Millennials, Smartphones, and Social Media Overuse and Attachment
A national survey of U.S. Millennials April 2019
Table of contents 03
Introduction
04
Executive Summary
05
Demographics and Methodology
07
Millennials Are Highly Attached To Their Smartphones
11
Millennials Who Sleep With Their Smartphones Are More Attached To Them
13
Social Media Plays A Major Role In Smartphone Attachment Among Millennials
15
Millennials Experience Negative Emotions From Using Social Media
18
Millennials Don’t Always Follow Common Standards of Smartphone Etiquette
21
Millennials Become Stressed and Anxious Over Notifications
23
Millennials Want To Reduce Their Smartphone Use
26
Millennials Are Repeatedly Trying To Reduce Their Smartphone Use
28
Millennials Are Concerned About the Impact that Smartphones and Social Media Have On Current and Future Generations
30
Discussion | Implications
31
Acknowledgments
02
Introduction In the last two years we've seen an explosion in news media coverage of the “addictiveness” of social media and how digital devices, particularly smartphones, are creating frontier problems--problems that are a side-effect of the mass adoption of new technology. While these frontier problems are transgenerational, they are especially affecting Millennials. So BOLDFISH stepped in to create tools that help Millennials nurture a healthier tech/life balance. In order to hone these tools we decided to conduct a national survey of Millennials in order to better understand how smartphone and social media overuse is impacting them. We specifically sought to gain insights into the following: the nature of Millennials’ attachment to their smartphones; the role social media plays in attaching Millennials to their smartphones; the extent to which Millennials adhere to norms of smartphone etiquette; the extent to which smartphones are making Millennials stressed and anxious; the role social media plays in evoking negative emotions; the extent to which Millennials want to reduce their smartphone use; the actions Millennials are taking to reduce their smartphone use; the extent to which Millennials view their smartphone use as a broader societal problem. This report provides an in-depth examination of what this survey revealed about the frontier problems Millennials are having with technology--about the nature of Millennials’ relationship to smartphones and to social media.
03
Executive summary U.S. Millennials are highly attached to their smartphones Seventy-four percent (74%) use their smartphone within minutes of waking up, and 80% use it after going to bed. Nearly 70% cannot go without their smartphone for more than half a day. Almost ⅓ check it every 10 minutes.
Millennials who sleep with their smartphones are more attached to them Seventy-one percent (71%) of those who sleep with their smartphone check it at least once every 15 minutes, compared to only 46% of those who sleep without it. Fifty-one percent (51%) of the former check social media at least once every 15 minutes compared to 25% of the latter. And ⅓ of those who sleep with their smartphones feel they cannot be without their device at all.
Social media largely drives smartphone attachment among Millennials Seventy-five percent (75%) of respondents indicated that social media was the main driver of their smartphone attachment. They are spending a considerable amount of time each day on social media, with respondents spending a median time of 2 ½ hours.
Millennials experience a mix of positive and negative emotions from using social media
because they believe that others expect an immediate response--64% of respondents said it’s stressful when people expect them to respond immediately.
Millennials feel the need to reduce their smartphone use Forty-two percent (42%) of respondents feel they need a break from their smartphone one or more times a day. Another 68% feel it’s important to set boundaries on how often they use their smartphone.
Millennials are repeatedly trying to reduce their smartphone use Seventy-two percent (72%) said they had tried in the past to reduce their smartphone use, and 47% say they currently are trying to reduce their smartphone use. Looking forward, 60% said they want to reduce their smartphone use in the future.
Millennials see their smartphone overuse as a generational problem Eighty-one percent (81%) agree that their generation has a problem with smartphone overuse, and 77% agree their generation has a problem with social media overuse. When asked to rate the magnitude of their concern for the impact of social media on future generations on a scale of 0-100, the average level of concern was 71.
On a scale of 0-100, respondents rated the magnitude of positive emotions at 56, and the magnitude of negative emotions at 46. Using social media can also generate feelings of embarrassment, with 28% having removed a post after it received insufficient attention, and another 25% having considered removing one.
Millennials don’t always follow common standards of smartphone etiquette Although 80% of respondents put their smartphone away during face-to-face conversations, 67% reported having used their smartphones at a moment others would consider inappropriate.
T he n o ti f i cati o n s t h at sm a rt ph on es push out s t r e s s M i l l e n n i als Thirty-eight percent (38%) of respondents feel overwhelmed by notifications one or more times a day. Millennials can feel overwhelmed by notifications
04
Demographics
1981
1996
A total of 1,094 unique respondents completed the survey online between February 25, 2019 and March 8, 2019. All respondents completed the entire 58-question online survey. (Respondents who were disqualified from taking the survey or who did not complete the entire survey are excluded from this analysis.) This is a sufficient sample size to ensure margins of error of less than 3% for all of the survey questions that are reported. The average time that a respondent took to complete the survey was 15 minutes. Only respondents that reported that they owned a smartphone and that they were born between 1981 and 1996 were qualified to take the survey. Respondents were roughly equally distributed by year of birth. Overall, 56.3% of respondents were born between 1981 and 1989 (referred to in this report as "80s Millennials") and 43.7% of respondents were born between 1990 and 1996 ("90s Millennials"). The median age of all respondents is 30. In this survey, 81% of 90s Millennials report that they had their first smartphone by the age of 19. In contrast, almost all (93%) 80s Millennials report that they were over the age of 19 before they got their first smartphone. The average age respondents got their first smartphone is 19.5 years old. Overall, the survey sample was representative of the United States population of similar ages. Of the 1,094 respondents, 52.4% identify as female, 47.2% as male and 0.5% identify as “Other” (self-described as genderqueer, non-binary or transgender).
52.4%
Male
Female
19.5
average age got first smartphone
Sixteen point five percent (16.5%) of survey respondents identify as “Hispanic,” which is slightly lower than the U.S. census, which reports that 20% of residents between the ages of 20 and 44 identify as Hispanic. Overall, 74% of all respondents identified their race as White, 14% identified as African American, 7% identified as Asian, 1.7% identified as Native American or Pacific Islander, and 6% identified their race as "Other." Among those respondents who identified as Hispanic, 59% categorized their race as White, 13% as African American, 3% as Asian, 5% as Native American, and 29% as Other.
16.5%
1.7% 7%
74%
14% 6%
White
Native America/Pacific Islander
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Other
52.4%
Other: 0.5%
05
Northeast
Re spo ndents are fr om around the Un i te d S tates
west/ midwest
South
Demographics continued...
The distribution of respondents among the four main geographic regions of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, South and West) is not significantly different from the distribution of the population of the United States. Fifty-five percent (55%) of respondents were employed full-time, 17% were employed part-time, and 28% were not employed at the time of the survey. The median total household income for all respondents was $35,000 to $49,000 during the past 12 months.
27.7% 55.2%
Part-time
Education Level Graduate or professional degree
9.0%
Bachelor's degree
30.3%
Associate's degree
10.6%
Some college, no degree
24.9%
High school graduate or equivalent
22.7%
Less than high school graduate
2.6%
Methodology
17.1%
Full-time
About half of respondents reported that they have earned a college degree (Associate’s or higher) and about half of respondents reported that they had not. About half of those respondents who do not have a college degree (a quarter of the entire sample) do have some college experience.
None
All respondents were recruited via double-opt-in panel to a quantitative, online survey through EMI Research Solutions. EMI’s proprietary SWIFT (Sampling with Integrated Fingerprinting Technology) dashboard was used to identify and remove bots and duplicate respondents to ensure the 1,094 respondents are unique, human respondents.
06
1
Millennials Are Highly Attached To Their Smartphones
We sought to better understand the attachment Millennials have to their smartphones using a variety of measures. The results indicate clearly that Millennials are very attached to their smartphones: they check them very frequently, are often distracted by them, keep them in close physical proximity, and feel it would be very difficult for them to go without them for even relatively brief periods of time.
Millennials Check Their Smartphones Very Often One measure of smartphone attachment is how frequently one checks his or her smartphone. By this measure, Millennials exhibit a high level of smartphone attachment. Nearly â…“ of respondents--31%--check their smartphones one or more times every 10 minutes.
How frequently do you typically check your smartphone?
21.1%
55.2%
Every 5 minutes Every 10 minutes Every 15 minutes
17.7%
8.6%
Every 30 minutes Every 60 minutes Every few hours
13.3%
11.2%
07
#focus
Millennial smartphone attachment
Millennials are unable to focus every day because their smartphone is on their mind. Millennials Often Are Distracted By Their Smartphones Another measure of smartphone attachment is how frequently one loses concentration and becomes distracted by his or her smartphone. Millennials become distracted by their smartphones very frequently. As referenced by the pie chart on the right, 22.1% of respondents are distracted when their smartphone pings them over 80% of the time. Furthermore, over 50.2% of respondents report that they find themselves unable to focus at least once a day because they’re thinking about using their smartphone. Ten point eight percent (10.8%) of Millennials claim to be distracted “throughout the day” because they are constantly thinking about their smartphone instead of the task at hand.
When your smartphone rings, buzzes, lights up, etc., what percentage of the time are you distracted from the task at hand and end up using your smartphone?
65.1%
couldn’t go without smartphone for more than half a day
40% to 59%
18.4%
7.4%
All the time (100%)
19.2%
0% to 19%
How often are you distracted?
20% to 39%
Throughout the day Several times a day
10.8%
Once a day
25.5%
Several times a week Once a week
24.0%
Once a month
13.9% 4.7% 2.7%
Many Millennials Can’t Go Without Their Smartphone For An Extended Time Another measure of smartphone attachment is how long Millennials feel they could endure without their smartphones. By this measure, Millennials exhibit a high degree of attachment, as they generally feel they could only endure short periods of time without their smartphones. For example, 16.8% could “not at all” go without their smartphone, 4.4% could endure a ½ hour, 10.9% could endure one hour, and 26.4% could endure several hours. All told, nearly ⅔ of respondents--65.1%--couldn’t go without their smartphone for more than half a day.
24.8%
14.7%
80% to 99%
10.8%
claim they are distracted throughout the day because they are thinking about their smartphones
15.5%
60% to 79%
7.4%
Less than once a month
11.0%
Never
How long could you go without your smartphone? 6.6% 9.9%
26.4%
12.0% 1.6%
10.9%
11.4% 16.8%
I cannot go without my smartphone 1/2 hour
4.4%
One hour
Several days
Several hours
One week
1/2 day
More than a week
One day
08
#sleep
Millennial smartphone attachment M ille nnia ls R e ach For T he i r s ma rtPhone s U p on Wa k i ng
2.0% 4.7% 1.6%
Another measure of smartphone attachment is how shortly after waking one typically checks their smartphone. We found that Millennials generally use their smartphones almost immediately after waking. For example, 73.9% say they begin using their smartphone 10 minutes or less after waking.
Immediately After 5 minutes
9.1%
After 10 minutes
8.8%
35.0%
After 15 minutes After 30 minutes After 45 minutes
14.7% 24.2%
59%
of respondents report that they start using their smartphone either “immediately” or “after 5 minutes” when they wake up
Many people intuitively sense that their smartphone screen stimulates them mentally, making them more awake and alert. Medical research has corroborated this. Because of this, the medical community suggests that for an optimally restful and restorative night’s sleep that people refrain from using their devices prior to falling asleep. It follows then that one possible sign of a high degree of smartphone attachment is the extent to which one ignores both this intuitive insight and widely-circulated medical advice. A very strong majority of Millennials ignore this advice: 79.7% take their smartphone to bed and use it for a median time of 45 minutes prior to sleep. While using their smartphones within an hour before they fall asleep sleep, they are engaging in a variety of activities, including:
After an hour After two hours or more
Millennials use their smartphones in bed on average for 75 minutes prior to going to sleep
Checking social media (76.1%) Browsing the internet (71.4%) Responding to messages (46%) Playing games (41.1%)
7.0%
Do you typically take your smartphone to bed with you?
13.3% 79.7%
Yes, I take my smartphone to bed with me and I use it before going to sleep
Listening to music (34.6%)
Yes, I take my smartphone to bed with me but I do not use it before going to sleep
Catching up on news (29.3%)
No, I do not take my smartphone to bed with me
Watching TV (28.5%)
09
#proximity
Millennial smartphone attachment
Mi l l e n n i a l s S le e p W i th Th e i r S mar t pho ne s In Cl o s e Ph ysi c a l P r oxi mi ty Given the risk of smartphones disrupting sleep by buzzing, pinging, and flashing, it would be wise to shut off, silence, or physically remove them from the bedroom during sleep. Not doing so could be a sign of a high level of smartphone attachment. Based on these standards, Millennials exhibit a high level of smartphone attachment. Only 3% of Millennials keep their smartphone out of the bedroom while sleeping. Of those who keep the smartphone in the bedroom, 25.6% keep their smartphone in bed with them, and 66.6% keep the smartphone on a nightstand next to the bed.
Fun Fact: 90s Millennials (born in 1990 - 1996) were more likely than 80s Millennials (born in 1981 - 1989) to report that they use their smartphone in bed before they sleep.
I try to lessen the time I spend on it first thing in the morning, and also when I go to bed. Small steps but important ones.*
On my nightstand / next to the bed
66.6%
25.6%
In bed with me
My approach is to have my phone charging in another room between the time I finish dinner and go to bed so that I can relax and unwind phone free.*
4.8%
In the room but not next to the bed
3.0%
In a separate area or room; not in sleeping area
I always keep my phone on silent now to avoid getting alarmed at messages. I try to put my phone on airplane mode at night because my insomnia is triggered by my phone use. I also lower my phone brightness and change it to night mode as soon as it gets darker.*
*Testimonial from respondent. 10
Those Who Sleep With Their Smartphones Are More Attached To Them
2
In the previous section, we reported that 79.7% of respondents sleep with their smartphones in bed with them. This group exhibits a higher degree of smartphone attachment--they use their smartphones more and lead more smartphone-centric lives.
Tho s e Wh o Sl e e p W i th Th e i r S ma rtp h o ne s in B ed wi t h T h e m C h e c k The i r S m ar t ph o n es More F re qu e ntly
T ho s e Who S l e e p Wit h T he ir S m artph on es in Be d wit h T he m Ca n E nd ur e Relatively Shorter Periods Without Their Smartphones
Those who sleep with their smartphones check their device far more frequently than those who do not.
Fifty-two point five percent (52.5%) of those who sleep with their devices feel they can’t go without their smartphones for more than an hour compared to only 25.1% of those who do not. Thirty-one point one percent (31.1%) of those who sleep with their devices go so far as to say that they can’t ever go without their smartphone. Sleeps With Smartphone
Sleep Without Smartphone
31.1%
11.9%
1/2 hour
7.1%
3.4%
One hour
14.3%
9.7%
Several hours
20.7%
28.4%
1/2 day
4.6%
7.2%
One day
7.1%
10.8%
Several days
6.8%
13.8%
I cannot go without my smartphone
70.7% of respondents who sleep with their smartphones in bed with them check their smartphone at
least once every 15
minutes
One week 1.8% Q7: How long could you go without yoursmartphone?
1.6%
More than a week
13.1%
6.4%
52.5% of those who sleep with their smartphones in
bed with them reported that they can only be without their smartphone for an hour or less.
31.1% of the same cohort reported that they cannot be without their smartphone at all.
11
sleep with their smartphone
#behavior
Smartphones are The Last Thing Millennials See Before Sleep Those Who Sleep With Their Smartphones in Bed with Them Use Social Media More Fifty-one point one percent (51.1%) of those who sleep with their smartphones in bed with them check social media at least once every 15 minutes, while only 23% of those who do not sleep with their smartphones check every 15 minutes.
Social Media Use
Those who sleep with their smartphones in bed with them not only check social media more frequently but also spend more time using it. They spend a median time of 3.5 hours a day on social media, while those who do not sleep with their devices spend a median time of 2 hours.
Sleep with smartphone median (3.5)
51.1% of respondents who sleep with their smartphones in bed with them check social media at least once every 15
minutes
Median of all respondents (2.5) Sleep without smartphone median (2)
1
2
3
4
Hours
Those Who Sleep With Their Smartphones in Bed with Them Ignore Norms of Smartphone Etiquette More Often Those who sleep with their smartphones in bed with them are twice as likely as those who do not to use their smartphone in an inappropriate situation. Thirty-eight point two percent (38.2%) of those who sleep with their smartphones in bed with them use their smartphone in an inappropriate situation, versus only 17.5% of those who do not. Sixty-one percent (61%) of those who sleep with their smartphones in bed with them say something to someone online that they wouldn’t say in-person compared who only 44% of those who do not sleep with their smartphones.
38.2%
who sleep with their smartphone use it in an inappropriate situation
vs
17.5%
who sleep without their smartphone use it in an inappropriate situation
12
BOLDFISH
3 Social Media Plays A Major Role In Smartphone Attachment Among Millennials
362 likes
In a sense, smartphone attachment isn’t really an attachment to the device itself. Rather, it’s an attachment to the content accessed through the device--an attachment to videos, social media, video games, news sites, etc. And for Millennials, social media is the primary type of content attaching people to their smartphones.
13 10
role of social media in smartphone attachment
When asked whether social media was the main driver of their attachment to their smartphones, a very strong majority of respondents--75.4%--said that it was.
Mi ll en n i a l s Sp e n d C on s i d e ra b l e Time Usi n g So ci a l Me d i a Millennials’ strong attachment to social media results in their spending a considerable amount of time using it. Respondents self-reported the amount of time they estimate they spend using social media each day, and the median time was 2 ½ hours. Additionally, over 25.4% spend at least 5 or more hours per day browsing and using social media.
Strongly Disagree: 3.2% Disagree: 4.9%
16.5%
Neutral
32.4%
Strongly Agree
43%
Agree
Percentage of Respondents
So c ia l Me d i a I s The Ma i n Dr i v e r of S ma rtp h on e A t tac hme n t A mong M i l le n ni a l s
#attachment
100
25.4% 1.2% 0
0
19.3 19.4%
11.9
<1
1-2
2-3
14.9%
3-4
8% 4-5
5+
Hours on Social Media
S o c i a l M e di a Di s trac ts Mi ll e n ni a l s Fro m t h e Ta sk A t Ha nd Millennials are so psychologically attached to social media that they often can’t focus on important things simply because they are thinking about it. Almost ⅓ (29.2%) report they find themselves unable to focus on other tasks one or more times per hour because they simply are thinking about social media.
Constantly
7.6%
Every 5 minutes
3.0%
Every 10 minutes
2.7%
⅓ are unable
Every 15 minutes
4.3%
Every 30 minutes
6.3%
to focus!
Every hour
5.3%
Every few hours
12.9%
Every day
7.4%
< Every day
21.2%
Never
29.3%
14
4
Millennials Experience Negative Emotions From Using Social Media
A common feature of social media platforms is a public forum in which people post comments, photos, and videos. This public forum creates a digital milieu that can become a source of stress as people spend a considerable amount of time mulling over the impact their posts and comments are having on others. They can become preoccupied with whether they are escalating in social status, finding social approval, and how their image measures up to others. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re concerned with the image they are projecting. The safety of being online--i.e. behind a screen with no physical confrontation--may also cause people to objectify others and say things they otherwise wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say.
M i ll e n n i a l s Exp e r i e nc e B oth Pos i ti ve a nd Ne gat iv e E mo t io ns Whe n Us i n g So c i a l Me d i a Millennials experience both positive and negative emotions as a result of using social media. We wondered whether the balance of these emotions skews positively or negatively. To determine this we had respondents rate the magnitude of both positive and negative emotions they experience while using social media on a scale of 0-100, with 100 being the highest in magnitude. As the graphic below illustrates, the median magnitude of positive emotions was 54, and the median magnitude of negative emotions was 42. While the balance of emotions skewed positively, the gap between positive and negative was not substantial--social media still generates a substantial amount of negative emotion.
Millennials rated the magnitude of positive and negative emotions that using social media generates
Median 54 0
100
Median 42 0
100
15
negative emotions from social media I was too absorbed in social media and needed to stop worrying about superficial approval or disapproval that didn’t even necessarily influence how I would interact with those very same people the next day/time I saw them, or on the polar opposite end, how it could affect someone in exaggerated ways resulting in all too common phenomena like cyberbullying.
#feelings
The news was very negative and overwhelming and it was all over social media.
Examples of How Social Media Causes Stress Respondents expressed some of the various ways in which using social media can emotionally burden and stress them. For example, the negative emotional environment and its impact on self-esteem.
I was using the phone a little too much to see Instagram, and I was starting to feel bad about myself because I was comparing myself negatively to the influencers I followed. So I took a break from Instagram and felt much better.
Too much negativity on social media, so I took a break from using social media on my phone.
Mi ll en n i a l s Exp e r i e nc e S h a me a n d Em b a r r a ssm en t W he n Pos ts R e c e i v e Ins uf f i c i en t A t te n ti on One way that social media can generate negative emotions is through public social rejection. Such a rejection might be experienced when, for example, one makes a post on social media that does not garner a self-imposed benchmark of enough likes, shares, views, comments, etc. A common reaction to this experience is embarrassment and shame. These emotions can be so powerful that they move the poster to remove the post. A substantial number of Millennials clearly have experienced these feelings of rejection: 27.5% of respondents say they have removed a post after it received insufficient attention, and another 24.6% have considered removing one.
Have you ever removed a post when it did not get enough attention (likes, shares, views, comments, etc.)?
yes, I have
27.5% no, but i thought about it
24.6% No, I haven’t
47.9%
16
negative emotions from social media
#comparison
M i l l e n n i a l s C o m pa r e T h e m s e lv e s N e g at i v e ly t o O t h e r s
Draw Negative Comparisons from Social Media
Another way social media can generate negative emotions is by causing users to draw negative comparisons between themselves and others. It is widely reported that social media can cause FOMO (fear of missing out) and feelings of inadequacy due to the curated stream of user-generated content that lines each user’s homepage and feed. Hence why some people may feel envious or inadequate. And, as the data show, almost ⅔ of respondents reported that they have drawn negative comparisons between themselves and other people when they have seen a post on social media. Within this group, almost 1/5 of respondents reported that they “often” or “always” do this. There were significant gender differences: 71% of female respondents reported they have drawn negative comparisons before while only 55% of males have done so.
71% women
Draw negative comparisons
11%
6% 2%
44%
37%
Always
Often
Very Often Occasionally
Never
55% men
Draw negative comparisons
17
5
Millennials Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Always Follow Common Standards of Smartphone Etiquette
A common criticism of Millennials is that they tend to ignore what many consider to be common standards of smartphone etiquette. For example, they may use their smartphone inappropriately during a meal with others, or during a face-to-face conversation. So we asked respondents whether they are aware of what many consider to be common standards of smartphone etiquette, whether they make an effort to conform to these standards, and how successful they ultimately are at conforming to them.
18
#respect
following standards of smartphone etiquette
believe it’s disrespectful to use a smartphone during a face-to-face conversation
80%
Millennials Are Aware of Common Standards of Smartphone Etiquette A strong majority of respondents are aware of what many consider to be common standards of smartphone etiquette. For example, 77.1% of Millennials believe it’s disrespectful to use a smartphone during a meal with others. Another 80.3% believe it’s disrespectful to use a smartphone during a face-to-face conversation.
It's disrespectful to use your smartphone during a meal with others
It's disrespectful to use your smartphone during a face-to-face conversation Strongly Disagree: 1.6%
Strongly Disagree: 1.8% Disagree: 5.4% Neutral
Disagree: 3.4% Neutral
15.7% 39.9%
Agree
14.7% 42.4%
Strongly Agree
37.1%
Strongly Agree
37.9%
Agree
Most Millennials Attempt To Follow Common Standards of Smartphone Etiquette Just because someone is aware of the existence of common standards of smartphone etiquette, doesn’t mean they necessarily will attempt to comply with those standards. So Millennials--while a strong majority appear to be aware of common standards of smartphone etiquette--do they generally attempt to comply with them? We asked respondents whether they make an effort to put their smartphone away and not use it when generally in the presence of others. A strong majority--71.5%--said they do make such an effort.
30.5%
2.0% 3.4%
Strongly Agree
41.0%
21.2%
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
19
#standards
following smartphone etiquette Only ⅓ of Millennials Succeed In Following Common Standards of Smartphone Etiquette
In which of the following situations have you used your smartphone at a moment that others would consider inappropriate?
Of course, when it comes to questions of etiquette, what ultimately matters is not whether someone is aware of standards of etiquette, or whether they attempt to follow them--but whether they succeed in following them. To answer this question we presented respondents with a variety of social situations in which it would be obvious that there are times when it would be bad etiquette to use a smartphone. We then asked them to indicate whether they had ever used their smartphone in each social situation at a moment others would consider inappropriate. Sixty-six point one percent (66.1%) of respondents reported having used their smartphone at a moment others would consider inappropriate in at least one of the presented situations. For example, 34.3% reported having used their smartphone inappropriately during a date, 39.9% during a movie, and 9.6% during a job interview. Only 33% of respondents reported having succeeded in adhering to norms of acceptable smartphone use in every single situation presented to them.
Most Millennials Don’t Say Things On Social Media They Wouldn’t Say In Person
sex 12.5%
date 34.3%
Movies in theaters after start 39.9%
funeral 13.3%
Job Interview 9.6%
Smartphone etiquette holds as much importance offline as it does online. Most Millennials understand this. More than ½ of respondents (51%) have not said something to someone online that they would not say in person. On the flip side, only 15% of respondents report that they “often” or “always” do this.
How often do you say something to someone online that you know you would not say in-person?
other 3.7%
church (or other religious) service 27.8%
have not used smartphone inappropriately 32.9%
NEVER
51% OCCASIONALLY
34% OFTEN
9% VERY OFTEN
There were statistically significant differences between genders:
55% of female respondents reported that they have never said something to someone online that they know they would not say in person,
but only 47% of male respondents reported that they have never done this.
4% ALWAYS
1% 20
Millennials Become Stressed and Anxious Over Notifications
6
Smartphones are hubs of convenience connecting Millennials to so many people in so many ways that the resulting notifications have become unmanageable. As a result, what would seem a typically harmless activity--i.e. using a smartphone--is stressful, and anxiety-inducing. As previously discussed, Millennials check their smartphones very frequently.
Notifications Overwhelm Millennials Millennials receive so many notifications they can become unmanageable and make them feel “overwhelmed.” This is a daily experience for over ⅓ of Millennials, as 37.5% of respondents feel overwhelmed by notifications one or more times a day. 10.3%
30.9%
16.6%
How often do you feel overwhelmed by the n u m b e r o f n o t i f i c at i o n s yo u r e c e i v e ? Throughout the day
Once a week
Several times a day
Once a month
Once a day
Less than once a month
Several times a week
Never
10.5%
7.4% 12.4%
8.1%
3.7%
21
#expectations
Stressed and Anxious Over Notifications
Others Expect Immediate Responses To The Notifications They Send One reason Millennials can feel overwhelmed by notifications is their belief that others expect them to respond immediately. Forty-four point nine percent (44.9%) of respondents indicated that they believe people expect them to respond immediately over 60% of the time.
60% to 79%
16.1% 24.8%
How often do peopl e expect you to respond immediately when you see a notification from them?
80% to 99%
40% to 59%
17.5% 13.3%
All the time (100%)
11.3%
17.6%
20% to 39%
0% to 19%
Othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Expectation That They Respond Immediately Stresses Millennials The fact that others expect them to respond immediately is very stressful to Millennials: 64.4% of respondents said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stressful when people expect them to respond immediately.
Is it stressful when people expect you to respond immediately to a notification? Stressful 64.6% Not Stressful 35.4%
0
100
22
7
Millennials Want To
Reduce
I'm not sure I can think of anything specific, but I know there are times when I think back to when I did not have a phone (the good old days) and remember that it was nice to be able to just fully disconnect. I still sometimes do this by turning off the phone or getting out of cell range. I think we all need this break at times.*
Their Smartphone Use Millennials consider their consuming attachment to, and heavy use of, their smartphone to be a problem, and they feel the need to address it by imposing limits on their smartphone use.
Motivations For Wanting To Reduce Smartphone Use We explored respondents’ main motivation for wanting to reduce smartphone use by asking them to describe a time when they felt they needed a break from their smartphones. Their responses indicated a variety of motivations, including wanting to spend more time with family, to engage in more productive activities, or to participate in more “analog” hobbies. They also cited health-related concerns (eye-strain, carpal tunnel) and concern that they were too attached to their devices. Approximately 25% of respondents mentioned wanting to spend more time with family or loved ones, such as significant others, instead of their smartphones. Approximately 24% of respondents were concerned about their feelings of dependence and attachment. Approximately 16% of respondents felt that their time could be used more “productively” rather than used on their smartphones.
25%
24%
16%
want to spend more time with family and loved ones
want to become less dependent and attached to their smartphone
want to be more productive and waste less time on their smartphone
*Testimonial from respondent. 23
#break
reducing smartphone use Millennials Frequently Feel They Need A Break From Their Phone
42%
Nearly half of respondents are so overwhelmed by their smartphone use they feel they need a break from their smartphone one or more times a day.
5.3%
How often do you feel like you need a break from your smartphone? Throughout the day
Once a week
Several times a day
Once a month
Once a day
Less than once a month
Several times a week
Never
4.6% 22.2%
10.4%
15.4%
11.7%
13.4%
16.9%
There are a variety of reasons respondents cite for wanting a break from their smartphones, including the following:
20%
Approximately of respondents expressed feeling "overwhelmed" by their smartphone usage. They mentioned feeling overwhelmed, for example, by sensational news, toxic social media comments, and bombardment by family and friends.
22%
Approximately of respondents were strictly annoyed by their family or friends bothering them at an inappropriate time or by spammers. In a sense, their feelings were less those of being overwhelmed and were the result of frustration due to a lack of peace and quiet.
15%
of respondents keenly understood feeling overwhelmed was directly Finally, approximately related to using their devices. The activities that the respondents most frequently wanted to break away from were games, social media, general smartphone overuse. They also showed a great desire to be more "present.â&#x20AC;?
I stopped using social media because I would get on my phone for a legitimate reason, notice that I had a social media notiďŹ cation, start browsing social media, and end up not even doing the original thing I got on my phone for. After I stopped using social media I haven't been on my phone nearly as much.*
*Testimonial from respondent. 24
#boundaries
reducing smartphone use Millennials Want To Limit Their Smartphone Use
Millennials are so troubled by their smartphone overuse that they believe they should take action to address it. A majority of respondents--67.5%--said they agree itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for them to set boundaries on how often they use their smartphone. It's important for me to set boundaries on how often I use my smartphone
6.5%
3.9%
25.5% 22.0%
42.0%
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
I had lots of text messages that would have piled up if I didn't answer them. I was investing all my time into my phone and text messages and not with the people around me. I needed a break because looking through those text messages were not enjoyable and I was missing time with my friends.*
Almost every day I feel like I need a break from my phone. It's overwhelming to be so connected to so many different people all at once. You feel a sense of responsibility if someone messages or calls you and you don't want to respond immediately, you feel like a bad friend or family member.*
We are so consumed today with what's on a screen. I used to be an active person. I loved going outside, playing with my son. Now, I pick up my phone and look for something to read or laugh at. I realized it was detrimental to life.*
*Testimonial from respondent. 25
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Millennials Are Repeatedly Trying To Reduce Their Smartphone Use Millennials clearly are concerned about the time they are spending using their smartphones and have the desire to reduce their smartphone use. But have they acted upon this desire? Have they taken action to try to reduce their smartphone use? And, if they have, how are they doing this?
Millennials Have Attempted To Reduce Their smartphone use Respondents indicate that they indeed are acting upon their desire to reduce their smartphone use. A strong majority of respondents--72.2%--said they had tried in the past tried to reduce their smartphone use. Almost half--46.8%--say they currently are trying to reduce their smartphone use.
72.2% tried in the past to reduce smartphone use
46.8% currently trying
to reduce smartphone use
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repeatedly reducing smartphone use
#smartphonelimit
Approac h es T o R e d u c i n g s ma rtp h on e us e To better understand the techniques MIllennials are using to reduce their smartphone use, we asked them to provide examples. Their approaches to reducing smartphone use varied among turning off notifications, turning off their smartphone, asserting their willpower to refrain from checking their smartphone, to using a screen time reducing tool or app.
I turned off all notifications for social media and I’m trying to check it less often.*
We asked respondents for examples of the approaches they have taken to try to reduce their smartphone use, and they presented a range of examples. More than ⅓ of respondents--34.6%--have used phone apps or tools to assist them in their attempt to reduce their smartphone use. By far, Apple’s built-in tools were used the most, with 23.1% saying they have used Apple’s Screen Time. Only 3.9% of respondents have used Google Wellbeing.
34.6%
Every day for a couple of hours, I turn my phone off completely which gives me time to be completely alone.*
have used or currently use an app or tool to help reduce smartphone use
Mi ll en n i a l s A r e S ati s f i e d W i th Th e i r A t t e mpt t o Red uc e sm a r t p h on e u s e Of the respondents who reported that they currently or previously attempted to reduce their smartphone use, 71.9% met or exceeded their own expectations.
71.9%
I have tried to find specific times where I set my phone down and do not pick it up.*
either met or exceeded expectations
Mi ll en n i a l s Wa nt To Re d u c e The i r s m a r t pho ne us e In Th e F ut ur e Millennials’ desire to reduce their smartphone use has not abated. A strong majority of respondents--60.1%--said that they want to reduce their smartphone use in the future, suggesting they view finding a happy medium for their smartphone use as an ongoing challenge.
60.1%
Leaving it charging across the room, putting it on do not disturb.*
say that want to reduce smartphone use in the future *Testimonial from respondent. 27
9
Millennials Are Concerned About the Impact that Smartphones and Social Media Have On Current and Future Generations
While Millennials struggle individually with their attachment to smartphones and social media, a strong majority see their individual attachment as a symptom of a broader societal problem; one that is negatively impacting their entire generation and that will continue to affect future generations.
Millennials Believe Their Generation Overuses Smartphones Millennials view their smartphone use as a generational problem. A very strong majority of respondents--81.1%--agree or strongly agree that their generation has a problem with smartphone overuse.
Strongly Disagree: 3.1%
Graph: total, Q39ar2, grouping together the Strongly Agree and Agree to highlight 81.1%
Disagree: 3.0% Neutral
12.8% 46.5%
Agree
Strongly Agree
34.6%
Millennials Believe Their Generation Overuses Social Media Millennials also believe their generation has a problem with social media. A very strong majority of respondents--78.6%--said they either agree or strongly agree that their generation has a problem with social media overuse.
Strongly Disagree: 3.1% Disagree: 4.2% Neutral
14.2% 41.9%
Agree
Strongly Agree
36.7%
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impact on current and future generations
#impact
Millennials Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Believe Social Media Has Had a Generally Positive Effect On Their Generation While Millennials believe that social media generates more positive than negative emotions within themselves as individuals, they generally believe that it has had a more negative effect on their generation. When asked whether they think social media generally has had a positive effect on their generation only 25.6% agreed. A larger number--38.1%--disagreed, implying that social media has generally had a more negative effect.
Agree Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree
17.6% 36.3%
8.0%
Neutral
12.4% 25.7%
Disagree
Millennials Are Concerned About The Effect of Social Media On Their Generation The effect of social media on their generation concerns Millennials. We asked respondents to rate the magnitude of their concern about the effect of social media on their generation using a scale of 0-100, with 100 being the highest in magnitude. Respondents on average rated their level of concern at 62.
Millennials Are Concerned About The Effect of Social Media on Future Generations Millennials find social media so problematic that they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just concerned about its effect on their generation--they are also worried about the impact of social media on future generations. When asked to rate the magnitude of their concern for the impact of social media on future generations using a scale of 0-100, the average level of concern was 71. This indicates a pessimistic outlook on how we interact with our smartphones and social media in particular.
Concern level for respondentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; generation and future My Generation 61 Future Generations 71
0
100
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Implications | Discussion The Millennials, Smartphones, and Social Media survey reveals the degree to which Millennials have become attached to their smartphones. They sleep with their smartphone, and it is the last thing they see before bed and the first thing they see when they wake. Millennials think about their smartphones and social media constantly, and check their smartphones throughout the day. They also feel that they could not go without their smartphones or social media for an extended period of time. Yet Millennialsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attachment to their smartphone troubles them. They wish they could control their smartphone use. Additionally, they see their struggle as not just as a personal, individual problem. Rather, they see it as a societal problem that plagues their entire generation and will continue to plague future generations to come. If smartphone attachment and overuse is a societal problem, this raises the question as to where in society will responsibility lie for addressing it? Do the tech companies bear responsibility? As corporations they must answer to their investors who have a financial incentive to keep Millennials attached to their devices and to social media. Therefore, the odds of tech companies crippling a successful product in the short term is slim. Should the government intervene? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to know how long legislation will take to ultimately pass, and, if something passes, whether it will have sufficient teeth to effectively address the problem. This leaves the responsibility to address smartphone overuse squarely in our hands as individuals. So what can we do? We can draw some suggestions from the Millennials, Smartphones, and Social Media survey.
Respondents indicate that using a smartphone is necessary on a day-to-day basis. However, in order to use it productively, many Millennials are scheduling and planning out inviolable rules for when and how to use their smartphone. An example of such an inviolable rule would be to not check smartphones 30 minutes after waking up and for an hour before bed. Nearly 80% of Millennials take their smartphone to bed. However, those who do not take their smartphone to bed tend to use it less. This suggests that a simple, actionable suggestion would be to leave the smartphone out of the bedroom. Finding a balance between our digital and analog lives is something that will be ever more necessary as we, as a society, continue to incorporate technology into our daily routines. There are no set rules to take back control from technology. But, there is an important takeaway to be gleaned from this survey: finding tech/life balance is a deeply personal endeavor -- one that should meet each of us where we stand.
089
A strong majority of survey respondents found social media to be the main draw to their device, and many found that turning off all social media notifications resulted in less smartphone use. This suggests that turning off most if not all notifications would be very helpful.
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Acknowledgments BOLDFISH Founded in 2017, BOLDFISH is a digital wellness company that has apps and an online community to help create a tech/life balance. BOLDFISH nurtures this balance through its products, which lead to a healthier relationship to the ubiquitous technology we interact with on a day-to-day basis.
Michael Mercier Michael Mercier is President of Screen Education, a non-profit organization that conducts research, and provides seminars, on issues at the intersection of technology and human wellness. Screen Educationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current focus is on tech addiction and its consequences, including compulsive phone behaviors, the toxic environment on social media, and the impact on productivity.
Glenn Stark Glenn Stark is the founder and owner of Stark Statistical Consulting and specializes in statistical consulting with a focus on healthcare and education. Glenn began his consulting career as a pharmaceutical market research consultant in China in 1998. Since that time he has been collecting and analyzing data or he has been teaching statistics. Prior to founding Stark Statistical Consulting, Glenn worked as a consultant for GfK, NOP World Health, and Strategic Marketing Asia and supported academic research as a statistical consultant at the University of New Mexico.
EMI Research Solutions EMI Research Solutions, an industry-leading sample sourcing consultant and provider of online survey services has been in business for 20 years. Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, EMI helps clients navigate the online panel space and create custom sampling solutions tailored to their goals. EMI also provides best-in-class solutions for programming, hosting, data tabulations, and basic reporting. They specialize in guiding clients new to online surveys through the process and, for experienced researchers, leveraging the entire panel industry to supply sample that no one else could.
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