"They were dubbed "smart" because the phones could access the internet and thus enable the user to do so much more than make calls. I got my first smartphone in my early 40s and thought it was the coolest thing. Mine was white and sleek and the homepage had large tiles that were moveable and customizable. For a tech-loving person who likes to be organized, it was magic."
"As with all new tech, it took us a while as a society to become truly aware of the potential harms lurking behind those alluring screens. Many researchers including Jean Twenge, Sherry Turkle, and Jonathan Haidt have argued convincingly that in 2012, America turned a corner---a majority of Americans owned a smartphone (it's 90% now) and we witnessed a sharp uptick in anxiety, depression, loneliness, self-harm, isolation, loss of community, and a general malaise about the present and future of human existence."
Smartphones enable internet access and expanded functionality beyond calls, offering customizable interfaces and organizational tools. Widespread smartphone ownership rose sharply by 2012, reaching about 90% now, coinciding with increases in anxiety, depression, loneliness, self-harm, isolation, and loss of community. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed shared human distress and altered perceptions of Gen Z's mental health, showing that anxiety and sadness affected many age groups. Smartphone addiction contributes to physical and mental unwellness, and strategies are needed to improve health. Providing smartphones to young children before they are mature can predispose them to addiction, social isolation, and difficulties later in life.
Read at Psychology Today
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