Although they lived most of their lifetimes analog, Baby Boomers are now showing signs of struggling with digital overuse. A new poll of adults aged 59 to 77, conducted by Addiction Resource, shows that almost half of adults in this demographic now spend more than three hours a day on their smartphones.
This is a sharp shift from recent years when older generations pushed back against technology and were known among marketers as the most digital resistant. Now, according to the study, Baby Boomers are showing compulsive behavior when it comes to their electronics. Almost a quarter (20%) of Baby Boomers in the study said they spend more than five hours a day on their smartphones and 40% said they felt anxious or uncomfortable when they were separated or did not have access to their preferred digital device.
This emotional dependence mimics what older generations have criticized about their younger counterparts: an emotional dependence on technology and an addiction to its use. When asked if they had tried to reduce their screen time in the past year, half (50%) said no, while 30% said they had tried and failed.
