How you place your phone is more revealing than it looks. A screen-up phone invites every notification to interrupt you and everyone around you, signaling that anything on that display might outrank the person in front of you. Turn it face down, and you instantly send a different message: “You have my attention.” It reduces distraction, protects your screen and camera, and keeps prying eyes away from private messages that were never meant to be shared in a crowded room.

But safety doesn’t end with etiquette. Keeping the device off your body, using headphones or speaker mode, and avoiding overnight charging by your pillow can reduce exposure and fire risk. For kids, delaying devices, limiting screen time, and using strict parental controls can protect both their minds and their data. In the end, it’s not just where you put your phone—it’s whether it still feels like a tool, or has quietly taken control of you.