Padlock Devices

I’ve permanently left Instagram and TikTok and deactivated Facebook, but I wanted an extra barrier to make going back deliberately difficult.

This is Padlock, a physical app blocker. You choose the apps and websites you want blocked and use the physical device to control access.

For me, this isn’t about taking a break, reducing screen time for a few weeks or eventually going back. I’m using it to help make leaving those platforms a permanent change. I particularly like that it introduces physical friction. Instead of relying on an easily dismissed screen-time notification, accessing something I’ve deliberately blocked requires another step.

I thought I’d share it here because there may be other FriendRewind users who have permanently moved away from mainstream social media and want something physical to help keep that boundary in place.