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Home / New Zealand

Two thirds of Kiwis use their phones on the toilet

By Briar Babington
NZME.·
25 Aug, 2015 03:41 AM3 mins to read

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The survey showed men were the main culprit. Photo / iStock / Getty Images

The survey showed men were the main culprit. Photo / iStock / Getty Images

Kiwis have fessed up and the results are in - more than two-thirds of New Zealanders use their mobile phones while on the toilet.

Figures released from a Colmar Brunton survey of 1000 people showed that only 32 per cent of New Zealanders were put off by the idea of using a mobile phone in the bathroom.

The survey showed men were the main culprit.

It found 23 per cent used their phones on the loo while at home, and 19 per cent took there phone to the bathroom while at work.

Colmar Brunton CEO Jacqueline Farman said she was not surprised by the results.

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"Given the increased importance of smartphones in people's lives, it's not surprising that they are being used anywhere and everywhere, even in situations that not so long ago would have probably been considered questionable," she said.

The anywhere and everywhere modern day multi-tasking was becoming a much-practised behaviour among New Zealanders, and nearly half of the respondents admitting to using their mobile phones in bed.

"Men and women are almost equally likely to be online in bed and it seems that for a great many Kiwis their cell phone is the first thing they reach for in the morning and the last thing they put down at night," Ms Farman said.

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The 18-29 age group was once again the most active in this area, with 76 per cent of them bringing their phones into bed.

Despite the wide-spread use, New Zealanders still held on to some social etiquette when it came to phones at the dinner table and taking selfies.

Eighty per cent of New Zealanders abhorred the use of mobile phones at the dinner table, while 63 per cent said cutting in front of people to snap a selfie grated on their nerves.

Women were more likely than men to be infuriated by social media behaviour, with more than 70 per cent reporting over-sharing, inappropriate photos and posts, and trolling being amongst their biggest pet hates.

Discover more

Lifestyle

Why do you always check your phone?

29 Aug 12:04 AM

Attached at the hip: mobile phone use:

• 92 per cent of New Zealanders over the age of 18 use a cell phone

• 76 per cent of 18-29 year-olds use their cell phones in bed

• 80 per cent of New Zealanders say using a cell phone at the dinner table is a no-no

• 70 per cent of women are annoyed by social media behaviours such as over-sharing, inappropriate photos and posts and trolling

• 5 per cent of people are fed up with their friends constantly checking their phones

• 7 per cent of New Zealanders admitted to using their mobile phones while driving

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