Updated
Updated · Pew Research Center · Sep 1
Pew Finds 53% of U.S. Adults Overuse Smartphones, With 70% of Under-30s Saying the Same
Updated
Updated · Pew Research Center · Sep 1

Pew Finds 53% of U.S. Adults Overuse Smartphones, With 70% of Under-30s Saying the Same

1 articles · Updated · Pew Research Center · Sep 1

Summary

  • 53% of U.S. adults said in Pew’s May 26-June 1 survey that they spend too much time on smartphones, versus 36% who said their use is about right.
  • 70% of adults ages 18-29 and 64% of those 30-49 called their use excessive, compared with 49% of ages 50-64 and 25% of those 65 and older.
  • 45% said they tried to cut back over the past 12 months; among those, 25% said they were extremely or very successful and 23% said they were not very successful.
  • 26% of adults said they use smartphones almost constantly, including 42% of under-30s, while 60% said they use them several times a day.
  • 73% said smartphones help them stay informed and 51% said they help them feel connected, but 41% said phones hurt their sleep; among under-30s, that rose to 62%.

Insights

With teens averaging over eight hours of daily screen time, are we raising a generation biologically wired for digital dependency?
Could the apps designed to cure loneliness actually be the silent cause of our modern sleep and mental health crises?
If millions are actively trying to escape their screens, what psychological traps are tech companies using to keep us hooked?