‘Digital fatigue’ rising among Irish phone users, Deloitte survey finds

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by Irish Times, click this post to read the original article.

Almost three-quarters of Irish people feel they spend too much time on their phones, a new survey has shown, with 24 per cent resorting to measures such as screen limits to get their digital fatigue in check.

Deloitte’s Digital Consumer Trends 2025 survey found 21 per cent had ditched wearables, 19 per cent said they had stopped using a digital device and 17 per cent had stopped reading ebooks.

That was higher among younger generations, with Gen Z at 77 per cent, millennials at 78 per cent and Gen X at 73 per cent. Only 48 per cent of boomers said they use their phone too much.

Most respondents said they checked their phone at least 10 times a day, with 59 per cent at 25 times, 34 per cent checking in at least 50 times and 15 per cent saying they check their device a staggering 100 times a day.

Despite this, 60 per cent confessed they looked at their phone within 15 minutes of waking, a reduction on the 65 per cent the previous year. But more than half are also staying awake later than they planned due to their phones.

Almost two-thirds have turned off notifications from one or more apps in the past year too, the survey found, and more than a quarter said they had deleted a social media app because they needed a break. Other reasons given included misinformation, a negative impact on mental health and “boring” content.

Misinformation online continues to be a problem, with 59 per cent of people saying they more regularly see fake information online. That was up from 53 per cent in 2024 and 46 per cent in 2023.

The concerning trend comes as Gen Z – those born between 1996 and 2007 – said they are more likely to use social media to keep up to date with news, versus the TV and radio favoured by boomers.

When it comes to the younger generation of smartphone users, the majority of adults who responded to the survey – 58 per cent – said children should get their first smartphone between 12 and 15 years of age, with 4 per cent believing phones should not be available to under-18s.

[ What I’ve learned after a month of avoiding my phoneOpens in new window ]

Some 82 per cent supported usage limits for under-18s on social media platforms, with 43 per cent saying teens should be 16 or older to access the platforms.

“With 60 per cent of us looking at our phones within minutes of waking up, it’s clear that our smartphones continue to play a crucial role in our modern-day lives,” said John Kehoe, partner with Deloitte Ireland.

“But the number of respondents who say they either need a break from social media, are turning their notifications off, or setting screen time limits, shows that how we engage with our devices is changing. The fascinating findings of Deloitte’s Digital Consumer Trends survey poses the question: are we entering the age of the digital detox?”