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TikTok till our legs fall alseep: how often we use our phones on the toilet

25.4.2024

Translation: Elicia Payne

Every other person in Europe uses their phone on the toilet – especially Italians. The younger someone is the more often they grab their phone. Social media and news being our top choices of consumption. These are the results of a representative Survey by YouGov carried out on behalf of Galaxus.

Boredom can be so oppressive that people will voluntarily give themselves an electric shock if they have to sit still for fifteen minutes without distraction. In an experiment with students at the University of Virginia, two thirds of the men and a quarter of the women gave themselves an electric shock.

Not just in the US but in Europe too. 43 per cent of people in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Italy feel uncomfortable when they’re bored. This was found in a representative survey by market researcher YouGov carried out on behalf of Galaxus. 2,547 people were surveyed, so a good 500 per country. Italians find it particularly difficult doing nothing – despite the well-known phrase of «dolce far niente». In German-speaking countries, on the other hand, boredom triggers fewer negative emotions. Younger people are also more likely to struggle with boredom, but there’s little difference between the sexes.

Apparently, boredom often creeps up on us in the loo too. Fortunately, unlike in the American experiment, we don’t have to give ourselves electric shocks because our phones provide enough excitement. 47 out of 100 respondents in the five countries stated that they use their phone on the toilet out of boredom. Italy is the frontrunner again here – by a wide margin: from Milan to Palermo, two out of three people take their phone with them to the bathroom. In the remaining countries, it’s a good 4 out of 10 respondents.

Age is another decisive factor: the younger the respondents, the more often they use their phone in the toilet. Among the under-30s, 7 out of 10 use their phone, whereas only 2 out of 10 in the over-60s group do so. Respondents in Italy aged between 15 and 29 even pull out their phone 8 out of 10 times.

The gender differences are relatively small, but statistically significant: around 5 out of 10 men and 4 out of 10 women watch TikTok videos on the toilet, send reels or book their next holiday.

More than half of those who use their phone on the toilet either «always» do this or «often» do. The most routine use of phones is again in Italy, closely followed by France.

In comparison, older people rarely take out their phones in the toilet, while two out of three people under 30 are «often» or «always» glued to their screens. Men also seek a dopamine boost in the loo more often than women.

There’s little time for love on the toilet: only 3 out of 100 toilet phone users stated that they swipe on Tinder, Bumble or Grindr. Just under 7 in 10, on the other hand, consume social media such as Facebook, TikTok or Instagram. 4 out of 10 read, listen to or watch news. Just under 4 in 10 also chat on WhatsApp, Threema and the like. And a mobile game such as Candy Crush is the activity of choice for 3 out of 10 people. 13 out of 100 visit their favourite online stores on the loo.

When asked what they do most, almost half said social media, news and games came in second and third place.

With this in mind, we have two health tips. Although modern phones are very smooth and difficult for germs to hold on to, they can easily find their way in scratches or cling to your phone case. So if you don’t want to give yourself an upset stomach, you should regularly clean your phone and wash your hands. The more time you spend sitting on the toilet, the greater the risk of developing haemorrhoids. So, put the phone down!

What do you think of people who use their phone on the toilet? Have you ever experienced someone talking on the phone in the next cubicle? Do you pull out your phone when your toilet visit is taking longer? Let us know in the comments!

Background information
"We can't stand ourselves": Why more boredom is good
by Olivia Leimpeters-Leth

16 people like this article

Alex Hämmerli

Senior Public Relations Manager

Alex.Haemmerli@digitecgalaxus.ch

At Digitec and Galaxus, I’m in charge of communication with journalists and bloggers. Good stories are my passion – I am always up to date.

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