Nearly 70% teenagers wish to curb smartphone use: Survey
New York, June 22 : While the sales of the smartphone industry may be thriving, nearly 70 per cent of teenagers have attempted to reduce the time they spend on their smartphone, finds a survey.
The survey, conducted by Screen Education -- a US-based non-profit, showed that 65 per cent teenagers wish that they were better able to self-limit the time they spend on their smartphone.
While 26 per cent wish someone would limit the time they spend on their smartphone for them as they are unable to do so themselves, 37 per cent have tried to persuade a friend to reduce the time they spend on their smartphone.
Further, 35 per cent of the teenagers rued that they are unable to do things they ought to because of spending increasing time on their phones, while 41 per cent blamed phones for getting low grades at school.
"It's time for bold action to address teen smartphone addiction. These kids know their phones are compromising so many aspects of their lives, and they want help," said Michael Mercier, President of Screen Education.
"We can find ways to impose reasonable limits on their screen time and cultivate within them the ability to self-limit their screen time. This will require that we transform our cultural norms regarding screen time, which we most certainly can do," he added.
The 46-question survey involved 1,017 teenagers from grades 7-12.
The survey also revealed that 36 per cent teenagers witness online bullying every week, while over 30 per cent have seen online bullying result in physical violence.
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
