British adults are more addicted to using their phones than those in France, Germany and America, a poll has revealed.
A representative poll of 8,000 people suggests that 44 per cent of adults in the UK look at their phone every hour, compared to 29 per cent in France, 25 per cent in Germany and 41 per cent in America.
The study, conducted by the More In Common think tank, also found that 14 per cent of adult Brits go no longer than 15 minutes without checking their phones.
Germany’s low percentage could be because they are much less likely to have social media accounts, with a study by the Pew Research Centre finding that only half of Germans actively use social media.
The work-life balance in Germany may also contribute to their low percentage as several companies, including Volkswagen, turn email servers off after work hours.
France introduced a rule that prevents employers of 50 people or more from emailing their staff after their contracted work hours, which could see them checking their phone less than Brits.
Despite our obsession with our phones, we are more likely to be in favour of restrictions on usage for children.
However, there is little evidence to suggest that teenagers and young adults use social media more than their parents.
The More In Common poll suggests that two thirds of British people think social media is having a negative impact on children.
However, nearly half of parents in the UK admit to struggling to control the amount of time their children spend on their phones, which is more than the three other countries that were surveyed.
