Study Finds Teens Check Phones 64 Times During School Day

Research shows students spend up to 27% of class time on social media instead of learning.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:43pm

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New studies from Stony Brook University and UNC Chapel Hill have found that teens spend 70 minutes to 1.5 hours daily on smartphones during school, with social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok dominating their screen time. The research, which used passive sensing technology rather than self-reported surveys, revealed significant disparities in usage patterns across demographics, with Black teens and students from lower-income households spending even more time on their phones. The data also shows a direct correlation between smartphone addiction and lower academic performance, prompting initiatives to address the institutional crisis of classroom phone access.

Why it matters

The findings challenge assumptions about digital native competency, revealing that excessive phone use during school hours is not simply a matter of individual distraction, but a symptom of broader digital divides and the success of attention-economy algorithms in driving compulsive engagement. This issue represents an institutional crisis that educational systems must address to support student learning and well-being.

The details

The studies used passive sensing technology to track actual usage patterns, rather than relying on self-reported data. Researchers found that teens spend an average of 70 minutes to 1.5 hours daily on smartphones during school, with social media apps dominating their screen time. Black teens and students from lower-income households spent even more time on their phones, with an additional 12-20 minutes of daily scrolling compared to their wealthier peers. The data also showed a direct correlation between smartphone addiction and lower GPAs, as well as higher academic anxiety. These findings prompted initiatives like New York's 'More Learning, Less Scrolling' program, which recognize that classroom phone access represents an institutional crisis, not just individual distraction.

  • The Stony Brook University and UNC Chapel Hill studies were published in 2026.

The players

Lauren Hale

Senior author of the Stony Brook study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

New York's 'More Learning, Less Scrolling' initiative

A program that recognizes classroom smartphone access as an institutional crisis, not just individual distraction.

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What they’re saying

“Unfortunately, too much of the existing research on digital media use relies upon self-reported data.”

— Lauren Hale, Senior author of the Stony Brook study (JAMA Pediatrics)

The takeaway

The data challenges assumptions about digital native competency, revealing that excessive phone use during school hours is a symptom of broader digital divides and the success of attention-economy algorithms in driving compulsive engagement. This issue represents an institutional crisis that educational systems must address to support student learning and well-being.