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By Simon Rogers
Data Editor, Google
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This year, Google's search data has captured a very clear, collective signal: people are looking for ways to connect offline. Searches for “how to digital detox” are up 110 percent since the beginning of 2026, and “how to touch grass” has officially become a breakout query. If you don’t know what touching grass means, you’re not alone—searches for the “meaning of touch grass” increased by 90 percent this year. It simply means taking a break from screen time to reconnect with the physical world.
I recognize the irony here. People are turning to the device in their hands and asking it for tips on how to put it down. It’s easy to view this cynically, but as a data editor at Google who has watched search trends unfold in real time over the past 11 years, I don’t see it that way. I see an evolution of how we’re using technology to help us uncover new hobbies, find friends within our community, and learn more about the topics that interest us.
We see this reflected in our search habits. People want to learn new skills. Search interest in “how to make my own” reached an all-time high this year. And “how to start a cross stitch pattern, ”how to make my own embroidery designs,” and “is knitting or crochet easier” are all breakout searches this summer.
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This year, “adult tennis lessons,” “trail running” and “hiking” are all being searched more than ever before. “Walking club,” “run club” and “how to start running” also hit all-time highs this year, with breakout questions like “how to find local run clubs” and “how to make friends at run club,” suggesting people aren’t just looking for exercise, but also connection.
In my role, I find the human stories within trillions of anonymous, aggregated search queries. It is like staring into the world’s brain. And what the data tells us is that people aren’t rejecting technology, they’re simply changing the way in which they use it.
Think about it. Decades ago, if you wanted to build community or find a community activity, you were largely limited by geography. Today, the internet can give us tailored recommendations that meet our highly specific needs. And AI takes this a step further. Not only can it help you learn more about topics that interest you, it can assist with everything from finding in-stock gear nearby to unearthing local classes that fit within your schedule; ultimately helping you spend less time online researching and more time experiencing the real world.
When we want to learn a new skill, we seek expert advice from blogs, videos and forums. When we crave in-person connection, we search for nearby clubs to join or get tips for how to organize a get-together ourselves. And sometimes we want to learn something new while connecting. “What is a progressive dinner party,” “how to set table for dinner party” and “what to wear to a dinner party” are all trending questions this year.
Online search shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for the physical world, but instead something that can help us curate our own.
So, yes, we are logging on to figure out how to log off. But we are also putting our phones away equipped with new skills, information and ideas. As it turns out, when you want to touch grass, sometimes it’s helpful to ask the internet to show you exactly where the grass is.
Simon Rogers is Google’s Data Editor and author of What We Ask Google, published by Plume.
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