Michigan Internet Marketing Club: Do you talk on the phone in the bathroom?

Do you talk on the phone in the bathroom?

It starts with a knock on the bathroom door, then a sigh, and finally an exasperated, “What’s taking so long?” The bathroom is the please-do-not-disturb-me room and often the only room in the house with a lock on the door, offering complete privacy. Turns out that a whirl of surprising activities occur behind that door.

About 81 percent of Americans have used their bathrooms for either playing games on mobile devices, talking on the phone, posting on Facebook or Instagram, taking a selfie, or other unexpected activities, according to a recent Consumer Reports’ survey. Maybe it means we’re tethered to our electronics, or perhaps the only way to escape the demands of modern life is to hide in the bathroom.

Our survey found that men are more likely than women to read news on a mobile device or use their laptop in the bathroom, but women are more likely to hand wash dirty laundry or hide from others. That’s right, they hide. For all the activities to indulge in, sometimes having a moment to yourself, however brief, is just the thing. Consumer Reports’ nationally representative survey included 1,008 U.S. adults.

What’s your take on this 21st-century bathroom behavior? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Reading in the bathroom is common and chatting on the phone was the most popular of the activities, with nearly half of the adults we surveyed admitting this. It’s hard to disguise a bathroom—there’s no confusing it for a kitchen or conference room—so it’s not surprising that only four percent say they’ve participated in a video chat or conference, to which we raise our plunger in salute.

But when 14 percent told us they’ve taken a picture of themselves with their smartphone, well it looks like some Americans aren’t totally camera shy in the bathroom. For those follks, recommended reading includes the Huffington Post's Kim Kardashian Masters the Art of the Public Bathroom Selfie.

—Kimberly Janeway