By Anthony Benincasa
We spend more time with them than we do sleeping, and no, I’m not talking about our family members. I’m talking about cell phones. According to ABC News, the average American teenager spends over seven hours on their cellphones daily. Are these advances in technology helping or hurting our society?
When the iPhone stepped onto the scene in 2007, it caught the immediate attention of people all around the United States, with sales for Apple going into the billions. According to Forbes, the iPhone has generated $365 billion in 2020 alone. Since 2007, Apple, Samsung, and other smartphone sales have increased exponentially. Today, over two thirds of Americans own a smartphone, according to Reviews.org. Smartphones were made for convenience- no need to go on a computer to do a Google search, or to search for a skateboard fail on Youtube; now, these tools are reliably available to use 24/7. These genius tools may be convenient for our daily lives, but can come with repercussions.
As stated by The National Safety Council, 1.6 million people per year in the United States have car accidents due to cell phone usage while driving. That’s a whopping quarter of all car accidents that occur in the United States per year. Not only has driving become more dangerous, but cell phone usage also affects our health. According to Marrissa Barnett, Principal Optometrist at UC Davis Eye Center, the “blue light” that emits from our screens has been found to be quite dangerous to the eyes, creating eye strain for many individuals.
Doctors today do not know all the prolonged health risks from cell phone usage, although according to Cancer.gov, the radiation being emitted from cell phone use is low frequency and does not pose a great risk at this time. However, we do not know the long term effects of this low frequency radiation on our bodies.
The smartphone has helped in a tremendous way transform us as a society. A smartphone can be a great learning tool. In addition, due to the vast number of cell phones in the US, this is an excellent tool to have during an emergency when EMS is needed. We could even do a quick Google search “how to perform the heimlich maneuver” when someone is choking. Conversely, we cannot let cell phones take over our entire lives. It can be entertaining to enjoy the many features of the smartphone, but a conversation with friends face to face is essential for interpersonal skills.
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