With a study revealing that 20% of young French people answer the phone while making love, it appears Nomophobia is on the rise in France. We explore the insights behind why French teens are seemingly unable to control their urges to use their phones, people want brands to step in and help them control their digital addiction
A survey by Ipsos for Caprice des Dieux has found that French Gen Y and Z are becoming more reliant on their phones. The survey found that 71% of Yers 'phub' – look at their phones when others are speaking to them – while 67% of respondents aged between 18 and 35 have checked their phone during the middle of the night. Even in intimate scenarios, it seems that French Zers struggle to ignore their digital devices – with 20% having checked their phones while having sex. The growing trend of 'Nomophobia' – the fear of being without a phone – exhibited by young people has prompted a legislative change in the form of a smartphone ban throughout the school day for children under the age of 15.
Young people have become susceptible to mobile phone-related withdrawal symptoms and now need guidance around maintaining their digital wellbeing. People are looking towards device manufacturers to help them to control their tech addictions. Booming brands such as TIkTok and Google are changing the way they operate in order to become less intrusive and all-consuming, by adding a trackable element to their UX. While brands do not necessarily need to go to the lengths of Nokia’s 8110, tech that helps users to mitigate disruption, is likely to be well received.
Edoardo Biscossi is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8. He has a degree in Politics and an MSc in Consumer Behaviour. He’s interested in culture, people, art, the future, niche, and the mass.
