Smartphone addiction: Is India facing a digital crisis?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: Many adults and youngsters spend nearly a third of their time awake hooked to smartphones—an addiction phonemakers are trying to tackle by incorporating features that allow users to meaningfully take time off from their screens. Smartphone brands such as Vivo, Oppo and HMD have recognized the need for digital detox as a business opportunity, building strategies to cater to a growing preference for switching off—such as Zen Mode by OnePlus.
Vivo, in fact, published a study earlier this month on the impact of smartphones on parent-child relationships. It found parents spend 5.5 hours and children about 4.5 hours on their phones each day, with social media and entertainment consuming a majority of this time. Vivo found that about 64% of the children who participated in its study felt they were addicted to their phones.
About “73% of parents and 69% of children identify excessive smartphone usage as a major source of conflict," Vivo said in its report. Also read | Dedicated, faster internet plans for concerts, influencers in the offing? A majority of the children surveyed—94%—said their parents’ smartphones should only include essential features such as calling, messaging and camera—excluding gaming and social media. Additionally, 66% of the children expressed willingness to leave social media if their friends did too, while one in three wished certain social media apps had never been invented.
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