Searcy, AR (LP) — Nearly all U.S. teens (95%) say they have access to a smartphone, and 45% say they are on the “almost constantly” on the internet. That amount of screen time has raised concerns from parents, educators, and policymakers across the country, and even many teens worry they use their phone too much.
Results of a 2016 common sense media report found that 50 percent of teens “feel addicted” to mobile devices, while 59 percent of parents surveyed believe that kids are addicted to their devices. Mr. Hodges says, “I believe there was less drama and more face to face interaction. Parents and their kids had to communicate better because the ability to text or call from anywhere didn’t exist.” As a matter of fact, a recent survey conducted by reviews, shows that approximately 75.4% of participants admit that they are addicted to their phone while 65.7% claim to sleep with their phone. Mr. Hodges says, “The transmitter’s span of coverage is called a cell, hinse the word cellular.” A survey of 13 to 17-year-olds released this fall by the nonprofit common sense media found that 95 percent of U.S. teens have their own mobile device. Seventy percent of them check social media several times a day, up from 34 percent in 2012.
Just over half of children in the United States — 53 percent — now own a smartphone by the age of 11. And 84 percent of teenagers now have their own phones, immersing themselves in a rich and complex world of experiences that adults sometimes need a lot of decoding to understand. Mr. Hodges says, “In my own opinion I do find cell phones liberating, but find them a luxury.” According to research from Rescue Time, one of several apps for iOS and Android created to monitor phone use, people generally spend an average of three hours and 15 minutes on their phones every day, with the top 20% of smartphone users spending upwards of four and a half hours. Mr. Hodges says, “I would not like having to cancel the service and get another phone but as far as a big problem, no it would not.” Americans now check their phones 96 times a day – that’s once every 10 minutes, according to new research by global tech care company Asurion1. Mr. Hodges says, “Very rarely since I use it for work.” The vast majority of Americans – 96% – now own a cellphone of some kind. The share of Americans that own smartphones is now 81%, up from just 35% in Pew Research Center’s first survey of smartphone ownership conducted in 2011. Along with mobile phones, Americans own a range of other information devices.
Smartphone addiction, sometimes colloquially known as “nomophobia” (fear of being without a mobile phone), is often fueled by an Internet overuse problem or Internet addiction disorder. A cell phone gives your child a way to be more responsible and let you know if they’re going to be late. Cell phones are also important for teenagers, who could find themselves at a party without a sober ride home and need to call you to pick them up.
Surveys have shown that the average age kids get cell phones is 10 years old. It has also been reported that 25% of kids under the age of six have phones and half of them spend up to 21 hours a week on them. This trend of kids getting smartphones before they are ready is a cause for concern. Excessive use of mobile phones is bad for your psychological health. Constant over-use of mobile phones leads to increased anxiety, feelings of loneliness, and low self-esteem. Reliance on mobile phones can also cause irritation, frustration, and impatience when they cannot be used.
