Are phones loaded with apps a burden for Gen Z?

Here’s how to break free from the smartphone: try the ‘dumbphone’

There’ve been so many changes in the past decade, that people across all ages want to keep up, not just Gen Z.”

Laura Aymerich-Franch | Behavioural scientist

Is your phone glued to your hand? You’re not alone. Many people, especially young adults between the ages of 12 and 27, struggle with smartphone addiction. Numbers don’t lie. According to a study by 99 Firms, a US-based statistics portal:

Over half of Gen Z spends more than eight hours a day online.

Teens crave constant connection: 95 per cent own smartphones.

73 per cent of Gen Z use their internet-connected devices primarily for texting and chatting.

85 per cent of Gen Z use social media to learn about products.

Another recent 2024 report chronicling screen time addiction by US-based Harmony Healthcare IT found that over 1 in 3 people can’t go 24 hours without their phones, and 45 per cent say they’re addicted.

Last year, 17-year-old USbased Davida Rimm-Kaufman ditched her smartphone to finish high school. Declaring that her extreme addiction to social media was stressing her out, she opted for a basic phone, dubbed “dumbphone”, which was devoid of all features. Later, she told Washington Times that she did buy an iPhone, but didn’t reinstall Instagram and Snapchat. She felt more “present”, as she didn’t have addictive apps at her fingertips.

Rules or no rules?

Jocelyn Merrill, a Dubaibased Irish entrepreneur, has had to confiscate her 18-yearold daughter’s phone, multiple times a week. So, now rules are firmly set: No phones after nine at night. There are no-phone areas in the house, including at the table.

Rules can only take you so far, says Swati Basu, an Abu Dhabi-based mother of two children, aged 15 and 17. So after much conflict in the house, she just kept them distracted by enrolling them in different activities, like dance, tennis and squash.

“There is only so much that you can do to restrict,” adds Katerina Othonos, a Dubai-based Greek marketing professional and mother to an 18-year-old son. As Othonos says, a smartphone addiction is a reflection of deeper issues.

Coping with anxiety

Social media can be a double-edged sword. Manaal Singh, a Dubai-based psychologist, believes that many youngsters enter into the addiction

as a way to manage their mood swings or negative emotions. However, this endless time on the phone also fuels a desire to live a life like others, she says.

Compulsive buying

People keep striving for what others possess, Singh says. They also have a fear of missing out on other people’s experiences, she adds. And in order to cope with these emotions of resentment and inferiority complex, they get into the trap of compulsive buying.

Social media will be filled with advertisements. People will keep sharing photos of new products that they just bought. This instills a desire in a person to get the same, she says.

Raj Mehta, a 24-yearold Indian entrepreneur in Dubai, admits that he spends more time on social media than what’s necessary. “It is a problem; I won’t lie. I do surf Twitter, Instagram and a variety of apps for hours, or just keep looking for gadgets to buy online,” he says, adding it is a “retail therapy”.

Lojain Abu Naser, a student of Bachelor of Arts in Creative Industries at Canadian University, Dubai, adds that she is trying to delete unnecessary apps from her phone. “I am looking to reduce my phone usage by deleting unnecessary applications that make me glued to it, for example, TikTok. I also want to pick up on more hobbies that don’t require any screens, like painting or knitting,” she says.

Another Gen Z, Ayman Azmie, a student in Dubai, is trying to take back “control” of her life, and focusing on her physical health. “I go for walks outside and also do some form of physical activity to better use my time. I also decided to put restrictions on screentime to divert my attention from scrolling,” she says.

I am looking to reduce my phone usage by deleting unnecessary applications that make me glued to it. I also want to pick up on more hobbies.”

Lojain Abu Naser | BA student

Is it just Gen Z?

As Laura Aymerich-Franch, a Dubai-based behavioural scientist explains, a phone addiction can affect different generations. This is a rather complex, layered issue, she asserts, saying that there isn’t enough concrete evidence to draw conclusions that Gen Z is more addicted to phones than millennials, or Gen X for that matter.

“There have been so many technological changes in the past decade, that people across all ages want to keep up, not just Gen Z,” says Singh. “There’s an app for everyone; you can find an older person more addicted to their phone than a Gen Z.”

Start digital detox early

As technology will continue unfolding at a rapid rate, Lauren Casey, a developmental psychologist, has some advice for both parents and children: Encourage children to find pleasure in activities that do not rely on technology. Delay access to smartphones until children are emotionally ready.

Talk to them about the possible harm of smartphones, including exposure to inappropriate content and social media pressures.

Set limits and establish tech-free zones at home.