A poll of 2,000 smartphone users has uncovered the biggest “phone icks” among young people — and it turns out bad texting habits could even end relationships.
According to the study, 26% of young people think playing voice notes in public is seriously uncool, while 21% feel the same about leaving keyboard sounds on. Another 21% said that receiving a “??” message just two minutes after not replying is a major red flag. But for 29%, the worst offense of all is taking an eternity to reply.
A massive 58% of Gen Z admitted they’ve even considered breaking up with a partner over poor phone etiquette.
The research, commissioned by Sky Mobile, saw the brand team up with TV personality Pete Wicks to highlight the nation’s worst phone habits. Wicks said:
“Let’s be honest, nothing gives me the ick more than someone who takes hours to reply or chucks about a hundred emojis in one message. The research proves we’re all sick of the same bad habits – but the best bit is, they’re easy to fix. Keep it simple, reply on time and don’t be that person blasting videos out loud on the train. Stick to that and you’ll stay well out of the ‘phone ick zone’.”
The study also found that 56% of Gen Z have judged someone based on their emoji choices — with the poo emoji crowned the most cringe. This was followed by the monkey covering its eyes, thumbs-up, and awkward grimace emojis.
Nearly one in five (18%) of those aged 18–28 said they cringe daily at someone’s phone or messaging behaviour. Yet, despite their complaints, 79% admit to ignoring messages on purpose, and half (50%) believe calling someone without warning is downright rude — compared to only 4% of boomers.
Overall, 61% confessed to being embarrassed by their own texting habits, committing at least two “phone icks” per day. Common culprits include taking loud calls in public, blasting videos or music, and using irritating ringtones.
More than half (54%) believe bad phone manners are getting worse, and 14% even said they’d end a friendship if someone committed too many phone icks.
Ben Case, managing director of connectivity at Sky Mobile, summed it up:
“Our research shows that our phone habits say more about us than we realise and can even make or break a relationship.”
Top 10 Phone Icks According to Gen Z
Late replies
Saying “lol” in every message
Playing loud videos or voice notes in public
Overusing emojis or GIFs
Texting “??” after two minutes with no reply
Leaving keyboard sounds on
Having loud ringtones or alarms
Replying with a thumbs-up emoji
Using yourself as your lockscreen
Sending multiple one-word messages in a row
