Gen Z spends almost 8 hours a day in front of their phones A problem that mainly affects young people, but not only them, and that has long concerned experts and institutions

Recently, the Gen Z Screen Time Report 2026 was published, a study that analyzes the evolution of digital habits among those born between 1997 and 2012. The report was produced by DC DX, a company specializing in market research and youth behavior analysis. The study highlights a further increase in the amount of time spent on smartphones, despite the growing desire to disconnect that is increasingly expressed by younger generations and beyond.

Gen Z spends one third of the year on their phone

The figures included in the report help put this trend into context. In 2025, the average daily screen time for Gen Z reached 7 hours and 43 minutes, up 4.8% compared to 2024, with a daily median of 7 hours and 30 minutes. On a weekly basis, this amounts to more than 54 hours of use (+6.7% year over year), a figure that confirms how screen time continues to grow at an even faster pace than in the previous two-year period, marking a new phase of acceleration after the slowdown recorded in 2024. On an annual level, this translates into roughly 122 days per year spent in front of a screen, compared to 118 days devoted to sleep and just over 120 days for all other activities.

Within this landscape, the apps that absorb the most time remain social and entertainment platforms. TikTok leads the ranking for average weekly usage with over 10 hours, followed by Instagram with more than 9 hours, while Messages and YouTube continue to play a central role in Gen Z’s digital everyday life. So-called “functional” apps are also growing, including Google and ChatGPT, which climbed to #14 in 2025 after jumping 18 positions year over year. Despite a relatively low open frequency, usage is defined by long, focused sessions, often linked to studying, research, and problem-solving. This points to the emergence of a more instrumental, task-based relationship with the smartphone alongside habitual scrolling, making any reduction in online time an even more complex challenge.

How to “detox” from your smartphone

The effects of excessive smartphone use, especially among adolescents, have long been at the center of public debate, as well as the subject of numerous scientific studies. The urge to check one’s device in a sometimes compulsive way, across different contexts and moments of the day, is interpreted by experts as a possible symptom of a specific form of anxiety, varying in severity from case to case.

Reducing smartphone usage is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions. This goal is particularly shared by those who want to devote more attention to activities such as reading, watching a film without distractions, having face-to-face conversations, or practicing sports. In recent years, the platforms themselves have fueled an entire stream of content around this topic, featuring testimonials from people who choose to delete social media apps or stop using their smartphone at specific times of the day, explaining the benefits of doing so.

One way to reduce time spent on smartphones is to take advantage of the built-in features of operating systems. On iOS, for instance, users can set daily limits for specific apps. However, there are even more radical strategies. In her book How to Break Up With Your Phone, science journalist Catherine Price suggests that those looking to “detox” from their smartphone should become more aware of their habits and reflect on the real reasons why they so often find themselves holding their phone, seeking solutions, creative or otherwise, to avoid using it when it is not necessary.

France’s initiative to ban social media

The issue of excessive smartphone use, particularly when it comes to social media, has long been discussed by institutions as well. Recently, for example, a bill was approved in France with the aim of banning access to social platforms for under-15s. Should the initiative be definitively adopted, France would become the first country in Europe to ban social media for teenagers, and the second worldwide after Australia, where a similar ban came into force last December and sparked intense debate. The proposal would also prohibit smartphone use in French high schools, while it is already banned for students aged between 11 and 15.

What remains clear is that, to date, when it comes to the direct link between social media use and the deterioration of adolescents’ mental health, there are still more questions than answers, even though experts largely agree that a correlation exists. In general, those working on these issues believe it may be more effective to promote a conscious and responsible use of smartphones and social media among younger people, rather than banning them altogether. Unsurprisingly, several child protection organizations in France have asked parliament to focus on the responsibilities of individual platforms, instead of introducing a blanket ban.