Why Do We Need Digital Wellness?

• 96% of Americans own a cell phone

• Most users check their phones 352 times a day

• 60% of the global population uses social media

• 70% of internet use is on a phone

• 90% of users are on technology an hour before bed

• 90% of 18-29 year olds sleep with their smartphones close by

What Online Harms Do Kids & Teens Face:

• List of Online Harms

• Online Harms One-Pagers

• The Work in DC

What is Technology Doing to our Mental Health, Relationships, & Productivity?

RELATIONSHIPS

• Evidence proves deteriorating relational communication is linked to excessive internet & smartphone use

• 30% US divorces is the direct result of social media

• 50% of adults report using phones while out to eat

• 52% of teens sit in silence for long periods of time on phones while hanging out with friends.

MENTAL HEALTH

• 7 OUT OF 10 people report some level of anxiety when disconnected from their phone

• 66% OF the world’s population show signs of Nomophobia - “No Mobile Phone Phobia”

  • also known as - PSA (phone separation anxiety)

• 41% of teenagers feel overwhelmed by the quantity of text alerts they receive on a daily basis

• Many 13-year-olds check their social media accounts 100 times a day due to the following pressures:

  • 61% said they wanted to see if their online posts were getting likes and comments

  • 36% said they wanted to see if their friends were doing things without them

  • 21% said they wanted to make sure no one was saying mean things about them

• Teens who spend five or more hours a day on electronic devices are 71% more likely to exhibit suicide risk factors compared to teens who only spend an hour on electronic devices daily.

• Some of the new mental health issues that counselors, educators, and psychiatrists are treating are:

  • Continuous partial attention

  • Acquired ADD

  • Internet game addiction

  • And more

PRODUCTIVITY

• Excessive smartphone use in students causes lower GPA, higher anxiety, and lower satisfaction with life

• 67% of teachers noticed their students being negatively distracted by mobile devices.

• 41% OF gamers admit they play to escape their daily lives

• 65% OF the U.S. population are gamers

• Studies are linking technology use to ADHD and other childhood developments, attention, & behavioral issues

• On average, people will spend 5 years and four months of their lifetimes on social media and even more on gaming.

*sources: PewResearch, internetadvisor, slicktext, techjury, insiderintelligence, asurion, fairplay, statista