A recent study by Openreach revealed that half of the population in the UK has been asked by their family members to reduce phone usage and spend more quality time together. The primary reason for disagreements at home was excessive social media scrolling, leading to 48% of individuals being reprimanded for it.
Nearly half of the survey participants reported conflicts arising from social media usage, while 32% argued over excessive video game playing, and 31% clashed due to being engrossed in work-related emails or messages. Additionally, a third of respondents admitted to sparking arguments with their partners by using phones in bed.
The research highlighted that connectivity issues and screen time habits are causing more disputes than traditional topics such as household chores or TV remote ownership. Surprisingly, around 9% of parents confessed that their children had scolded them for spending too much time online, indicating a shift in generational dynamics.
One example is Sarah Long, 28, from Worcester, who shared how her three-year-old daughter confronted her for prioritizing the phone over playtime. This interaction made Sarah realize the need to be more present at home and limit screen time, especially as her children are growing up quickly.
The study also found that slow internet connections contribute to frustrations at home for one-third of respondents, while a quarter believed that faster and more reliable broadband could reduce arguments within households.
Disagreements over screen time were most prevalent in Liverpool, where 68% of individuals were asked to reduce phone usage by their family members, followed closely by Leeds (60%) and Edinburgh (57%). Conversely, families in Southampton were least likely to have conflicts over phone usage (11%), with Sheffield (18%) and Cardiff (24%) following suit.
Moreover, London residents expressed the highest level of dissatisfaction with internet speed and reliability at 40%, contrasting with only 27% of households in Newcastle.
Katie Milligan, Deputy CEO at Openreach, emphasized the benefits of Full Fibre broadband technology in enhancing internet experiences and relationships within households. With Full Fibre now accessible to 20 million homes and businesses, Openreach aims to continue expanding its coverage to further improve connectivity across the UK.