Nine in ten Brits want to hit refresh on their mobile habits in 2026

• Three in four (76%) Brits would support public spaces, such as gyms and restaurants, having clearer guidelines on mobile etiquette
• Seven in ten (71%) Brits say poor manners have become more widespread in the past decade 
• Nine in ten (88%) say they want to improve their own mobile habits in 2026 
• O2 has enlisted the help of ‘Modern Manners coach’, Laura Windsor, to offer advice on how to avoid mobile manner mishaps in public 

TUESDAY 20TH JANUARY 2026, LONDON: Three-quarters (76%) of Brits would support public spaces, such as gyms and restaurants, having clearer guidelines on mobile etiquette, as 71% say poor manners have become more widespread in the past decade, according to new research.  

O2 commissioned a survey of 2,000 adults across the UK and discovered that more than four in five (84%) Brits think that having good mobile manners is important. Indeed, over three-quarters (77%) believe having good mobile etiquette to be just as (if not more) important than having good table manners, while the majority (53%) say poor mobile etiquette is as much of a turn off as having poor personal hygiene. 

Brits consider not silencing your phone in public (45%), loudspeaker use (42%), and “phubbing” friends and family by checking your phone during a meal (35%) to be the most common mobile habits Brits need to change. In fact, Brits say not silencing your phone in public spaces is just as bad as not giving up your seat to someone elderly, disabled or pregnant on public transport (45%). Photographing people without their consent (34%) and backdoor browsing (28%) – when a stranger reads someone’s texts over their shoulder while on the tube, train or other public transport – also top the list of poor mobile behaviours.  

The UK’s top mobile manner mishaps to avoid in 2026: 

1. Not silencing your phone in public spaces (45%) 
2. Loudspeaker use in public (42%) 
3. Checking your phone during a meal (35%) 
4. Photographing people in public without their consent (34%) 
5. Sneakily looking at someone else’s phone, tablet, or laptop screen (28%) 
6. Borrowing a phone charger and not giving it back (27%) 
7. Talking loads of selfies in front of other people (26%) 
8. Checking your phone after being intimate with someone (22%) 
9. Not replying to people on text or via call in a timely manner (20%) 
10. Speaking to someone while still wearing earphones/headphones (19%) 

Following findings that nine out of ten (88%) Brits want to improve their own mobile habits in 2026, O2 has enlisted the help of the ‘Modern Manners coach’, Laura Windsor, to offer advice on how to display good mobile behaviours in public. 

Modern Manners coach, Laura Windsor, said: “Mobile phones have become a core part of the way we stay connected and communicate with one another. Whether checking in on friends and family, reading the news, or responding to emails, phones are part of everyday life for many of us, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be mindful of our mobile habits. I’ve partnered with O2 to share my advice on how to avoid following the mobile social norms that seem to be winding Brits up.” 

A spokesperson at O2 said: “It’s interesting to see mobile manners are now considered to be as important as personal hygiene! Mobiles are integral to our everyday lives, helping us unwind and connect, and O2’s research shows there’s a real appetite for more thoughtful, considerate phone habits and the new year offers the perfect opportunity to hit refresh.” 

ENDS 

Modern Manners coach, Laura Windsor, shares her key tips on how to avoid the mobile social norms and habits that are winding Brits up.  

1. The World is Your Oyster, Not Your Stage

Whether it’s a TikTok binge or a Spotify playlist, the public space is not your personal concert hall. Playing audio out loud, even at low volume, creates a “noise soup” of overlapping sounds that can be incredibly draining for those around you. 

The Golden Rule: If you haven’t got headphones, hit the mute button. Keep shared spaces a “no-scroll-sound” zone.

2. Lower the “Main Character” Volume 

Public transport and cafes are not phone booths. We often don’t realise how much our volume spikes when we’re on a call, but chatting loudly is officially as offensive as refusing to give up a seat for someone in need. 

The Golden Rule: Use your ‘library voice’. If you’re in a quiet setting area, a hand over your mouth can help muffle the sound, or better yet, wait until you’ve stepped outside to finish the gossip. 

3. Table Manners 2.0: No “Phubbing” 

Placing your phone on the table is the modern way of saying, “Someone more interesting might contact me.” This “phubbing” (phone-snubbing) can be considered rude and make your dining companions feel secondary to your notifications. 

The Golden Rule: Unless you’re an on-call surgeon, your phone can stay in your pocket or bag. Give the person across from you 100% of your attention.

4. Close the “Backdoor” on Browsing

In Britain, privacy is sacred. “Backdoor browsing”, sneaking a look at a stranger’s messages or photos over their shoulder, is the digital equivalent of reading someone’s diary. 

The Golden Rule: Mind your own business. If you find your eyes wandering to a neighbour’s screen, pivot to a book, look out the window, or focus on your own device. Respect the digital boundary. 

*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2000 UK Respondents (Nat Rep 16+). The data was collected between 17.12.25 – 19.12.25. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.