Parents call screen time waste; Gen Z finds comfort in it: Survey

The student-led study conducted by communications firm 80dB, suggests the real divide is not whether young people are online, but how adults and teens interpret the same digital habits. The survey, titled More Than Screen Time: What Gen Z and Gen Alpha Wish Adults Understood, covered 130 young people aged 13–16 and more than 100 parents in Gurugram.

It found that 93 per cent of young respondents use online platforms to talk to friends, while 82 per cent said adults assume they are wasting time online. Nearly 8 in 10 parents said they were concerned about their child’s screen use, and 65 per cent believed children online are mostly distracted by reels, shorts and chatting.

The findings push back against the familiar stereotype of Gen Z as merely distracted or addicted to screens. Young respondents said they also use the internet for schoolwork, learning new skills, listening to music, relaxing after school and self-expression. At the same time, they were not blindly optimistic: 71 per cent said spending more time online than planned is a negative, and 62per cent cited comparison with others as a downside.

One of the strongest signals from the survey was emotional rather than digital. 52per cent of young respondents said adults think young people are lazy, but many are actually overwhelmed, while 83 per cent cited exams and studies as a major source of pressure. Parents broadly agreed that pressure is real, with 77 per cent saying young people today are under a lot of stress.

The report also highlights a privacy and trust gap between parents and children. 66 per cent of young respondents said they want privacy, not constant monitoring, while 65 per cent of parents said their concern comes from wanting to keep children safe.

When online problems arise, 44per cent of young respondents said they may stay quiet because they fear their phone will be taken away, and 78per cent of parents agreed that young people may not speak up because they fear a harsh reaction.

The survey’s broader message is simple: the screen-time debate needs less control and more conversation. Instead of treating every minute online as a bad habit, the report argues that families and schools should focus on why young people go online, what they get from it and how to make digital spaces safer without breaking trust.