From toilet to bed

Smartphones dominate everyday life in Austria

For many, the smartphone is part of going to the toilet.(Bild: Yakobchuk Olena)

The everyday lives of Austrians are largely dominated by their smartphones. More than three quarters take their smart devices to bed with them, and around half even take them to the toilet.

These were the findings of a representative survey of the Austrian population conducted by cybersecurity company NordVPN, the results of which were published on Wednesday. According to the survey, the areas of application for smartphones are quite different.

While 35% of all Austrian respondents check their e-mails on the toilet, a good quarter of Austrians also use their cell phones to play games on the toilet. However, this habit also involves risks - twelve percent reported that they had already dropped their cell phone in the toilet. In bed, on the other hand, activities such as checking social media or watching films and videos predominate, according to the survey.

"Not without my smartphone"
According to Paulius Vanagas, Country Director Switzerland & Austria at NordVPN, the increasing fear of being without a smartphone - also known as nomophobia - illustrates the dependence on digital connections. However, caution is required in the area of cyber security in particular, as there is still a lack of awareness of safe online behavior in Austria.

"Although cyber dangers such as malware and ransomware are increasing, the extent of threats in the digital world is still underestimated by many," explained Vanagas. He mentioned possible protective measures such as the use of secure passwords, two-factor authentication and caution with data protection settings.