On the third of April 1973, Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher and executive, made the world's first mobile phone. Since then, there have been many remarkable and extraordinary advances in the technology surrounding the mobile phone. Today, it is unusual and considered strange to not own a mobile phone. It has become an essential item for people in everyday life. In fact, around half of all mobile phone owners in America have stated that their mobile phone is “something they could not live without,” according to a survey conducted by Pew Research Centre in 2015. Another study showed that nearly eighty percent of American children aged 12 to 17 have mobile phones. In addition to this, teenagers tend to spend 9 hours on their mobile devices per day. The drastic encroachment of mobile phones on young people’s lives is compromising their social skills, and the problem will only get worse. The scourge of excessive mobile phone use is visible all around us. The other night, my parents and I went to Lambs on Richmond, a popular restaurant in my neighbourhood. Being old-fashioned, my parents have imposed a no mobile phone policy during dinner time. They said that dinner time is a time to chat and catch up. A table away from us, a mother and son sat in utter silence. They were glued to their iPhones. The mother was scrolling through her Facebook feed and her son was furiously deleting blocks on his epically immersive Minecraft game. This is not an uncommon scene; according to
In society today, almost everyone is guilty of spending too much time on electronic devices, cell phones in particular. Teens and parents alike can’t go for five minutes without checking for new notifications. According to Kelly Wallace in her article “Half of Teens Think They’re Addicted to Their Smartphones,” cell phone usage has become a real problem which affects not only teens, but adults as well. Within the article, it is stated that, “Sixty-nine percent of parents check their phone at least hourly compared to the 78% of teens who say they do that” (Wallace). Considering these alarming statistics it's no wonder that people have begun to admit to the over usage. Parents in particular worry about their teens over usage and have even gone
Whether you’re getting directions, calling a loved one to let them know you’re running a little late, or checking Facebook to catch up with an old high school friend, cell phones have began to dominate our technology based society due to their easy accessibility and endless uses. While “nine-in-ten Americans own a cell phone and nearly two-thirds own a smartphone,” the cell phone is has become one of the only things the vast majority of people deem necessary in their life (Rainie et al., 2015). “Ch 1: Always on Connectivity,” written by by Lee Rainie and Kathryn Zickuhr, explains how dependent adults really have become of our cell phones. “8 Fascinating Facts About How Teens Use The Internet And Social Media” elaborates
In today’s society, people view the world through the very handheld electronic devices in their pockets, rather than going outside and experiencing life for themselves. They use their phones to communicate, share their everyday experiences, connect with their family, friends and loved ones. whether it may be from the other side of the world, or just the room. Cell phones have revolutionized the way humans communicate and socialize, ever since the first cell phone to hit the market in 1973 by John F. Mitchell. As much as cell phones are helpful and convenient, they have changed the world dramatically. This seem like an extreme claim to make, but evidence shows that cell phones have made the world a little more difficult. They have caused many problems such as fatal car accidents due to distracted drivers on the road, as well as sexting and revenge porn, which leads to a form of cyberbullying. Even cell phones themselves are harming their overall health, their social interaction, and even teen literacy. People may not have a solution to these problems but they need to find
Everywhere I look, I see a person grasping onto their phone. Leaving the house in the morning with a cell phone has become as important as eating breakfast. The article, Half of Teens Think They’re Addicted to Their Smartphones, written by Kelly Wallace describes the feelings of teens and adults towards their cell phones. “Two-thirds of parents -- 66% -- feel their teens spend too much time on their mobile devices” (Wallace). Unfortunately, these teens would prefer to communicate through a screen rather than face-to-face.
More than 285 million Americans use some sort of cell phone (Parenting | ParentingSavvy). Walking around downtown in a big city, or even in a small town, seeing people walking and talking on a cellular device is not unusual. In fact it may seem very odd if at least one passer by is not on one. In today’s world having a cellphone becomes a want instead of need. People got along just fine without one a century ago, even fifty years ago. They do not become a major issue until the child starts using it while being face-to-face with someone who is trying to have a conversation with them and wants their full attention. While talking to an adult and messaging someone at the same time takes away their full attention to the task at hand. They can also make the child feel “invincible” in a way that could be harmful for not only them but also for others. They are used to share photos, comments and videos on about every social media to thousands of people. They risk putting themselves out there with just the push of the send button. Parents have resorted to taking cell phones away from their children as a form of punishment. Cell phones are very convenient for everyday lives but are an issue when it comes to socializing with
If I were to ask each of you if you were able to go an entire day without your mobile device, very few can say they`d be able to do so. In fact, in a recent TIME Magazine Mobility Poll, 84% out of 5000 people surveyed in 8 different countires, admitted that they couldn’t go a single day without their phones and a third of respondents admitted that being without their mobile device for even short periods of time leaves them feeling anxious. It is clear that whenever we`re waiting for those last five minutes before the bell rings to every class, our automatic impulse is to reach for our phone. Do you really need to check anything that important? The sad truth is that we have become far too dependent on our phones. The fear that we might miss the latest gossip, or the most recent updates on all of our social webesites seems more like an addiction than anything else. We`ve clouded our vision as to what is really important, and that is-quality human interaction.
A study conducted in 2004 found that around 45% of the children in the U.S possessed a cell phone and in 2010 those numbers rose to include 75% of the population (Hofferth and Moon 108). As of today, according to Fox 28 News, around 96% of children now don a cell phone, practically doubling the amount of child cell phone users in the year of 2004. With this increased amount of cell phones among children, one must wonder what kind of effects these devices can impose on these children. From the time the cell phone was first introduced to society, it has served as a communicational device. However as time has progressed the cell phone has become more than a mere device of communication, it has become a tool in which to escape reality and to enter a world of social media. As this device grew in its new capabilities—such as the Internet, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook—the owner of the device only grew in his/her attachment. Now this attachment, this dependence on technology, is being passed down amongst the next generation. In fact in today’s day and age it would not be uncommon to see a child under the age of five holding a cellular device. This image, which at one time was considered to be a faux pas, has now become an image of normalcy. Without knowing it, parents are likely altering a child’s wellbeing when they grant them with a gift-wrapped cell phone and an unlimited data plan. By
Have you ever buried your face in your smartphone for hours? Have you missed out on events or told your friends you couldn’t hang out because you just wanted to stay at home and watch Netflix or play video games? If so, you probably have, or have previously had, an addiction to technology. The first Apple iPhone was only released ten years ago, and it is becoming a bigger issue for this generation’s teenagers. Teenagers are abusing modern technology it’s affecting them and others negatively because it encourages irritability and depression, discourages face-to-face interaction, and puts teenager’s privacy and safety at risk.
According to The Denver Post, in 2016 Americans spent an average of 10 hours 39 minutes on some sort of electronic device. Very seldom do you find someone without a cell phone in their hand walking down the sidewalk or staring at their device. People no longer experience life because of how much time and focus that are invested into an electronic device. Internet addiction is becoming more and more common. Instead of playing outside, toddlers would rather sit inside and watch T.V. or play on the iPad. Lack of exercise among children is now a much more serious concern than it was 25 years ago. For every moment that
The modern day cell phone has evolved throughout the last twenty years and has revolutionized the way society operates. It was once a cumbersome, bulky box with an equally heavy antennae attached. However, as time passed modern advancement produced an incredible technological achievement with multiple functions that expand upon its general concept. Modern cell phones contain the processing power and storage capability that would rival the most advanced desktop computers ten years ago while also progressing the realm of communication with its unique platform. Being able to send and receive messages instantly while also simplifying societal interactions has become an intricate piece to modern culture. This communication technology has also modified people’s interactions with the world and their perception of reality. However, with its vast technological achievements, problems and issues have appeared within our society.
The allure of smart phones can also cause problems within families. Family members are not fully mentally devoted and focused on family occasions when interruptions are continuously occurring right in hand. Parents and children are more concerned with what’s happening on a screen rather than what is happening right in front of their faces. Disconnecting from mobile devices is a discipline that must be learned for families
For American teen’s, cellphones have become a vital social tool and texting the preferred communication method. Anywhere you go, you are most likely to observe the exact same scenario. A group of friends are sitting together, supposedly meeting up for a bite to eat and a time to catch up. Yet, all you notice is not only are they not speaking, they all have their noses buried in iPhones and eyes solely focused on the bright screen. It is disheartening to think that we could be so attached to such small piece of technology that we can’t put it down. They have become the center of our lives, replacing important people and moments. According to a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, children and adolescents of 8 to 18 spend more than seven and a half hours a day on computers and phones, compared with less than six and a half hours five years ago (Lewin, “If Your Kids Are Awake”). With phones and computers being so easily
The huge impact of technology is seen most in this era that we live in. A form of technology that has influenced every gesture, words, and action is the mobile phone. The 21st century is the era of cellphones, with this form of technology communication with friends and families has never been easier with the addition of social media, but for every advantage there is always a disadvantage. Among those disadvantages of mobile phones are stress, anxiety, and motor accidents.
Thesis: Unless the risks of usage of cell phones outweighs the benefits, we should educate people on how to manage their usage of cell phones or use a different mean of communication.
Regardless of your age, gender or ethnicity, you are most probably in possession of a mobile phone. At least this is what has been claimed in a study made by the The World Bank where they declared that, "About three quarters of the developed world’s population have mobile phones.” However, this study merely represents the overall possession of mobile phones, without incisively delineating the dependence on these devices by the different age groups. A study shows that teenagers spend around seven hours a day consuming media by surfing the web and visiting social networking sites. The broadening development of smarter phones is allowing the population to center their media within one sole device, where it is now possible to carry out any task from your phone, whether it involves sending emails, reading a book, or playing a game.