Overview
- A Pew Research Center survey of 9,750 U.S. adults reports 53% say their phone screen time is excessive.
- Younger adults report the heaviest use, with roughly seven in ten under 30 saying they spend too much time on their phones and many checking them almost constantly.
- Nearly half of respondents tried to cut back in the prior year, but only one quarter of those who tried said they were extremely successful while most reported modest or no success.
- Respondents see clear benefits for staying informed and connected, mixed effects on mood and productivity, and a strong downside on sleep with 41% saying phones hurt the amount of sleep they get.
- The findings are self-reported behavior and attitudes from May–June 2026 and do not include objective device logs or policy responses, so look for follow-up studies and industry or regulatory actions that test these perceptions against tracked usage.