Britons can’t get through dinner without checking their phone, research claims
YouGov research suggests the majority of mobile phone users struggle to not look at their device throughout the day.
The majority of Britons can not make it through dinner at home without checking their phone, such is our addiction to technology, new research from YouGov claims.
According to the report, 55% of those surveyed said they checked their phone during dinner, while 53% said they look at their phone even when dining out with friends or family.
More than half (54%) said they could not go more than two days without their device before it bothered them.
Both Google and Apple have responded to the growing debate about The impact of mobile phone use on public health by introducing usage tracking tools and screen time limiting features to their devices in an effort to improve digital well-being.
The research was carried out to mark YouGov’s partnership with the new The Future Starts Here exhibition at the V&A Museum, which examines Britain’s increasing addiction to mobile devices and how it is changing human interaction.
Russell Feldman, director of digital, media and technology research at YouGov said: “It will have escaped no-one’s notice that smartphones are taking over our lives. Across the land, the sight of heads bowed over small screens is now ubiquitous.
The research also indicated that two thirds of mobile phone users (65%) check their phones while in bed despite sleep issues having been linked to the blue light emitted by phone screens and other devices.
Some hardware manufacturers have introduced night light features to lower the amount of blue light emitted by devices in an effort to reduce the impact of late night usage.
“We can only speculate on the impact this is having in terms of our relationships with colleagues, friends and even close family – but our survey does suggest that traditional conversations are being discarded, in favour of checking our latest email, notification or message,” Mr Feldman said.
