Many of the 300 or so people who live on the island have petitioned their local member of Parliament to campaign on their behalf for a proposal to be declared the world's first time-free zone. They are already do things like have a coffee on the beach at 2 a.m. because it's still light. The island spends the months of November, December, and January in darkness but also goes from mid-May to late July in constant daylight.

What the residents of Sommarøy want in practice is the flexibility to set hours for businesses and schools, for which they would need government approval. The island has already enjoyed an influx of tourists since announcing their proposal. Some tourists and some residents have declared their willingness to be time-independent by leaving their watches on the bridge that connects the island with the mainland.