As smartphones become central to everyday life, questions have also arisen about how users’ relationships with their devices are taking shape.
Experts say the nature of a person’s relationship with their phone, the needs that drive their use of the device and whether they can control that use are important to understanding the behavior. The issue, which is being debated in different parts of the world, is also reflected in the experiences of users living in Türkiye.
For a 26-year-old in Türkiye, checking their phone for a message can turn into hours of screen time.
The user, who spoke to Daily Sabah on condition of anonymity, said their average daily phone use reaches seven hours and can rise to 10 hours on weekends. The user has tried several times to cut back but has been unable to do so and said they become anxious when their phone is not nearby and feel incomplete when they are away from it.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure based on We Are Social Digital 2026 data, weekly social media use in Türkiye has reached 25 hours and four minutes, while time spent on online media has reached 41 hours and 37 minutes. The same data shows that average daily use of Instagram in Türkiye is one hour and 53 minutes, YouTube is one hour and 28 minutes and TikTok is one hour and 25 minutes.
