Survey reveals extent of anxiety over smartphone use in Ireland
Almost half of people in Ireland, 48%, think smartphones should not be allowed in schools at all, according to a survey by iReach Insights.
The survey, which asked 1,000 adults about their mobile use and their opinion about smartphones in Irish society, also found that 64% of people with children who own a smartphone think that their child is addicted to it.
More than that, 88%, think that Irish teenagers are addicted to their phones, and understandably, 83% say that smartphones should offer more settings to protect children and teenagers.
It also reveals that 92% of Irish adults have a smartphone, and 66% think it is necessary to have one.
Respondents admitted that the average amount of time they spend on their phone is around 1hour and 45 minutes each day, although the survey notes that in reality this could be much more.
Two-thirds of those surveyed said that wasting time is a harmful side effect of using a smartphone, as they use it during work for non-work-related issues and only 31% need their smartphone for work in order to do their job.
Up to 80% noticed that people are increasingly on their phones when they are socializing with friends or family, but 82% find it rude when people are on their phone excessively when socialising.
Finally, an alarming 8% have suffered from physical problems due to an overuse of their phone, with the top five health problems being: 57% have neck problems, 45% eye problems, 37% headaches, 32% back tensions and 24% suffer from finger or hand tensions.
