The Impact of Cell Phones on Society
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The Impact of Cell Phones on Society
February 24, 2008
The Impact of Cell Phones on Society
No technological advancement since the introduction of electricity has had a greater impact on society than the cell phone. While cell phone service is not available everywhere cell phones are used for everything from talking to watching television. Melissa Minetola states:
By the end of 2006, nearly 2.7 billion people around the world subscribed to cell phone services according to a study by London-based Informa Telecoms & Media. The market research firm predicts that 2007 will see more than three billion cell phone subscribers — almost half of the global population (para. 2).
While telephones have been used in virtually every household for decades people were tied to the telephone and the telephone was tied to a specific location. Telephone booths were a common sight. With cell phones, the phone goes with the user, everywhere. No longer do teens have the excuse “I couldn’t find a phone” when they are late for curfew even though telephone booths are almost non-existent. If the teen does not have a cell phone you can bet one of the people they are with does.
Cell phones have evolved from just a means of making a telephone call while away from the house or office. Cell phones have become ingrained into our daily lives. Cell phones today are miniature computers. Cells hold data including addresses, phone numbers, date books, and a calculator. Cells phones have an alarm clock built in to wake people up when traveling or napping on the job or to alert people when it is time to leave for an appointment. Of course the cell phone remembers the appointment as well. Cell phones allow people to do more than chat the hours away. Cell phones entertain people with games or internet access while waiting in traffic or waiting in line to get a drivers license.
Not only is cell phone use growing for adults, teens and younger children are using cell phones today. According to Sue Marek (2005) in The Growing Tween Market “The pre-teen or tween market — loosely defined as kids between ages 8 to 12 — was once considered to be a demographic too young for cell phone ownership, but this is changing” (para. 2). The reason most parents give