictures for the duration of the experiment.
Merijn Straathof, the art director of Just Art, acknowledges that Facebook is an “incedible platform,” reported the Associated Press. But, he theorizes that those brave enough to take a break from the online community “will yield a lot of positive personal experiences.” That is, if they aren’t going through withdrawal.