scratching glass

Refers to incessantly scrolling on a smartphone, which has a glass screen. Used as a pejorative, with the connotation of doing something ineffectual, unproductive, and/or even harmful to oneself.

Brings up imagery of someone making pictures or writing on frosted glass to pass the time, or someone trying to make a permanent mark on a glass pane with just their fingernail but ends up breaking their own fingernail.

glass-scratcher (noun)
1. someone who spends a lot of time on their phone, usually scrolling through social media, but can playing games, etc., usually to their own detriment (e.g. social seclusion, inability to get out of bed without checking their social media feed, etc.)
2. someone who spends a lot of time trying to gain attention and/or influence on social media, but doesn't make much difference, and their obsession ends up harming them in some way, (e.g. getting into arguments online, fans turning on them, etc.). Can be used as a synonym for 'bluetick' (someone verified on Twitter), 'clicktivist', etc.

I wasted all day scratching glass; I checked Facebook, then Snapchat, then went on Pinterest and just scrolled for hours. I think I have a problem.

Joe Hildebrand is such a glass-scratcher. He spends so much time on Twitter but only has a few followers, and then he comes on Channel 10 and can't hold a proper conversation. Why does he bother trying to be a celebrity when he can't engage in social interaction outside of Twitter?

by KoalaHugger July 1, 2020

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