“The Pew Research Center survey on shifts in what is acceptable in an always-wired world found 82 percent of American adults say that using cellphones hurt conversation in social gatherings,” Ian Simpson reports for Reuters. “But even more people – 89 percent – say they used their phones during their most recent get-together, including for texting, talking and for a photo.”
“The survey of U.S. adults showed that 92 percent had a cellphone. Of those, nine out of 10 said they were always with them,” Simpson reports. “Cellphone use in social settings tends to be tied to the event itself, with 45 percent of people posting a photo or video of their most recent gathering, the survey showed. A smaller number – 16 percent – said they turned to their small screen because they had lost interest in the group… While in public spaces, almost two-thirds of cellphone users look up information about where they are going or how to get there. But about 23 percent of cellphone users said that at least occasionally they turned to their devices to avoid contact with other people.”
MacDailyNews Take: Look what Steve Jobs hath wrought. Massive societal change.
“Cellphone etiquette became a policy issue in the United States in 2013 when Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said the agency was considering allowing in-flight calls on planes,” Simpson reports. “After criticism about passengers having to listen to neighbors during flights, Wheeler said he personally opposed in-flight cellphones and the decision would be up to airlines. The FCC cellphone proposal is still pending.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple Watch users do it better.
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How Apple has changed the world in just 7 years – March 14, 2013
People are douches. When you get together with other people, turn your damn phone off and give them your attention.
Enough playing with the thing constantly. What is wrong with you?
“Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.“
People hardly talk on the phone anymore anyway. Little harm in allowing it in more places.
Pretty much a waste of time to have a social gathering where people bring their phones anyway.
I wish my wife would stop pulling her iPhone out to check FaceBook or email while we’re out at a restaurant. She addicted to the online world and I hate it!!!!
“But about 23 percent of cellphone users said that at least occasionally they turned to their devices to avoid contact with other people.”
That 23% are the engineers who were surveyed. We’re not into excessive contact with other humans.
I don’t worry about this.
Things change… societies change… cultures change. People change, adapt, and make new social rules. It has always been thus. This “situation” will work itself out eventually. Partly because something else will eventually come along to upset the apple cart (no pun intended).
And if nothing else, darwinism will take care of some of it.
Exactly. Society didn’t disintegrate when electricity became a part of normal life. It didn’t disintegrate when radio became a part of people’s life. Or phonograph. Or TV. Or the Internet. We learn how to live with new things, figure out what are the negative consequences and develop new social rules. The process is entirely natural and fairly harmless.