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12/22/2024 11:41:18 pm

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50% of Teens, a Third of Parents are Addicted to Mobile Devices

Addictive

(Photo : Getty Images) Fiddling with a mobile

It's not like we don't feel it's true, but a new survey reveals that 52 percent of American teens are addicted to their mobile devices. As are about a third of their parents.

A survey about mobile device usage and family conflict conducted by Common Sense Media said that of the 620 teens and 620 parents polled, half of teens said they "feel addicted" to their mobile devices. It also showed that nearly 80 percent of teens check their mobiles hourly. Interestingly, 72 percent of respondents feel the need to reply to a text immediately.

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The poll showed 59 percent of parents think their teens are addicted to their mobile phones, tablets or laptops and that 50 percent of teens agree with this. But, 27 percent of parents believe they themselves are addicted to mobile devices.

The survey also discovered that mobile device usage can cause family conflict but might not be the cause of long-term problems. Some 70 percent of parents and teenagers said they have argued about mobile device use. Only 21 percent of parents and 30 percent of teens said they never argued about mobile device use.

At least 77 percent of parents said their teenagers were sometimes distracted by their phones or tablets during time spent with family.

Surprisingly, 80 percent of parents and teenagers said despite the problems caused by mobile devices, mobile technology has made no difference in family relationships or improved them.

A most upsetting finding is that 56 percent of parents surveyed said they checked their mobile devices while driving. What's more, 51 percent of teens reported seeing their parents using their phones while driving, which shows parents were texting with their kids in the car.

Common Sense Media is a San Francisco based non-profit organization that provides education and advocacy to families to promote safe technology and media for children.

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