Switzerland: Deloitte Survey Reveals Excessive Mobile Phone Use

So bad is the epidemic

Every second Swiss is mobile phone sick
by Harry Büsser, blick.ch, 14 October 2018 - translation - extracts from article

Every second person finds himself on the phone too often. Excessive use of mobile phones in Switzerland is shown by exclusive data from the consulting firm Deloitte.

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A recent survey from the consulting firm Deloitte, exclusively available in the SonntagsBlick. shows that 48 percent of Swiss cell phone owners find that they use their smartphones too often . In the 25 to 34 year-old age group, it is even two-thirds. Four percent of Swiss wake up at night to check their mobile phone - 8 per cent in the 25 to 34 year-old age group.

Generally, younger people are more likely to be on the phone. In addition, it can be deduced from the data of Deloitte: The larger the phone, the longer owners use it.

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Scientists do not agree when  discussing cell phone addiction. U.S. studies define it as an addictive behavior when someone reaches for their cell phone more than 60 times a day.  The average American adult checks his phone more than 200 times a day.



This is called nomophobia: No-Mobile-Phone-Phobia, the fear of not having a mobile phone at hand. Without a cell phone, those affected become highly nervous, anxious or depressed.

Addicted or not: in the Deloitte study, many of the approximately 1,000 Swiss respondents said they had already experienced physical problems from excessive cell phone use. Six percent experienced visual difficulties at least once, because they used the cell phone too often, five percent, headache or sore fingers. In the 25 to 34 year-old age group, this value was twice as high.

In the U.S. , where verdicts of particularly harsh damages are the rule, observers already anticipate class action lawsuits against mobile phone providers. Larry Dignan, editor-in-chief of the technology news portal ZDNet, is convinced that the U.S. Senate will be addressing mobile phone addiction next year.

The French parliament recently passed legislation prohibiting the use of mobile phones at school up to lower secondary education.

Not a good feeling

We already know from tobacco and sweet drinks that consumers do not control their behavior. The public and legal pressure on the industry has increased - and led to the creation of light products such as Marlboro Light or Cola Zero.

Apparently, Apple and Google are pursuing a similar strategy : "Tech companies have recognized the signs of the times and are aware of the potential negative effects of their devices. That's why they are pro-active and give consumers tools to consciously control use, "says Michael Grampp, 49, chief economist at Deloitte Switzerland. He is responsible for the survey.

What Grampp means: Apple and Google are now offering their users ways to control mobile phone usage. For Apple, the new function is called "screen time". With the introduction of the iOS 12 operating system, it can be recorded - and limited.

The question is whether the new tools will be used and actually help.

Scary facts about mobile phone use

• 4 percent of mobile phone users wake up at night to check their mobile phone.
• 23 percent of all smartphone users are distracted when they want to do a task. 
• 23 percent of cell phone users have a constant feeling of having to check for any news on the cell phone.
• 21 percent go to bed later than they actually wanted because of the mobile phone.
• 13 percent are afraid they would miss something if they cannot check the mobile phone.
• 6 percent  already have problems with eyesight because they used the cell phone so much.

Radiation harms teen memory

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields can be detrimental to the development of memory performance of certain brain regions when using mobile phones. This was the result of a study of almost 700 adolescents.

Read here

Original article in German:
https://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/so-schlimm-ist-die-seuche-jeder-zweite-schweizer-ist-handykrank-id8975622.html