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Screen Time: Worrisome Statistics & Facts [Longterm Data]

Kids aged 8 to 10 spend a whopping 8 hours a day glued to screens!

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Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Whether you are a teen or a septuagenarian, we all enjoy spending time in front of screens. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops, TVs, and computers are the most popular screens.

With the advancement of technology, it has become essential to explore the ever-evolving digital landscape and the alarming rates of screen usage.

This comprehensive guide will shed light on screen time statistics over the years with long-time insights, facts, and data supporting how it has affected our lives.

According to theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, a child between 2 and 5 should only be allowed to use the screen for1 hourper weekday &3 hoursper weekend.

The younger kids should not have screen time at all. The school children’s daily screen time limit should be only2 hoursfor non-school work.

According toa study by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, adults should limit their screen time to two hours or less per day outside work.

Screen Time Statistics (2013-2022)

Global Average Hours of Screen Time per Day

In 2022, the average time spent on screen worldwide is 6 hours 37 minutes, and since 2013, the daily screen time has increased by28 minutes per day.

This is a report issued byGlobalWebIndex (GWI)indicating the rise and fall of screen time from 2013 to 2022:

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was in lockdown, and there was a striking surge in device usage and daily screen time globally.

It increased to6 hours and 55 minutesin2020, rose to6 hours and 57 minutesin2021, but decreased to6 hours and 37 minutesin2022as everything started to normalize, a minute less than the time in 2019.

Another alarming impact of the lockdown was a52%increase in average screen time consumption among kids, primarily due to online classes and their home confinement.

A study byJAMA Pediatricsshows that pre-pandemic, screen time, including televisions, computers, and smartphones, was an average of162 minutes per day, which jumped to246 minutesduring the pandemic (more than 4 hours).

Mobile Device Usage Statistics

According to theJan 2023 DataReportal report, the average mobile screen time of a user worldwide based on all activities is5 hoursper day.

If this average is to hold true, then we collectively spend10 trillion hourson our mobile devices every year, which equates to 1.1 billion years of entire human existence.

TheIndonesiansspend5 hours and 39 mins, the highest, and Chinese people spend 3 hours and 33 minutes, the lowest of all countries. Here is the complete data:

An average user spends30%of their waking lives using their smartphones.

According to Statcounter, in 2013, only14.35%of the total web visits were by mobile, and it has surged to55.45%as of August 2023, which is truly remarkable.

A survey conducted by Deloitte in 2022says an average person in America checks their phone47 times a day.

According to Statista, in January 2023, Facebook, with 2958 million monthly active users, remains on the top of the chart, followed by YouTube with 2514 million and WhatsApp with 2000 million.

Here are the most popular social networks globally ranked by active users per month:

Users in the US spend55.8 minuteson TikTokin 2023, making it the most-used app in the region. Here are the details for all popularly used apps:

With this, in January 2023,according to DataReportal, TikTok is also the most used social media app globally, with23.5hours of time spent per month. Here are the details:

Thehighest social media usagewas recorded in thePhilippinesat4 hours and 12 mins, followed byBrazilat3 hours and 39 mins,Columbiaat3 hours and 34 mins, andNigeriaat3 hours and 26 mins. Here are the top 15 countries with social media usage in hours:

In2013, digital users were spending an average of1 hour and 37 minutesper day on social media, and it increased to2 hours and 31 minsin2022.

Video Game Usage Statistics

As per theGlobal Overview Report by DataReportal, the percentage of people playing games worldwide is 81.9%. Here is the list of countries with the same data:

Don’t you think every country on the list should take a preventive measure, given the long-term adverse effects?

If we talk about the age distribution of individuals playing video games on any device, 89.7% of males and 87.3% of females between the age of 16-24 are leading the statistics. Here is the complete data as of January 2023:

US vs. The Rest of the World Screen Time Statistics

In 2022, upon segregating the daily screen time for users aged16 to 64on any device across different countries, it was found thatSouth Africahad the highest screen time, i.e,10 hours 46mins, whileJapanhad the lowest, with4 hours 26mins, and theU.S.Awith7 hours 5 mins.

However, thelatest report from GWIin January 2023 indicates that the numbers are going down, suggesting that the pandemic impact is slowly wearing off.

The updated average screen time by country statistics shows theUnited Statesat6 hours 59 mins,South Africastill leading with9 hours and 38 minutes,Japanstill maintaining its position at3 hours and 45 minutes, while the global average time spent is6 hours and 37 minutes, which is21 minutesless than in 2022. Here is the latest data for all countries:

The average time spent has decreased for most of the countries exceptChina (5:25)and theNetherlands (05:27).

On an average, Americans check their smartphones every4 minutes.

With a whopping44.39%daily screen time,Indians use social media the most, followed by Indonesians, i.e,42.86%, while the average screen time worldwide is38.04%

And, with an average of2 hours and 16 minutes, Americans use32.46%of their screen time with social media, followed by the British, whose1 hour and 56 minutesare taken up using social media platforms.

A US teenager spends7 hour 30 minutesin front of a screen every day.

Based on Pew Researchconducted fromJan 2021toFeb 2021, this study also indicates that31%of Americans are always online, and48%go online several times a day. Here is the data:

Digital Device Usage by Age Group (Children)

According to aChildren and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes 2023report by Ofcom, mobile phones(69%)and tablets(64%)were the most used devices to go online among kids aged between 3-17 years.

Approixmately49%of 0 to 2-year-olds engage with smartphones

68percent of children between the age of7-18own or have access to different devices, including mobile phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and handheld players. Here is the detailed data

The majority of children aged 3-17(85%)watched programs or movies using a TV set, but a substantial portion(80%)also accessed the content via other devices, including50%of them using tablets and46%a mobile phone. Here are the details:

US teen(13-18)spends an average of more than8 hours per dayon screen for entertainment; tweens(8-12)are reported to be looking at the screen for approximately5 hoursdaily, apart from their school work.

Despite YouTube claims that it is intended for aged13 or older,76%of8 to 12 years oldwatch videos on the site, the rest mentioned using the YouTube Kids app.

As the device most used by kids, we have divided them into five groups3-4-year-olds,5-7-year-olds,8-11-year-olds,12-15-year-olds, and16-17-year-olds. Here are the details:

Kids spending more time on screens can be perturbing for their parents; therefore,monitoring their activities can help them control screen timeand ensure a healthier balance in their daily lives.

Increase in Mobile Phone, Tablet, and PC Use During the Pandemic

According toGWI report 2022, the pandemic profoundly impacted global television habits, and popular online streaming platforms likeNetflix and Disney+took up to45%of the total TV viewing time of working-age internet users.

However, traditional television (cable channels and broadcast) still occupies the other half.

According toDataReportal Global Overview reportin January 2023,56.9%of daily time spent on the Internet by users aged 16 to 64 globally is via mobile while43.1%is on computers.

Research by the National Library of Medicineindicates that Americans in their early twenties spent an average of28.5 hours per weekon their smartphones in 2020,2.6 hoursmore than in 2018.

Abroad survey by GWIin 2021 indicates that despite the decline in ownership of laptops and desktop, it is still used the most to go online; here is the data to specify the time spent on devices over the years:

Negative Effects of Too Much Screen Time

The latest screen time statistics show that the amount of time spent in front of a screen decreases to an extent as the world adjusts to the new normal.

However, the numbers are still concerning, as excessive screen time could have harmful effects, especially if it becomes a habit. Some of the adverse effects are:

Decreasing screen time is important for our mind and body’s health and development. If youcan’t control your screen time, use an app to help you remind you or switch from normal mode to focus on your device to avoid distractions.

You can also check thelatest technology addiction statisticsso that you know how important it is to use devices responsibly.

In case you are interested in more such statistics, likehow many computers are in the world, check out this guide.

If you have any questions about the data presented or want more information about screen time statistics, please mention them in the comments section below.

Screen Time: Worrisome Statistics & Facts [Longterm Data]#

Screen Time Statistics (2013-2022)#

Global Average Hours of Screen Time per Day#

Mobile Device Usage Statistics#

Social Media App Usage Statistics#

Video Game Usage Statistics#

US vs. The Rest of the World Screen Time Statistics#

Digital Device Usage by Age Group (Children)#

Increase in Mobile Phone, Tablet, and PC Use During the Pandemic#

Negative Effects of Too Much Screen Time#