Can't put the phone down? Half of us fear we are addicted to social media

11 months ago

Is social media addiction real? Almost half of people believe so, fearing they might be addicted to it – with many trying but failing to stop using it, according to a new study.

A survey of 2,000 adults also found that three out of five believed their friendships were becoming “superficial” because of the way they stayed in touch.

Online contact is now used as a replacement for meeting up in person, according to the research by Thomas J Fudge’s Remarkable Bakery.

A third of those polled said they had deleted their online social media accounts in the past, only to sign up again within a week.

Sue Fudge, director at Thomas J Fudge, said: “Modern life has had an enormous effect on the way we conduct our friendships.

“Never before have humans had the chance to communicate with so many people at once, and develop such wide social networks.

“However, this study shows that social media can be addictive and has an adverse effect on relationships.

“Increasingly, friends are choosing not to meet up in person and instead communicate via social media.

“The importance of friends meeting up face-to-face at regular intervals cannot be overstated.”