Teens Spend Nearly 1.5 Hours on Smartphones During School, Study Finds

New research highlights extensive smartphone use among students, raising concerns about its impact on learning and social interaction.

A study by Seattle Children’s Research Institute found teens spend an average of 92 minutes on smartphones during a 6.5-hour school day, with 25% exceeding two hours.
The most-used apps during school hours include messaging, Instagram, video streaming, audio, and email, primarily for non-educational purposes.
Researchers used the RealityMeter app to track phone usage in a sample of 117 adolescents, providing objective data on smartphone habits.
Parental restrictions on phone use showed little effect, suggesting school-based policies may be more effective in curbing distractions.
The findings coincide with growing calls to ban smartphones in schools, including a proposal by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to create distraction-free classrooms.