GITNUX MARKETDATA REPORT 2024

Technology Addiction Statistics [Fresh Research]

Our Newsletter

The Business Week In Data

Sign up for our newsletter and become the navigator of tomorrow's trends. Equip your strategy with unparalleled insights!

Learn more about our Newsletter

Table of Contents

Technology addiction is a growing problem in society, and the statistics around the world are staggering. As more people become dependent on technology, the possibility of its negative impacts on mental and physical health increases immensely.

In this article, we will explore the latest and most important technology addiction statistics from different parts of the globe. We will look at the most exposed age groups which get addicted to technology more easily, its main types, and the global prospects of this addiction. 

General technology addiction statistics

The Top 10 countries in terms of smartphone usage are Brazil, China, the United States, Italy, Spain, South Korea, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.

52% of US adults get their news on social media

Americans check their phones 96 times a day – that’s once every 10 minutes, according to new research by Asurion. That’s a 20% increase from a similar survey conducted 2 years ago. 18-24-year-olds check their phones twice as much as the national average. 

​​Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans get offended when someone they’re speaking with starts looking at their phone. However, 75% of them admit they’ve done it themselves. And, nearly 1 in 5 say they do this frequently. 

The average person spends more time in front of electronic devices than asleep daily, at 8 hours and 41 minutes. 

80% of smartphone users check their phones within 1 hour before going to sleep. 35% of whom do within 5 minutes. 40% of adult users check their mobile devices within 5 minutes of waking up.

72% of teens and 48% of parents feel the need to immediately respond to texts, social-networking messages, and other notifications. 78% of teens and 69% of parents check their devices at least hourly.

39% of people living in high-income households find it difficult to take a break from technology even when they know they should, compared to 30% of low-income households.

Users unlock their phones 150 times daily.

One in three people who responded to the online survey of 17 countries said they find it difficult to take a break from technology, even temporarily

Technology addiction demographics

Nearly half (44%) of 15-19-year-olds agree with the statement, “I find it difficult to take a tech break, even when I know I should.”

The number of those who struggle to put down their devices drops with the age. So, it’s 41% for people in their twenties, 38% for those in their thirties and dropped even more for the older age groups – 29% for those in their forties and 23% for those in their fifties.

Just 15% of people aged 60 and over said they had a problem turning off their technology. 

61% of internet users are addicted to it. Internet addiction is common among all age groups and its prevalence is as follows: 13-17 (73%), 18-24 (71%), 25-34 (59%), 35-44 (54%), 45-54 (40%), 55-64 (39%), and 64+ (44%). 

34% of young adults say they are afraid to miss out on things if they do not use social media. 22% feel uneasy when they cannot check incoming messages instantly. No Internet access is considered unpleasant by 37%. Older users of social media experience are less afraid to miss out on things (17%) and are not as restless when they cannot check their messages instantly (12%). 

46% of teens say they use the internet almost constantly. 48% of teens say they go online several times a day

48% of teenage girls say they are online almost constantly, compared to 43% of teenage boys.

Teens spend an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes on their phones a day, and children of age 8-12 are not far behind, at 4 hours and 44 minutes daily. However, 32% of teens said they read for pleasure less than once a month, if at all. 

Smartphone addiction statistics

A new report from Common Sense Media states that 50% of teens feel addicted to mobile devices, and 59% of their parents agree that their kids are addicted. Additionally, parents and children are concerned about the effects mobile device use has on their daily lives – from driving to the dinner table – with over one-third of the families surveyed arguing about it daily. 

American smartphone users, on average, launch social media apps 17 times a day. On the other hand, countries like Thailand, Argentina, Malaysia, and Mexico, open social media apps more than 40 times daily.

77% of parents feel their children get distracted by their devices and don’t pay attention when they’re together at least a few times per week.

36% of parents and 32% of teens say they argue with each other on a daily basis about device use.

56% of parents admit they check their mobile devices while driving, 51% of teens see their parents checking/using their mobile devices when driving

Gaming addiction statistics

47% of teenage boys admit to spending too much time playing video games. Meanwhile, only 11% of teenage girls share the same view.

There are 2.7 billion gamers in the world.

Around 50% of the survey respondents said they play video games during work hours. This ranges from once a month (15%) to once a week (19%) to daily (14%). 

26-35-year-old gamers have the highest average number of hours played per week at 8 hours and 13 minutes, followed by 18-25 year-olds at 7 hours and 47 minutes, then by 36-45 year-olds at 7 hours and 46 minutes

Gaming addiction is common among children all over the world. Internet addiction statistics say that around 10% of children in Singapore and 14% of students in Hong Kong are addicted to technology and gaming. This statistic can be expanded even more, with 600,000 children in South Korea having some kind of gaming disorder

0.3% to 1% of the general population fit the criteria for a video game addiction diagnosis in the US, UK, Canada, and Germany. South Korea declared video game addiction a public health crisis since more than 600,000 children struggle with it. Another study done on gamers from Norway found that 1.4% of the survey participants could be classified as addicted gamers, while 7.3% were problem gamers

Check out the latest Gaming Addiction Statistics

Social media addiction statistics

40% of US online users aged 18-22 years reported feeling addicted to social media. During the April 2019 survey, 5% of respondents from that age group stated that they felt the statement “I am addicted to social media” described them completely.

45% of teens stay online on a near-constant basis. The survey also finds there is no clear consensus among teens about the effect that social media has on the lives of young people today. Minorities of teens describe that effect as mostly positive (31%) or mostly negative (24%), but the largest share (45%) says that the effect has been neither positive nor negative

On average, a person spends 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on social media. This amounts to more than 5 years of his life.

Teens, on the other hand, spend almost 9 hours daily on social media.

Young, single women are the most addicted to social media among all market segments.

Supplementary Statistics

39.4% of South Korean high school students were found to be at risk of smartphone addiction in 2017.

This is a reminder of the prevalence of smartphone addiction among South Korean high school students in 2017. It serves as a warning that technology addiction is a growing problem that needs to be addressed.

Approximately 6.09% of the global population suffers from internet addiction.

It is a wake-up call to those who may not be aware of the potential dangers of technology addiction and the need to take steps to prevent it. It also highlights the importance of understanding the risks associated with technology use and the need to take proactive measures to protect ourselves and our loved ones from its potentially harmful effects.

In the United States, 46% of people say they couldn’t live without a smartphone.

Smartphones have become deeply embedded in our lives, which speaks to the power of technology and how it has become an integral part of our daily lives. It also highlights the potential for technology addiction and the need to be aware of the risks associated with it.

Among teenagers, 25% wake up at night and check their phones.

Thus, a quarter of teenagers are so addicted to their phones that they cannot even go through a single night without checking them. This is a worrying trend that needs to be addressed.

On average, adults spend about 4 hours per day on their mobiles.

Therefore, there is a need for us to be aware of our technology usage and to take steps to ensure that it does not become a problem.

98% of American adults use the internet daily; 77% check their email.

This statistic shows that the majority of American adults are using the internet daily, and a large portion of them are checking their email. This suggests that technology addiction is a widespread issue, and one that should be taken seriously.

China has the highest number of internet users with about 746 million addicted to the internet.

With over 746 million people hooked to the internet, it is clear that technology addiction is a major issue in the country. This statistic serves as a wake-up call to take action and address the issue of technology addiction in China.

16.3% of US adults exhibited symptoms of problematic smartphone use.

This highlights the fact that a significant portion of the population is struggling with the overuse of their smartphones, and that this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Social media usage for adults has risen from 7% in 2005 to 69% in 2021.

In the span of just 16 years, social media usage has skyrocketed from a mere 7% to a staggering 69%. This meteoric rise in usage is indicative of the increasing prevalence of technology addiction in our society.

Teens who spend 5 hours per day on their phones are twice as likely to exhibit depressive symptoms.

Thus, excessive phone use can have a serious impact on mental health, and teens should be aware of the risks associated with spending too much time on their phones.

About 28% of smartphone users use their phones at the dining table.

Even during a time that is traditionally reserved for socializing and connecting with others, many people are instead choosing to use their phones. This speaks to the power of technology addiction and how it has become a part of our everyday lives.

Problematic internet use affects 1.5% – 8.2% of European adolescents.

Therefore, technology addiction is a real issue that needs to be addressed, and it affects a significant portion of the population. It is a call to action for parents, educators, and policy makers to take steps to address this growing problem.

U.S. adults spend an average of 3 hours and 47 minutes a day on mobile devices. Additionally, College students spend an average of 8 to 10 hours per day on their smartphones.

Another study found that 7.4% of Brazilian adolescents suffer from internet addiction.

Furthermore, 65% of people sleep with or near their smartphones (within arm’s reach).

The majority of people have become so accustomed to having their phones close by that it has become a part of their nightly routine. This speaks to the power of technology and its ability to shape our behavior and habits.

Conclusion

Technology has become an essential part of our lives, and it’s no surprise technology addiction is rising. Statistics show us that it is a global problem, and it needs to be addressed. The biggest concern arises around younger generations, as they are more likely to get tech addicted. 

It’s important for people to recognize the first signs of their technology addiction and try to combat it. Technology in our new world can be a powerful tool, but it shouldn’t bring any negative impact on people’s lives. 

Resources

ABC News: “Teens spend more than 7 hours on screens for entertainment a day: Report”, cited January 2023. (Source

Asurion: “Americans Check Their Phones 96 Times a Day”, cited January 2023. (Source

CBS: “More and more young adults addicted to social media”, cited January 2023. (Source

Common Sense: “New Report Finds Teens Feel Addicted to Their Phones, Causing Tension at Home”, cited January 2023. (Source) 

CompareCamp: “46 Internet addiction statistics: 2020/2021 data, facts & predictions”, cited January 2023. (Source

CompareCamp: “109 technology addiction statistic: 2020/2021 data, facts, & insights”, cited January 2023. (Source

ConsumerAffairs: “Teens most likely to struggle with technology addiction”, cited January 2023. (Source

Healthy Gamer: “Video Game Addiction Statistics 2021: Is the World Addicted to Video Games?”, cited January 2023. (Source

Pew Research Center: “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2018”, cited January 2023. (Source

Statista: “ Share of online users in the United States who report being addicted to social media as of April 2019, by age group”, cited January 2023. (Source

Techjury: “16 Shocking Technology Addiction Statistics for 2023”, cited January 2023. (Source

TechRepublic: “8 hours and 27 minutes. That’s how long the average gamer plays each week”, cited January 2023. (Source

ZipDo, cited June 2023: Technology Addiction Statistics

Srive – Technology Addiction Statistics

FAQs

What percentage of the global population is considered to be addicted to technology?

It's difficult to provide an exact percentage due to the varying definitions of technology addiction. However, a number of studies suggest that around 1-4% of the population can be characterized as having internet addiction, which is one facet of technology addiction.

What age group is most susceptible to technology addiction?

Various researches imply that young people, particularly those belonging to the generation aged between 14 to 24 years old, are at the highest risk for technology addiction.

What are the gender differences in technology addiction?

Gender disparities in technology addiction are not consistent across different studies. Some suggest males are more prone to becoming addicted, especially in categories like video gaming, while others indicate females may have higher social media addiction rates.

Has technology addiction increased over the past decade?

Yes, technology addiction has been on the rise over the past decade, matching the overall increase in technology usage. However, uniform data is difficult to obtain due to the lack of standardized measurement for technology addiction.

What are the common health issues associated with technology addiction?

Research suggests that technology addiction can lead to a variety of health issues such as sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, increased stress, reduced physical activity, and other mental health issues.

How we write our statistic reports:

We have not conducted any studies ourselves. Our article provides a summary of all the statistics and studies available at the time of writing. We are solely presenting a summary, not expressing our own opinion. We have collected all statistics within our internal database. In some cases, we use Artificial Intelligence for formulating the statistics. The articles are updated regularly.

See our Editorial Process.

Table of Contents

... Before You Leave, Catch This! 🔥

Your next business insight is just a subscription away. Our newsletter The Week in Data delivers the freshest statistics and trends directly to you. Stay informed, stay ahead—subscribe now.

Sign up for our newsletter and become the navigator of tomorrow's trends. Equip your strategy with unparalleled insights!