Study shows clubgoers feel phones are “ruining” the dancefloor

Are smartphones killing club culture? Or are they merely reflecting how nightlife has evolved? A new survey suggests that for many clubgoers, the glow of phone screens is starting to destroy the very thing people come to clubs for: the in-person, shared experience of the dancefloor.

The study, commissioned by Ray-Ban Meta and conducted by Censuswide, found that half of clubbers believe phones are “ruining” the dancefloor. The findings land at a moment when the issue is becoming increasingly hard to ignore, with venues such as London’s Fabric and Fold implementing phone bans, and the relaunched Sankeys in Manchester set to go phone-free when it reopens next month.

Crucially, the survey suggests that such policies may not be as unpopular as some venues might fear. While phones are deeply embedded in club culture, attitudes toward their presence appear more conflicted than ever.

Among the 2,000 adults surveyed in October, 50 percent say phones were ruining the dancefloor experience. Yet oddly enough, 55 percent also admit to using their own phones while dancing. The irony is clear: many clubbers recognise the problem, even as they actively contribute to it.

Of those respondents, 60 percent say they used their devices to film themselves and their friends dancing, while 34 percent used them to share content on social media or communicate with friends during the night.

The survey also sheds light on what clubbers value most when they’re out. Nearly half (47 percent) say the music itself is what makes the dancefloor special, followed by 43 percent who say it’s the feeling of dancing with friends. Meanwhile, 31 percent point to the experience of being fully immersed and lost in the moment

Weighing in on the findings, veteran DJ Fat Tony says: “Phones have been a blessing and a curse in my DJing life. While I love to be able to document so many special moments, their overuse has certainly ruined the vibe on many a dancefloor at the most iconic establishments.”

“Clubbing is all about energy and connection to the music, and while capturing that matters, the reality is screens take us out of the moment.”

Earlier this year, Fat Tony put that belief into practice with a phone-free event in London dubbed Club 2.0, where attendees placed their phones in sealed pouches. Those who still wanted to document the night were offered wearable technology instead – Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses – as an alternative.

The DJ goes as far as to call the technology “the future of nightlife,” though that raises the question: is replacing one screen with another really the solution?