The BBC article talks about how essentially speaking, society as a whole is very addicted to the use of smartphones. The article suggest that one of the main reasons for this is that the smartphone allows for a greater interconnectedness amongst people, it allows everyone to stay updated and this need to stay updated is what makes us want to reach for it the second we see it. However it's considered that this overuse is only due to the fact that the technology is very new at only 9 years old and this overuse is temporary which will die down soon enough in society.
The article also focuses on the sales figures of smartphones. The research shows that although 4 out of 5 UK adults have a smart phone, the growth of new users has slowed down to 7% in 2016 from 9% in 2015. However, the researchers are adamant that this the "smartphone peak" and that phone maufacturers will have no problem persuading their users to buy newer models unlike other smart gadgets.
- One in three UK adults has argued with their partner about using their mobile phone too much
- Arguments were most common among 25-34 year olds
- One in three UK adults - and half of 18-24 year olds - said they checked their phones in the middle of the night
- One in 10 smartphone owners admitted reaching for their phone as soon as they woke up
I personally think that lovers of technology will say that this overuse is completely harmless and will die out while technophobes will agree with the statement in the title and say that it is completely and utterly harmless to society. However, I feel like the truth is somewhere in the middle of both these arguments because although social media allows for communication between people it is also isolating people that might think they don't need as much physical face-to-face contact any more. This essentially could lead to a huge loss of human empathy.
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