Teenagers addicted to smartphones? Their parents too

Teenagers’ digital habits raise concern, cause irritation, and fuel stereotypes: some even speak of a “heads-down” generation. Initiatives to curb this trend are nevertheless multiplying, as shown by the nationwide rollout in September 2025 of the “Phone on Pause” program, which aims to ban smartphone use in middle schools. But are young people really the ones most glued to their screens?

According to the Digital Barometer published by Arcep (the French Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority) in March 2025, excessive screen use affects all generations: 60% of 18–24-year-olds spend more than three hours a day on screens—compared with 54% of 60–69-year-olds and 53% of 13–17-year-olds. While teenagers do not actually stand out that much, they remain the most criticized. Yet this stigmatization could evolve into awareness… and intergenerational change.

Social habits under strain

Who has never received a barrage of WhatsApp messages? Who has never endured, on the subway or in the street, a phone conversation made public thanks to speaker mode? Who has never been snubbed at the table by someone who clearly prefers their phone to a face-to-face conversation? (A concept has even emerged to denounce this widespread phenomenon: phubbing, a term formed from the English words phone and snubbing.)

These everyday scenes, seemingly harmless, have a very real impact on our attention and well-being. The omnipresence of screens fragments our focus and weakens our social bonds. Constant notifications, endless prompts: our brains are overwhelmed by the flow of information, our moments of rest deteriorate, and our conversations grow poorer.

Adopting a more mindful digital practice

Various alternatives, accessible to everyone, exist to help us reconnect and reclaim mental space. There’s no need to replace your smartphone with a dumbphone (a mobile phone offering only essential functions), nor to go on a digital retreat. Mindful digital use is first and foremost a matter of habits. Here are a few ideas for taking back control of everyday life without giving up on progress.

Enjoying a meal without screens and rediscovering conversations free from notifications? It’s possible by activating “Do Not Disturb” mode during family time or gatherings with friends. For those ready to part with their phones altogether, it’s also an option to leave them in a basket at the entrance—avoiding the reflex to check them.

Within each app, selecting only the notifications that truly matter to you helps prevent unwanted interruptions. Do you really care that five users commented on a post you liked out of politeness? Disable these unnecessary alerts in the settings.

Getting back to basics is also a matter of common sense: instead of using a GIF, sticker, video, or voice message on WhatsApp (when the same thing can be said with text), let’s simply send an SMS. When it comes to digital use, the saying less is more is our best ally. Whether we are teenagers or adults, we all stand to gain from taking control of our habits.

References:

• World Health Organization – Teenagers, screens, and mental health
• Ministry of Education – Ban on mobile phones in schools and middle schools and digital pause
• Arcep – Digital Barometer – 2025 edition
• Le Mouv’ – Two out of three French people think phones at the table are a source of conflict
• Franceinfo – Unusual: this restaurant bans mobile phones at the table… and increases its revenue