Why the Slow Tech Uprising Matters (BackMarket Forum ’25)

We may earn compensation from reviewed products. Learn about our editorial policies.

Yesterday, I sat in Paris at the BackMarket Forum, a gathering of entrepreneurs, thinkers, and creators all talking about one thing: how we escape the madness of fast tech.

Now, let’s pause for a second. I’m a tech reviewer. I literally make a living testing the latest gadgets and telling you whether they’re worth buying. Every week, another shiny device arrives at my studio, demanding attention. So yes, I see the irony of me writing about slowing down. But that’s exactly why the conversations in Paris hit me so hard.

Because here’s the truth: the way we consume technology is broken.

What is the Slow Tech Uprising?

The “slow tech uprising” is a growing movement that pushes back against the idea that progress equals speed. For decades, we’ve been trained to think newer is better. Phones that last a year. Laptops that feel obsolete after two. A culture of unboxing videos and endless upgrades.

Slow tech flips that script. It’s not about rejecting technology — far from it. It’s about using it differently:

• Keeping devices for longer.
• Repairing instead of replacing.
• Buying refurbished instead of brand new.
• Choosing balance over burnout.

In short: it’s about tech that works for us, not the other way around.

The “Ick” of Fast Tech

One of the panellists described something we’ve all felt: the ick.

That moment when a telecom giant lures you into a “free phone” deal, only for you to realise you’re chained to a predatory contract that’ll cost thousands more in the long run. The ick when you lose an hour to doomscrolling, with nothing to show for it. The ick when you’re pressured into upgrading a device that works perfectly fine.

Fast tech is designed to create these moments. To keep us hooked, locked in, and endlessly consuming. And the data shows people are fed up:

• Mentions of “slow tech” are up 95% on Reddit in the past year.
• Conversations about repair and reuse have jumped 82%.
• At BackMarket, demand for refurbished devices has grown 10x in the last decade.

This isn’t just a fringe idea anymore. It’s happening.

Why This Isn’t Just About Fashion

Yes, resale platforms like Depop have helped normalise circularity in fashion. But let’s be real: the stakes are far higher in tech.

A T-shirt might last a season. A smartphone can last years, if we let it. The environmental footprint of producing a single laptop dwarfs that of fast fashion. And then there’s e-waste: mountains of discarded devices, many of which still work, piling up across the globe.

Fast fashion might have sparked the movement. But fast tech is where the real battle lies.

The Cost of “Always New”

Think about how tech companies have shaped our behaviour. A constant cycle of upgrades. Phones glued to our hands. Notifications pulling us back in at every moment.

And behind the scenes, data centres guzzling electricity and water to fuel this attention economy. Algorithms designed to keep us scrolling because outrage sells better than truth. Devices built with planned obsolescence in mind.

The promise of tech was freedom. But somewhere along the line, it became frenzy.

The Circular Alternative

The hopeful part? The circular economy for tech is no longer niche. It’s mainstream.

• Refurbished phones and laptops are saving people money while keeping devices in circulation.
• Repair movements are growing, from local fix-it workshops to global brands offering genuine spare parts.
• Software updates are being extended (slowly but surely) to keep older devices relevant.

And crucially, consumers are leading the charge. People are choosing refurbished because it makes sense. Choosing repair because it gives them freedom. Choosing “enough” over “more.”

As one speaker put it: “Doing good has become good business.”

Reclaiming Our Time

Slow tech isn’t just about the devices we buy; it’s about how we use them.

Dr. Caitlin Regere, one of the speakers, made a point that stuck with me: our attention is the product. Tech platforms profit when we stay glued to screens, so the system is designed to keep us hooked. That means endless feeds, personalised silos, and addictive loops.

But when people reclaim their time, incredible things happen. According to Reddit’s data:

• DIY activities are up 50% year-on-year.
• More people are spending time outdoors.
• The wellness industry — fuelled by people looking for ways to slow down — continues to grow.

In other words, when we step back from the frenzy, we don’t lose out. We get our lives back.

Why This Matters for Tech Reviewers (Like Me)

This is where it gets personal. My job revolves around new tech. Every year, I review the latest iPhone, the newest foldable, the freshest headphones. And I love doing it. Tech is exciting. Innovation matters.

But sitting in Paris yesterday, I couldn’t ignore the contradiction. My work feeds into the same upgrade culture we’re all trying to rethink. That doesn’t mean I stop reviewing new devices, but it does mean I need to be more intentional about how I talk about them.

Because the real story isn’t just “what’s new.” It’s also “what lasts.”

The Future: Dominant, Not Niche

One of the boldest claims from the Forum came from BackMarket’s co-founder:

“In 10 years, circular economy for tech products is going to be dominant. Not niche, not an alternative — dominant.”

That’s a big statement. But looking at the data, the cultural shift, and the growing appetite for sustainability, it feels realistic.

Imagine a world where:

• Phones are designed to last 10 years.
• Repair shops are as common as coffee shops.
• Companies thrive not by selling us more, but by helping us keep what we already own in great shape.

That’s the slow tech future.

Enough Already

The BackMarket Forum wasn’t just a series of talks. It was a wake-up call.

Fast tech is breaking us. But the alternative is already here. A slower, more balanced, more intentional way of living with technology, not against it.

I’ll still unbox the next iPhone. I’ll still test the latest foldable. But I’ll also keep asking: do we need this? Or is it just more of the same? And can you buy more consciously?