16 Shocking Technology Addiction Statistics for 2023

We live in a digital world. Technology has changed the way we work, communicate, shop, and even work out. Most would agree that tech advancements have made our lives easier and more fun. But the unfortunate reality is that they have also brought some negativity. 

Don’t you believe it? Take a look at these eye-opening technology addiction statistics.

Shocking Technology Addiction Statistics

Here you’ll find some of the most fascinating statistics regarding technology addiction.

• Around 8% of the global population is addicted to the internet.
• 85% of American adults can’t spend a day without going online.
• Smartphone use is involved in 26% of car accidents in America.
• 12% of teen boys have a video gaming addiction.
• 50% of teenagers consider themselves addicted to their smartphones.
• The average person checks their phone 96 times a day.
• Teens spend over seven hours a day in front of a screen.

General Technology Addiction Statistics

Technology addiction is very real. The technology facts and statistics below may shock you when you see how much it has taken over people's lives across the world.

1. More than 8% of the world’s population is addicted to the internet.

(Source: PSYCOM)

The rise of the internet has made it easier than ever to work, communicate and socialize online. With this in mind, it’s not surprising that 8.2% of the world’s population is struggling with internet addiction.

Notably, there is considerable variance in the reported rates. Estimates go from 0.3% to as high as 38%. This wide range reflects the lack of universal diagnostic criteria and assessment questionnaires to determine the actual prevalence of tech addiction. 

2. 85% of Americans go online every day.

(Source: Pew Research Center)

Humans are addicted to technology. One of the more worrisome facts is that the vast majority of Americans can’t spend a day without going online. Even more disturbing is the finding that 31% of Americans are in cyberspace almost constantly. 

Internet addiction statistics also show that 48% go online several times a day, and 8% do so a few times a week. Just 7% of Americans don’t use the internet at all.

Smartphone Addiction Statistics

Smartphones are everywhere. And although phones have made our lives easier, they have also made it much more difficult to disconnect from tech. 

3. 50% of teenagers think they are addicted to their phones.

(Source: Common Sense Media)

Teenage cell ​​phone addiction statistics paint a grim picture of adolescents’ smartphone dependence. Studies have found that around 78% of teenagers check their mobile devices every hour. What’s more, 72% feel the urge to respond immediately to any messages they receive, while 45% use the internet all the time. 

Yet, just 59% of parents think their teens are addicted to their mobile devices, and not more than 50% of children agree.

4. 26% of all car accidents in the US happen as the result of smartphone use.

(Source: CompareCamp)

More than a quarter of all car accidents in the US happen because people use their smartphones while driving. This is a shocking fact, to say the least, but it does resonate with other phone addiction statistics.

According to the World Health Organization, drivers using mobile phones are approximately four times more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers not using a mobile phone. Naturally, texting considerably increases the risk of an accident. But what many people don’t realize is that hands-free phone use is not much safer as it also results in distracted driving.

5. Americans check their phones 96 times a day.

(Source: Asurion)

Technology addiction is a behavioral addiction in which a person becomes dependent on the use of the internet or their online devices. You may imagine such people as teens addicted to technology who are constantly on their phones and can’t seem to come off. Although this is true, it’s important to know that it also relates to those who keep picking their phone up time and time again. 

Americans check their phones once every 10 minutes, or 96 times a day. These technology dependence statistics just show what a problem we have with tech.

Gaming Addiction Stats

Gaming addiction stats show boys are more often hooked to video games, but girls are not spared from this addiction. You can find some more shocking statistics below.

6. 12% of teen boys are addicted to video games.

(Source: Newport Academy)

Among teenagers, 97% of boys and 83% of girls play at least one video game on at least one device.

Some popular video games are particularly marketed toward young men, including Fortnite and Call of Duty. With this in mind, it’s not surprising to see that as many as 12% of teen boys classify themselves as being addicted to video games. This is almost double the 7% of girls with compulsive gaming habits.

7. Gaming addiction is common amongst children all over the world.

(Source: Healthy Gamer)

Internet addiction statistics say that around 10% of children in Singapore and 14% of students in Hong Kong are addicted to technology and gaming. This statistic can be expanded even more, with 600,000 children in South Korea having some kind of gaming disorder. 

Although gaming appears to affect children alone, it’s important to know that it impacts adults too. The average age at which people consider themselves to be video game enthusiasts is 33. Researchers also believe that around 1% of the world’s population is addicted to gaming.

8. The average gamer plays games for over eight hours a week.

(Source: Limelight) 

Recent video game addiction and overuse of technology statistics show that video gamers play 8 hours and 27 minutes a week, on average. A quarter spends at least 12 hours a week playing games, while 44% dedicate more than 7 hours.

When you break the data down, you will soon see that gaming is currently on an upwards trend, and this is especially the case since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Binge gaming increased by 13% in 2021.

Screen Addiction Stats

Screen addiction facts have shown that people aged between 8 and 28 tend to spend around 44.5 hours every week staring at a screen and could have an addiction to electronic devices. 

You may be thinking that this is because schools have incorporated technology into their classes and that many jobs require the use of tech devices. That being said, the statistics of technology usage tend to show a different side to this story.

9. The typical internet user spends 40% of their waking life online.

(Source: DataReportal)

Recent stats on technology use show that people spend an average of 6 hours and 53 minutes online each day or around 40% of their waking life. 

This means that the world’s 5 billion internet users spend a combined total of more than 2 trillion minutes of screen time every single day!

10. The biggest desktop screen time consumers are South Africans.

(Source: Comparitech)

Facts about technology use show South Africans spend an average of 5 hours and 37 minutes of screen time on their computers each day. This is over half an hour longer than the second-biggest computer screen time consumers in Brazil and Colombia. 

11. Filipinos spend the most time on their mobile devices.

(Source: Comparitech)

Filipinos spend 5 hours and 47 minutes a day looking at the screens of their mobile devices. Thai users come second, spending 5 hours and 28 minutes looking at mobile phone screens.

Social Media Addiction Facts

Social media has given us the chance to be more connected than ever before. And we all know how much time we spend on social media. Unfortunately, it has also sparked addiction, especially for some age groups. 

12. Almost 40% of people in the US are addicted to social media.

(Source: Statista)

Technology addiction facts show that 39% of Americans are addicted to social media. The most affected age group is that of 23- to 38-years-old, with 55% of them struggling with social media addiction. This compares to 45% of Americans in the 18-22 age bracket. It’s not surprising that the older generation (55-64) has the lowest percentage of social media addicts – 22%. 

13. The average daily time spent on social media is 2 hours and 29 minutes.

(Source: DataReportal)

The 2021 average is 4.9% up year-on-year. Social media addiction stats also show that people use an average of 7.4 platforms a month. 

Surprisingly, men account for 54.2% of social media users. Yet, numerous reports reveal young females are addicted to social media more than any other group.

14. One in five young people wakes up in the night to check their social media profiles.

(Source: Science Daily)

Social media distraction statistics are truly disturbing when it comes to driving, studying, and face-to-face socializing. But one particular finding is eye-twitching. Social media distracts teenagers even from their sleep. Around 20% of those aged 12-15 almost always log on at night to respond to messages, read comments, and check for posts likes.

When speaking of teenagers, there are more stats to explore…

Technology Addiction in Youth Stats

Technology addiction is very real, and it is impacting the youth more than most people realize. We have already listed some technology addiction in youth stats but there are a few more worth your time.

15. 44% of teenagers find it hard to go without tech.

(Source: Consumer Affairs)

Smartphone dependency statistics have shown that around 44% of teenagers find it difficult to go without a technology break. If you look at tech addiction and how it corresponds to age, you will see that younger people tend to struggle more. Tech encompasses everything, from phones to TVs and even computers. Studies have also found that 41% of people struggle in their 20’s, but this drops to 29% in those over 40. 

16. Teens in the US stare at a screen for over seven hours a day.

(Source: Common Sense Media)

Stats about technology show that teens in the US stare at a screen for 7 hours and 22 minutes a day. This estimate doesn’t include time spent on schoolwork. Younger children aged 8-12 spend an average of 4 hours and 44 minutes a day in front of screens.

Wrap Up

So things have changed dramatically over the last few years. Although technology has helped us gain much more control over the way we do things, such as through flexible working, it has also been consuming our lives. The above-listed facts about technology addiction prove just that.