“I waste a lot of time watching TikTok or reading the news on Twitter”; “My screen time is increasing, and that means I’m losing time that I could be spending or using better for other things”; “I think great ideas require great concentration, and compulsive mobile browsing is preventing me from finding those long breaks”; “Constant connection not only affects my productivity but also keeps me away from everyday activities like going for a walk or playing board games.”

Two out of ten university students are aware of and regret the fact that their time is wasted in cyberspace. This is what 522 Spanish university students, with an average age of 27, told us in their own words in our latest research . We discussed the negative effects they perceive in their daily lives as a result of being constantly connected to the internet: phenomena such as fear of missing out (FOMO), phubbing (being ignored or ignoring someone physically with us because they look at their phone), and nomophobia (the inability to be without their phone).

Like a drug, without being one

Although not all of the scientific community supports the existence of an internet addiction disorder, between 5 and 15% of the students we spoke to reported feeling “hooked,” “dependent,” or admitted to having an “addiction” to these devices.

This is something unintended, the result of patterns and behaviors they feel they have no control over. They don’t want to “rely so much on them in their daily lives” and express anxiety if they don’t have them on hand. “It’s like a drug; people lose their true identity and become slaves to their own devices.”

What happens to my data?

In a world where we increasingly share more aspects of our lives online, the security and privacy of our personal data are also emerging as another recurring concern among young people. In this regard, 14% of college students fear that their “personal information will be leaked and disclosed without my consent” or that “someone could gain access to private information about me, such as conversations and photos.”

It is not surprising that more and more voices among these generations are indicating their preference for living in a world without the Internet .

Missing out or being ignored

To understand why internet-connected electronic devices have become a central, yet problematic, part of our lives, it’s important to understand three interconnected concepts: FOMO, nomophobia, and phubbing .

FOMO ( Fear of Missing Out ) refers to the feeling of anxiety, to a greater or lesser degree, that arises when we see on social media that other people—such as friends or acquaintances—are enjoying rewarding experiences that we are not present at. It can also be understood as a constant, compelling need to check our device so as not to miss a single detail of what is happening on social media or in the statuses of instant messaging apps like WhatsApp. This spiral acts as fuel, leading to constant use of social media.

Nomophobia, which has been defined as an intense and irrational fear of being away from your smartphone , not having coverage or data, or running out of battery, is associated with high levels of stress and anxiety, as well as lower academic performance scores .

Phubbing consists of ignoring or snubbing people in the conversation because they are using their cell phones. While it may seem like harmless and normal behavior at first glance , it can weaken relationships between individuals, generating feelings of unimportance, contempt , or disinterest in the recipient.

Thus, in our research, we found that college students who present higher levels of FOMO also have more nomophobia. Furthermore, they report that phubbing (or being a victim of it) increases FOMO. This seems logical, since feeling like our interlocutor is ignoring us because they’re using a device can trigger our need to stay connected, either to keep up with what they’re watching or to regulate our emotional state.

Digital well-being at all ages

The findings of our study show that the risks of the internet are not dependent on age or educational level; that is, it’s not just minors who struggle with balanced internet use.

It therefore seems necessary to promote mass awareness-raising actions on the potential impact that the widespread use of devices is having on our health (physical and mental) and on our education, which invite the population to reflect on their consumption and regain control of their time.

This type of training should begin at the early stages of life and foster a healthy relationship with technology throughout development: time limits for use, the use of technological tools, the identification of risks and inappropriate content, and the strengthening of face-to-face social skills (active listening, presence in conversations), without forgetting awareness of online privacy and security (protection of personal information, safe online browsing) are topics that should be addressed and taught from childhood.

Author Bios: Francisco José Rubio Hernández is Assistant Professor, Department of Pedagogy, Area of ​​Research Methods and Diagnostics in Education at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Adoration Diaz Lopez is Professor at the Faculty of Education and Researcher at the Cyberpsychology Group at UNIR – International University of La Rioja, Ana María Giménez Gualdo is Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Area of ​​Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education at the University of Malaga and Vanessa Caba Machado is Professor at the Faculty of Education and Postdoctoral Researcher in the Cyberpsychology group also at UNIR – International University of La Rioja