Is smartphone addiction a workplace security threat? You bet it is, says cybersecurity expert Steve Durbin. In an article for Forbes, Durbin, the Chief Executive Officer of Information Security Forum, Ltd., and a member of the Forbes Business Council, lays out the issue:

[O]ur relationship with technology has moved to a degree of dangerous dependency, one that could lead to personal and organizational risk.

We have written here about the dangers of smartphone addiction — even about chatbot-inspired killers — but Durbin unveils a variety of serious threats posed by people addicted to their phones that we had never considered.

Among the problems that can develop when people become addicted to their smartphones:

• Harvard Business Review says working people toggle between apps or websites about 1,200 times a day.

• Digital distractions interfere with the ability to focus or give proper attention to work.

• Distracted employees are more susceptible to cybersecurity threats.

• They have a greater likelihood of missing security signals, anomalies, and red flags.

Durbin only scratches the surface of these problems in his Forbes article. Let’s look at some other potential workplace security threats deriving from smartphone addiction.

Blackmail. Sexting scams have resulted in theft in order to pay sums demanded by hackers to not release personally damaging materials. An employee with a smartphone addiction could more easily be manipulated against an employer.

Gambling Addiction. People who play games on their phones are much more exposed to gambling advertising and opportunities, and are more likely to develop a gambling addiction. People with gambling addiction are known for often resorting to theft or embezzlement to cover their gambling losses.

Social Media Addiction. The fear of missing out (FOMO) leads some smartphone users — particularly children and young adults — to check their phones constantly, leading to sleep disruption. Sleep disruption itself can lead to poorer performance at work and less attention to security threats.

Chatbot Addiction. Many employees are required to use AI chatbots to accomplish their work. They are susceptible to using these helpful devices for personal matters, as well. Chatbot addiction results in a significant number of users. When personal interests collide with professional interests, what will the chatbot advise?

When it comes to security solutions, Durbin offers weak tea. He suggests limiting communications with employees during nonworking hours and establishing tech-free places or times during the workday. I’ve never heard of a modern workplace with a “tech-free time.”

Much more effective options are available, such as providing company-owned phones and prohibiting personal phone use at work; providing company phones and monitoring and limiting the apps they’re allowed to use; and monitoring workplace website usage and reviewing problematic usage with employees.

Another approach is to offer free mental health services for employees and encourage those who have problems limiting smartphone usage to investigate treatment options. Sometimes people do not realize how dependent they have become on their devices until it is pointed out to them.

Most smartphones now come with digital wellbeing settings for monitoring and restricting use of the phone. Perhaps Forbes could offer a video tutorial on how to use those digital wellness settings that employers could share with their employees?

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published October 21, 2025.

Sources:

“Tech Addiction: The Hidden Cybersecurity Threat,” Forbes, October 13, 2025.

“What is Digital Wellbeing App | How it Works | Complete Tutorial,” Tech Is Easy, July 27, 2020.

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