Is it acceptable to check your personal phone messages while watching a movie with friends?

Question

Last night I hosted a movie watch party to share one of my favorite classic films. Ten minutes after turning down the lights, two people pulled out their phones to scroll social feeds. The bright screens completely broke the room's vibe and made me feel ignored. Is this rude?

Answer

Absolute zero-screen rule; phones stay face down on the table

Answer

Casual browsing is fine as long as the device brightness is turned down

Answer

Screens are fine during slow scenes, but lock them away for main plots

Answer

Keep screens accessible but mute all sound and vibration alerts

Is it acceptable to check your personal phone messages while watching a movie with friends?

Reasons & Discussion