Gender and Digital Disconnection: Experiences in Norway

This survey-based study examines digital disconnection experiencesamong 1,142 respondents in Norway, focusing on self-reportedbehaviors and opinions regarding digital media non-use in everyday life.Specifically, it highlights gender differences, along with othersociodemographic variations, found in the responses of 552 women and590 men. The results show that both genders reported spending ‘toomuch’ time on their smartphones, with women reporting this morefrequently. Yet notably, there is no significant difference in self-reportedscreen time estimates between the two genders. Moreover, womenreported imposing more frequent smartphone restrictions in variousscenarios, whereas men expressed greater opposition to authoritiesinterfering with Internet and smartphone use. Still, while thesedifferences are significant, the quantitative description reveals them tobe rather minor. This study seeks to advance the field of digitaldisconnection studies by integrating a gender perspective, therebycontributing to its interdisciplinary scope. Furthermore, it aims toestablish a foundation for future research, potentially expanding beyondcomparative analyses and the gender binary, and fostering more criticalperspectives.