"Influencer in the wild" pulls off seemingly impossible Sydney pool stunt: is that a phone?

We can all agree that we might be slightly addicted to our phones. But one person has taken screentime to a whole new level.

The iconic satirical Instagram account, which comments on all sides of Australian life, posted a moment that has left people both awestruck and infuriated.

From a popular spot in Sydney, Australia, a swimmer was caught red-handed using their phone in the pool.

However, they weren’t just casually using their phone by the pool. Instead, the swimmer can be seen in a backstroke position, scrolling through their phone while using their feet to propel themselves forward.

Brown Cardigan posted the video with the caption, “Good to see people just being in the moment, maximizing their screen time, never not being online and overshading every possible minute of their lives.”

The video, which received over 23,000 likes and almost 300 comments, has since gone viral, and the responses to the swimmer highlight the divisive nature of the internet.

“POV: you’re addicted to your phone but also to the beach life,” said one Instagram user.

“The world has gone crazy!! Put the phone down and live in the real world. Stop existing only online!!” said another user.

“There’s no coming back from where we are as a species,” proclaimed another Instagram user.

“Influencers in the wild,” said another user.

Another person simply said, “We’re all cooked.”

However, other users went to the swimmer's defense, saying that she may be reading or just enjoying some downtime away from family or work.

“I see nothing wrong with that. The heading is misleading! I thought the lady had done something out of the ordinary. She is just being a human,” argued one user.

“It’s a selfie. People take selfies anywhere, every day,” said another user, “good for her, get over it.”

“What’s worse, her doing this or filming her doing this and posting it online,” said another user.

Australia’s social media ban

While this person seems to be an adult, Australia seems to have a phone addiction and social media problem.

This is evidenced by its latest rule, which will ban under-16s from accessing social media accounts like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.

However, despite the ban, teens are doing everything in their power to circumvent the ban.

Under-16s in Australia are increasingly flocking to alternative social media platforms like Coverstar, Yope, and Lemon8, as the government's crackdown on banning teen use goes into full force.

Google slammed the ban, saying that it was rushed, as YouTube is one of the social media platforms that will be banned for under-16s.

However, Google still said it will comply with the ban despite its reservations.

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