Brits waste years of their lives mindlessly phone scrolling, study finds

Jun 3, 2026 · 9:06 AM UTC ·4 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 45 views

#technology #mental health #digital wellbeing

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

A recent study by Virgin Media O2 reveals that Britons are projected to spend an average of four years and eight months mindlessly scrolling on their phones. The research indicates that over a third of phone usage occurs without a clear purpose, leading to negative effects on mental wellbeing. Many participants reported issues such as poor sleep and reduced focus due to their digital habits.

Key facts

▪Britons are expected to spend an average of four years and eight months using mobile phones unintentionally.
▪36% of phone use occurs without a clear purpose, averaging about one hour and 26 minutes daily.
▪41% of participants linked poor sleep to their phone use, while 61% admitted they were 'not fully present' in social situations.

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The Independent (UK) publishes from United Kingdom and files mainly under news. We currently carry 922 of its stories.

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Record

Original publisher	The Independent
Canonical URL	https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/phone-screen-time-virgin-media-o2-b2988569.html
Publication time	Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:06:43 GMT
Retrieval time	2026-06-03T09:12:00.412Z
Last seen	2026-06-03T09:12:00.412Z
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Publisher visit	Yes — open original
Substitutes article?	No — link-out required for full text

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Indexing	May the item be indexed (stored, ranked, made findable)?	Allowed
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Basis: Derived from the published RSS/Atom feed. Contact: [email protected]. Reviewed: 2026-07-24.

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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand

TechBrits waste years of their lives mindlessly phone scrolling, study findsSome 69 per cent believed digital platforms were designed in ways that encouraged continued engagementJosie Clarke Wednesday 03 June 2026 05:06 EDTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"CF1:2988379To1","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.the-independent.com/tech/phone-screen-time-virgin-media-o2-b2988569.html","title":"Brits waste years of their lives mindlessly phone scrolling"}}Scrolling Your Phone On The Toilet Increases Risk Of HemorrhoidsYour support helps us to tell the…

Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Independent.

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