WiFi free birthday

[MobilityCat]

Ever time I host a family meeting, everyone is on their phones, tablets etc. This one, my birthday, I announced in advance that my Internet would be switched off for the day.
They didn't believe me and trued to connect. They complained even though they were forewarned.
I asked if they came to visit me or play with their devices. I think social media is unsociable in a family visit.

I was referring to Cherry 8809, but the attention wasn't focused on me in particular, but instead of everyone bent over their devices we engaged in conversation. The reason for the gathering was to celebrate my birthday.

Yep, I know that.

But that doesn't mean you get to ban people from using their phones.

I didn't ban them, I told them the Internet would be off and asked them to switch their phones and tablets off when they arrived. Everyone complied and we actually had good conversation together.

Isn't asking people to turn their phones off the same as banning them? What would you have done if someone had said no?

I don't get it personally. I just can't imagine thinking I can control my friends to that extent.

No wifi doesn't stop phone use they will use 4/5G.

With you OP. If I go to the effort of hosting people, at least they could bring themselves. And it’s not an age thing, as the worst phone addict in my life is my mother in her 70s who can’t manage to get through a sentence without being distracted and drawn into her phone life. May pretend the Wi-Fi is broken next time she come round - no mobile signal here (though love the assumption upthread that everyone has access to 4/5G!).

On someones birthday, whom should the attention be focused on?

What an odd outlook.

Even if it were my birthday, if I invite people round, I invite them to see them. To have a nice day / afternoon / evening / whatever time the 'do' is. I don't expect people to be fawning over me. I expect them all to be chatting, relaxing, and having a good time, however that looks for them.
Sometimes that involves someone looking something up on their phone.
Sometimes it involves sharing a photo someone has taken.
Sometimes it involves someone keeping up with the score of a sports fixture that is important to me.
Sometimes someone might need to exchange messages with someone else for a reason that is important to them.
'Sometimes' we might even do a quiz or something that someone has on their phone.

It wasn't about constant attention on me, it was simply phone and tablet free. Everyone engaged in conversation, which is what I was looking for.