Get it on Google Play

Can we live without our phones?

Can we live without our phones?

Author: BBC World Service September 19, 2026 Duration: 23:41
The Documentary Podcast
SocietySociety & CultureCultureDocumentary

For many of us, our phones are the first thing we look at in the morning and the last thing we put down at night. But with growing pressure over screen time and concerns about the impact of social media, tech companies like Meta have agreed to restrictions. In our conversations, we bring together three people who have received treatment for tech addiction. We also hear from those have decided not to use smartphones at all. “To me what’s weird is when a couple go on a date, instead of looking at each other and talking to each other, they’re staring at their own phones and texting people and doing whatever,” Loren in Los Angeles tells us.


From the BBC World Service comes The Documentary Podcast, a series dedicated to immersive audio storytelling that explores the intricate layers of our global society. This isn't about quick news summaries; it's about settling in for a deep, thoughtful listen that brings you directly to the source. Each episode is built around the voices and experiences of people living the stories we often only see in headlines. You might find yourself on the road with Canada’s Sikh truckers, examining the far-reaching implications of China's overseas investments, or standing with communities on the front lines of the climate emergency. The production takes you into the minds of creative thinkers and follows profound personal journeys, all crafted with the BBC's renowned journalistic depth. For anyone with a curious mind looking to uncover hidden truths and make better sense of our complex world, this podcast offers a vital, human-centered perspective. It represents the best of documentary storytelling, where every narrative is an opportunity to listen, learn, and connect to the wider human experience far beyond the daily news cycle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Official website RSS
The Documentary Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ukraine and Russia’s recruitment war [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:37
More than four years after Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022, the war continues to shape almost every aspect of life in both countries, including the challenge of finding enough people…
Experiences of drought [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
It’s been several weeks since there has been any significant rainfall in many parts of the world. Across Europe, a prolonged heatwave and little rain have dried-up waterways, hit crop production and have contributed to t…
The creator of France's 'Untouchables' houses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:27
Laurent de Cherisey was fresh out of business school and looking forward to earning a lot of money when his sister had a car accident that left her severely disabled. This led him to rethink everything. Including finding…
Tree of diplomacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:28
How has botany been able to function as one of the longest-lasting soft powers between the two world powers - China and the US? Journalist and producer Finn Aberdein has been focused on China for over two decades. He hea…
The world's largest wildlife crossing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
When it opens in December, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will be the largest in the world. Stretched over a 10-lane freeway, it is intended to help save California's mountain lion population, which has become fr…
Victoria Falls: An environment on the edge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:57
The Victoria falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is considered one of the natural wonders of the world. But as Isa Jacobson reports, there is concern that development around the waterfall could threaten the deli…
Special forces on trial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:50
South African police detective Frans Mathipa told his boss he feared that he would be killed by the country’s military. Two days later he was found shot dead in his car by the side of a motorway.At the time of his death,…
Africa's first film city [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:43
In Lagos, a vast patch of scrubland is being imagined as the future home of Kebulania: an ambitious African film city on the edge of Nigeria’s biggest metropolis, and one of the centres of Nollywood, the country’s multi-…
Rapping behind bars in Cameroon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:37
New Bell Prison in Douala, Cameroon, operates a bit like a city within a city. The facility has its own "taxis" (inmates who hand deliver messages), its own law enforcement (prisoners who help police the facility) and a…

«12345