Cell Phones: The Dark Side

Mobile phones, they are everywhere and can do just about anything. It seems that everyone has a cell phone young and old. When my kids were in kindergarten they had a classmate that had a cell phone for medical reasons. There is no demographic that is excluded from getting a mobile phone especially with the “pay as you go” plans that are available. With something that is so new there has to be a downside (of course there is because there is a downside to just about everything) and with cell phones there are several. This may be due to the fact that there is truly no cell phone etiquette or if there is it is not being used by everyone.

1. Sexting – Sexting has become the newest craze among teens and 20 year olds. Sexting is sending sexy messages and pictures through cell phones; these pictures are usually of a scantily clothed or naked person and can be sent from the cell phone to another cell phone or from the cell phone to the computer with ease. Usually the pictures are sent to boyfriends or girlfriends and everything is ok until that couple breaks up and the pictures are then sent to other people’s cameras or computers as retribution. The pictures are sent to numerous people and they end up in the cell phones and computers of many others to the embarrassment of the victim. At this point sexting turns into bullying a new form of cyber bullying that is also out of control.
2. CHEATING – Maybe not the type of cheating that you would normally think of this type of cheating has to do with students in school.Students have yet another method in their arsenal when it comes to the cell phone use. Because cell phones have cameras and texting capability it is possible to give answers to other students. Students can take pictures of their graded tests and send them to other students giving others the answers that they need. Or students can text another student a question and receive a text answer back. Although most schools are prohibiting cell phones from classrooms they are still some students that are able to use their cell phones at school and even in classes. Cheating is still possible using a cell phone unless they are completely banned from the classroom.
3. NEGATIVE TEXT MESSAGES – There are so many different types of negative text messages. I have talked a little bit about cyber bullying which is also occurring through texting and usually with young people, this is through hateful text messages from one person to another. There is also the dreaded text message break up which is honestly a shameless way to break up. Some also leave cell phone voice messages to do the same. One text message that I recently received actually informed me that my friend (who I thought the text message was from because it was from her cell phone number) had passed away. This is not a good way to get that type of information for two reasons; it’s impersonal and it can be confusing or misleading. There are many different forms of negative text messaging.
4. USING PHONES IN PUBLIC PLACES/RESTRICTED AREAS – There is nothing more annoying than having to listen to other people’s conversations while you are out in public; for example when I ride public transportation and have to listen to a one-sided argument or what so and so did to so and so. I also cannot stand being out to dinner and having to listen to obnoxious ringtones. Yet another annoyance is people who use their cell phones in restricted areas where they are running off at the mouth on their cell phone completely ignoring the posted signs. My final pet peeve is people who continually look at their phones or answer text messages while you are trying to have a conversation with them. I live by the philosophy that there is a time and place for everything and that includes cell phone usage.
5. TEXTING/TALKING WHILE DRIVING – This is never a good idea although many still do it. I see at least one person talking on their cell phone without a hands-free kit while driving on a daily basis. I am also now seeing more and more people texting while driving. This is a very risky habit and can result in serious car accidents because the texter/talker is not paying attention to the road. I wrote about this in Ten Things Not to Do While Driving. I have heard of such accidents and not only with cars but with buses and trains as well. I admit that this can be tempting to do especially when it’s a “quick” call or text but those are not as quick as we would like to think because an accident can happen in a matter of seconds.

I love my cell phone and although cell phones are very useful they have a negative side as well. I am pointing out some of the negatives with the understanding that I have committed at least two of the five listed (trust me you will not find naked pictures of me on any cell phone, lucky you!). Cell phones can be addicting I know because I was without mine for almost a month and thought I was missing out on everything but then there was the side of me that thought, “Yeah I love that I am missing out on everything.” Cell phones can be very helpful and have gotten me out of some pretty hairy experiences but I think that there needs to be an understanding about the true etiquette required with using a cell phone.