Cell phones and society

The cell phone has become an essential communications tool. It is used all the time. Seventy-four percent of Americans who own mobile phones say they have used their hand-held device in an emergency and gained valuable help. The cell phone can be a useful help but it can also instigate unwanted drama. Student at BFA, Katelyn Amin said “ I love my cell phone. I do not know what I would do without it. My phone has helped with serious situations and some not so serious situations. Most kids nowadays don’t use their phones for serious situations as much as they do just messing around. Having a cell phone can be a huge help but can also start a lot of drama. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have a phone, so I wouldn’t be connected to all the drama. ” Ridge Welch, student at BFA said “ I completely agree with what Katelyn says. My phone can be a huge help but, it can also be an annoyance. Having Facebook at my fingertips is not always the best thing. ” Many people today don’t use house phones anymore, now called “ land lines. ” Cell phones are better for on the go. According to Pew Research Center Publications, more than a quarter of cell phone owners admit they sometimes do not drive as safely as they should while they use their mobile devices, with men more likely than women to say they practice unsafe driving. Also for some, the cell phone has become so central to their communications needs that they lose track of the expenses associated with their phones. About 36% of cell owners say they have been shocked from time to time by the size of their bills. A student at BFA, Alexis Bridwell, said, “ I have a Samsung Gravity T cell phone, and I use it on a daily basis. ” According to Pew Research Center Publications, 75% of 12-17 year-olds now own cell phones, up from 45% in 2004. Eighty-eight percent of teen cell phone users are text messagers. That is a sharp rise from the 51% of teens who were texting in 2006. More than half of teens (54%) are daily texters. Another student at BFA, Clay Blackwood, said, “ I do not feel a need to use my cell phone regularly, because it does not have control over me. ” Fully two-thirds of teen texters say they are more likely to use their cell phones to text their friends rather than talk to them on the phone. Pew Research Center says “ It is true that many Americans now cannot live without phones, but sometimes they cannot live with them. “