From smartphones and televisions to computers, tablets and smartwatches, it can feel impossible to escape from screens. Globally, screen time is a cause for concern – and it continues to increase.
On average, the world’s population spends six hours and 43 minutes a day, according to a report by Electronic Hub, which analysed statistics from DataReportal’s “Digital 2024: Global Overview Report” to calculate the amount of time an inhabitant of each country spends on screens in relation to the average time they spend awake each day.
The findings reveal it’s in South Africa that people spend most of their awake time on screens. On average, they spend 56.8% of their waking hours looking at a screen, or an average of nine hours and 24 minutes a day.
South Africans are also the most avid smartphone users, averaging five hours and 15 minutes, or 31.72% of their time per day. When it comes to social networks, its citizens spend three hours, 41 minutes a day.
The countries of the global south – in Asia as in Africa and America – seem to be among the most “addicted” to screens. Brazil comes second place in the overall ranking, with nine hours, 13 minutes (54.73%) of daily screen time, followed by the Philippines in third place with eight hours, 52 minutes (52.28%).
Whither Malaysia?
Of course, Malaysians want to know if they feature on the list. Well, they do – overall, they rank No. 8, with eight hours and 17 minutes (48.41%) of their waking hours spent in front of a screen.
Breaking this down, Malaysians spend three hours and 40 minutes on average in front of computers (21.43% of waking hours), and four hours 37 minutes (26.98%) on their phones.
When it comes to social media, Malaysians spend 16.36% of waking hours on social platforms, with Malaysia tying Canada for the average number of TikToks watched per day (121).
In terms of specific screen-related activity, the report shows that we only spend one hour (5.84% of waking time) playing video games, while Malaysia doesn’t even rank in the top 20 countries that spend time watching television.
Compared with last year, individuals worldwide spend an average of three minutes more a day looking at their screens, Electronic Hub concluded. To read the full report, click here.
Top 10 countries and average screen time:
1. South Africa – 9 hours, 24 minutes
2. Brazil – 9 hours, 13 minutes
3. Philippines – 8 hours, 52 minutes
4. Colombia – 8 hours, 43 minutes
5. Argentina – 8 hours, 41 minutes
6. Chile – 8 hours, 31 minutes
7. Russia – 8 hours, 21 minutes
8. Malaysia – 8 hours, 17 minutes
9. United Arab Emirates – 8 hours, 11 minutes
10. Thailand – 7 hours, 58 minutes