About 72% of American teenagers reported feeling peaceful "often or sometimes" when they were without their smartphones.
In a new report from the Pew Research Center, it was also revealed that out of 1,453 teenagers surveyed between the ages of 13 and 17 in the U.S., 44% experienced anxiety when they were separated from their smartphones.
According to the survey, 95% of teens in the U.S. have a smartphone, and 69% of them say smartphones help them with hobbies and interests, while 45% think they make school easier.
The study also shows that 51% to 64% of teens think they spend the right amount of time on their phones and social media, but 38% feel they overdo it. Meanwhile, girls are more likely than boys to think they spend too much time on both.
This data comes a month after schools and public hospitals announced a lawsuit against major tech companies like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, accusing them of fostering a harmful and addictive social media environment detrimental to children's mental health, disrupting education and straining resources.
And according to the survey, most parents also agree that their teens spend too much time on their phones.
About 4 in 10 teens report arguing with their parents about how much time the teens spend on their phones, with 10% saying it happens often, the survey says.
Popular social media apps fuel a disturbing surge in child sextortion
There has been a 1,000% increase in incidents over the past 18 months, driven by criminals sharing training materials on YouTube and TikTok.
