He's right that filling every spare moment with compulsive news-checking and fast content consumption is distracting and stressful, but there's no reason he can

He's right that filling every spare moment with compulsive news-checking and fast content consumption is distracting and stressful, but there's no reason he can't apply focus and deliberation to his surfing habits just like he did for other areas of his life. Indulge in the things you enjoy, and when you feel them becoming compulsive, cut back. For me, ditching the web would have a profoundly alienating effect on my psyche.