Do We Need To Enact Rules to Remedy Gadget Addiction?
Since long in history, cigarettes had been the chosen companions for the fretful hands. Tobacco had been viewed as a factor that enhanced one’s social life. The enviable place enjoyed by tobacco has now been grabbed by smartphones and social media sites like Facebook. Now the growing popular concern looks for ways and campaigns to quit smartphones.
What is the concern?
Technology does not act on humans in a similar fashion like tobacco. A person addicted to gadgets does not find his teeth yellowing or get succumbed to cancer or emphysema. However, psychologists and socialists warn that device addiction can severely damage mental health. Now a lot of social initiatives and NGOs are running digital detox campaigns.
Positive efforts around us
If you have a chance to go to the Silicon Valley, you will find the smartphone users turning off the notifications in order not to get distracted by the constantly buzzing sounds. Smartphones are now being banned from bedrooms to ensure a peaceful sleep and many change the color on the display to lesser seducing grey shades.
Big enterprises are now discovering ways to deal with the new generation of quitters. Facebook lead the show by slashing memes, news, and brands from its news feed in order to make the social network users feel at home surrounded by friends and family when they are on Facebook.
Call to action
Around the world, the new generation of activists is questioning the role of technology on the earth. Groups like Jana Partners and the California teacher pension fund have demanded that Apple comes out with software that can help parents limit their children’s cell phone usage. Arjuna Capital and the New York State Common Retirement Fund have urged Twitter and Facebook to put an end to sexual harassments on their networks. Trillium Asset Management has asked Facebook to institute a committee to explore how the site is leading to depression and a host of psychological issues in the users.
Legal measures
Growing concerns around us insist that addiction to technology must be seen in the same way as addiction to junk food or tobacco. Strict rules are needed to make people come away from addiction to smartphones. Parents must not get lost in cell phones while taking care of children. Eventual developments can see phones being banned from public places. If this is not done with strict legal measures, the developments can only point out to the way to ruin.
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