- Published: September 15, 2022
- Updated: September 15, 2022
- University / College: Indiana University Bloomington
- Language: English
- Downloads: 11
Strong statements ariseon both sides of the argument when it comes to impacts of smartphones on ourlife. In a mere decade smartphone has now become an essential part of our lifeand we simply cannot deny it.
Although smartphone has made communication easier, it also effects our life in un-predicted ways. Every invention has it’spositive and negative effects. Smartphone has its pros and cons. There is noarguing that smartphone have made our lives easier, communication barriers arebroken, exchanging of data is made easier, advertising and surfing internetanytime, anywhere. Where there are people supporting smartphones, there arepeople who are against it. Technology writer Bob Lefsetz said that the pulsesof smartphone use outweigh the minuses. On the other hand, Jason Perlow senioreditor at ZDNet. com said that every second spent on the phone is every secondnot spent observing and usage of smartphones maybe stealing most valuablemoments of our life.
One thought that supports the argument that smartphoneshave negative effect on society is that it has taken away our focus fromdriving, to family, to our surroundings. Cell phones were meant tobe used for communication purposes. From the time phones were first made, phones were seen as source of communication.
But on 29 June 2007, applereleased their first iPhone, which was specifically the first real smartphoneby all means. The introduction of smartphone changed the way people saw cellphones and impact of phones on people lives became significant. It is a fact that smart phones are affecting people’slives and encouraging antisocial behavior. Instead of connecting us, smartphones are making us more isolated. There was a time when while eatingtogether, families talked to each other. This help in strengthen understandingbetween them but after the invasion of smart phones on families instead ofhaving a nice chat, everyone in busy tweeting and posting images of their foodon Instagram.
Research shows that extensive use of smartphone is triggeringanti-social behavior. On this issue, David Engber, columnist at slate. com saidthat it is natural for parents to worry that smartphones are destroying kid’ssocial skills. As it is said that excessof anything is bad. Smartphone addiction in teenagers in growing day by day. According to a survey, it has been found that college student spends an averageof 10 hours on cellphones, surfing internet and sending messages. Another studyconducted in 2011 called ‘ The world Unplugged’ surveyed universities in 10countries. Students were asked to avoid smartphones, laptops and internet for24 hours.
In the withdrawal period, majority of students suffered mentaldistress, panic and confusion, failing to go full day without phones. After thesurvey just 21% of all the students said that they could feel the benefits. Health is also affectedby extensive use of smartphones. Eyesight is affected by exposure of bluelight, like one from smartphones. It can damage retina of the eye.
According toa research done by American Macular Degeneration Foundation, retina damagecaused by blue light may lead to central vision. Simply talking to someone oncall won’t damage one’s hearing but if smartphones and headphones are used forlistening music for over an hour, it can cause damage to ears. It is provedthat exposure to noises above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. Maximumdecibel of headphone is 105 decibels, listening to music at this volume formore then 10 minutes will result in hearing damage. It is not proved thatradiation from cell phones can cause health issues but the World HealthOrganization(WHO) already classes cellphones as ‘ possibly carcinogenic to humans’.