Is your child addicted to their mobile phone
The research shows that one in ten of 18-24 year olds who own a mobile phone often wake in the middle of the night to check their phone, while 48 per cent of young phone owners admit it’s the first thing they check when they wake up and two fifths said it was the last thing they check before they go to bed.
With so many of us keeping valuable information and content stored on our phone, including photos, contacts and apps, almost two thirds of young phone owners agree that their mobile is now of great sentimental value, with nearly half saying they would be “devastated” if they lost their personal data.
Paul Burke, Head of O2 Insurance, said: “Our mobiles are rooted in our day-to-day lives so much that young people are going to extreme lengths to protect them. However, we would urge all phone users to invest in a mobile insurance policy that is simple to understand and replaces your handset in 24 hours.
Although, it is important that young people ‘fit in’ when growing up, they should not compromise on basic needs such as sleep and connecting face-to-face
"Whereas other providers issue cheques, O2 gets customers up and running quickly by replacing their handset the next day and can offer advice on how to back up any important data so they can get on with enjoying their mobile," he added.
Despite the fear of losing their data or their phone, more than half (53 per cent) of young phone owners don’t back up their data and 49 per cent don’t have passwords or security in place. A third of young phone owners also said that they don’t have mobile insurance in case it is lost, stolen or damaged and don’t plan to.
Instead, growing numbers of phone owners are taking a variety of rather extreme measures to protect their mobile investment. When asked what measures they would take to protect a brand new phone, almost a third of young phone owners said they would cover their phone in a protective film and over a quarter said they would download tracker apps to help find lost handsets. A cautious 18 per cent said that they would not let their family play with their mobile.
Psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos, said: “Humans are a social species, so it’s no surprise that the mobile phone has become a must-have. As this new O2 Insurance research suggests, dependence on the mobile phone is pronounced among the younger generation. Although, it is important that young people ‘fit in’ when growing up, they should not compromise on basic needs such as sleep and connecting face-to-face."
Starting yesterday, and for one week only, O2 is encouraging its Twitter followers to tweet items that they can’t do without for 24 hours using #livewithout. O2 will select a tweet at random to win a free Samsung Galaxy S III mobile phone. Follow @O2 or visit facebook.com/o2uk for more information
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