Technology is as active as human can be. With the innate capability of people to max out their intellectual ingenuity in building innovative technological advances, the world is far different from that of the past centuries. The invention of mobile technologies particularly mobile phones, or popularly called mobile, cellular or cell phones as well as its related technologies had opened opportunities for a radical change on how people interact and build relationship across geographic and time considerations. Similar to other computer-related technologies, the convenience of instant communication that broke the barrier of space and time is evidently the key motivational point on why such technologies prosper. The introduction of the mobile phone in the world and the immediate acceptance of this gadget is a part of the current popular culture. Truly, there are many useful things that are brought about by this. Yet, it is a natural law that advantages are coupled with significant disadvantages that give room for further understanding and reconsideration on whether or not such technologies are considered boon or bane.
In recent years, there has been a movement away form desktop-based, general-purpose computers toward more task-specific information appliances (Jacko and Sears, 2003), and mobile technology is among them. Mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) have increasingly become the focus of research as their early commercial market occurrence brought swift growth and international dominance (Schmidt et al., 1999). The users of mobile phones utilize this handset not only to communicate by voice, but also text messaging (Short Message Services or SMS), access phone mail, voice mail, stock prices, sports scores, and even restaurant reviews (Svensson, 2000). For the record, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU, 2007) recorded a high growth in the mobile sector where “mobile penetration rates stood at more than 40 percent at the end of 2006” (see Appendix 1). Further, “ITU data suggest that the number of mobile cellular subscribers surpassed the 3 billion mark in August 2007. At current growth rates, global mobile penetration is expected to reach 50 percent by early 2008” (ITU, 2007). Today, the mobile phone and its services reached its maximum potentials and placed itself in the zenith (Banks, 2001, p. 585).
The implications are not clear, however, technology can be seen both positive and negative (Berg et al., 2005). Technology is apparently changing our relationship to each other in private and public spaces. The impact of new technologies on people's lives as public and private citizens in social spaces gives researchers the chance to rethink the possibilities of technologies in social interaction. Accordingly, technologies such as mobile phones are radically changing social relations in ways that are intricate to measure with any precision. This essay argues that the use of mobile technologies particularly that of mobile phones signal a radical generational shift in how people relate to the divide between private and public space. This shift is said to be ambivalently occurring provided the continuing effort of academic and empirical discourses in relation to the subject. To support this claim, this paper further presents the pitfalls and benefits this might have. Lastly, arguments presented are supported by a collection of academic literatures directly related to the case and properly acknowledged.
DISCUSSION
Communication and its processes are considered to be the lifeline of the world that connects countries closely. Without communication, human beings would not have achieved knowledge, refinement in their behaviors, attitudes and cultures, and survival. It is in communication that human beings are taught in every aspect of their live; help them understand the difference between their world and the others; informs them on what happens on the other side; guides people to come out of the nut shell and brings them to the vast world (Brown, 2001; Eckhouse, 1994), and many others. But with the continuously growing popularity and application of mobile technologies, the traditional communication process is modified.
Mobiles phones are bringing changes day by day. The fact that the use of mobile phones affects human behavior has become a sort of confrontational topic, related also to a variety of issues and debates on the subject of health hazards, mental problems, scientific problems, and so on. Particularly, the attitude of the human beings shows changes with the use of mobile phones. Specifically speaking, the attitude towards society and behavior in public places seem to reflect a two way problem, one would be disturbance to others, while attending a call amidst a crowd and another would be risks of unacceptable activities. Primarily, it is advocated that the main motivation and basic principle behind the creation of mobile phones is the convenience in communication.
In reference to the high rates of worldwide mobile penetration, this statistical figure is a persuasive support on claiming that most people in modern societies uses mobile phones. The social impact of mobile phones is plainly obvious (Bloch-Morhange and Fontela, 2003). Aside from providing voice communication to certain situations that require its presence and application, it changed important aspects of lifestyles. For instance, several parents acquire mobile phones to contact their children or to bring them within easy reach in case of trouble (Bloch-Morhange and Fontela, 2003; Ling, 2000). Further, Bloch-Morhange and Fontela identify other uses of mobile phones extending up to friends’ exchange of ideas in all circumstances, accident handling, enhanced elderly care, elimination of the fear of loneliness, and so on. Also, these functions transformed social life. Further, Berg and colleagues (2005) stated that through mobile phones, people are able to “quickly reach other and be available for others, altering communication” (p. 344). They considered the outcome as more rapid exchange and making the communication process more informative in character. They similarly argued that the use of mobile telephones seems to increase rather than decrease the communication between people. These and many other benefits are considered to be causal to the increased ability of human communications towards general wellbeing.
Mobile phone users exploit this gadget for calling, SMS (text) messaging, ringing tone personalization, photography, and even high end technological access including Internet, music and television streaming. Through the use of mobile phones, communication by means of calling and text messaging is now easier and faster. The practicability of this technology brings fascination and inclination of consumers to purchase a unit and make it a necessary attribute of their daily activities. Handy, fast, cost efficient, easy access and immediate results are among the features of mobile technologies. On the contrary, communication through mobile phones is deemed to be substandard and even poorer compared to the quality of interpersonal communication and relationship. There is a fundamental, powerful, and universal need or desire among humans to interact with others (Dickson and Hargie, 2003, p. 1). While it is true that mobile phones significantly breaking the difficulty of space and time, it does not have the ability to replace the lasting and genuine effect of face-to-face human interaction. Today, the presence of 3-G or 4-G-enabled mobile technologies, where an individual is able to talk to another while seeing him/her in the mobile phone screen, is insufficient. The fact that face-to-face human communication is much more personal than that of calls and text messages, mobile phones already changes the social relationships particularly on having a more special and sincere, higher and better in quality communication.
Geser (2004) conducted an analysis of mobile phone usage using sociological theory and findings obtained state that such technology continuously expand and affects society in multidimensional perspectives. Among the considerable findings on various levels, the implications on the level of interpersonal interaction are much recognized. To Geser, mobile phone usage contributed to the enlargement of peripheral relationships and weak social ties; reinforcement and "empowerment" of primary interaction systems; SMS as a channel for low-threshold, non-intrusive contact initiation; the deregulation of agendas and social roles; and the evolutionary rise of “nomadic intimacy” and “nomadic social participation”. The enlargement of peripheral relationship is a considered benefit but it coincides with an equally disadvantageous feature, that is, the weakening of social ties. While it is true that people are able to communicate using such gadgets regardless of distance and time constraints, the absence of face-to-face interaction is the missing link. Similarly, the reinforcement and “empowerment” of primary interaction system is beneficial because communication using mobile phones starts with face-to-face encounters (e.g. personally getting numbers) and goes through the calling and exchanging of SMS. With this, the primary interaction system involving human relationships is supported and make powerful. Speaking of SMS, a user is given the choice and liberty to response on selected situations where immediate reactions are not possible, thus providing the chance of delaying the response and the answering to a more appropriate time through selected or multiple recipients. In relation to privacy, SMS is outstanding as compared to voice communication aside from the given advantage on the personal deviation on the conventions of formal writing. On the issue of deregulation of agendas and social roles, mobile phones decrease “the need for temporal pre-planning, insofar as rearrangements can be made at any moment, even very shortly before the agreed time” (Geser, 2004). Lastly, the case of evolutionary rise of “nomadic intimacy” and “nomadic social participation” allows users to communicate with no worries on privacy or availability of time as mobile phones can facilitate conversations in any rate, any place, and any time. While mobile phones are now effective vehicles of communication, an organization or a person is able to send messages – in whatever forms acceptable – for deliberate purposes. Today, most organizations are reachable through their mobile numbers. They also use it for promotional campaigns or mere advertisements. With this fact alone, people can immediately respond back to the company or person concerned.
According to Ziems (2004), the frequent usage of the mobile phone facilitates the creation of people’s own sphere of communication, “and soon they will not want to do without this any more” (p. 211). The availability of participation through the use of such device makes them even closer to others (via phone). This gain of continuous presence can only be achieved by permanently phoning somebody and seeking contact. Ziems concluded that “for some users, this can take on the dynamic of an addiction” (p. 211). This is another setback for mobile phone usage and application. The feeling of necessity to prove one's own presence with the mobile leads to the phenomenon of frequent phone calls that are devoid of any content. Furthermore, because of the addiction to mobile phones, people are exposed to the possibilities of consumerism or materialistic attitude leading to unnecessary consumption. The tendency is that the basic needs in daily life of an individual are not complete without the presence of mobile services that equates to a corresponding service charge – daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Communication wise, mobile phones could be considered next to Internet services given its fast approach and ease of access or use. The use of mobile phones has become a common sight almost in all parts of the developed as well as developing countries, where a rich man to a lower working class citizen holds a mobile (Brun et al., 2003). The fact that if the privatization of exchange services announcing cheaper charges and the manufacturing and affordable priced mobile phones, these two factors probably constitute the main reasons on the eventual increase of use of mobile phones by many people in the world rather than purposes of communication alone. A very common sight would be that of many turning towards the other side of the road, while standing on the platforms and some standing alone and talking loudly, they are just talking into their mobiles, and these behaviors are outcomes of using mobile phones (Jacko and Sears, 2003).
Technology plays a very important role in implementing the effective ways of communication. Though a significant body of current literatures (e.g. Ahlbom et al., 2004; Brun et al., 2003) tackles health problems such as risk of cancer, damage in brain cells, etc., which might result from using these mobile phones, people tend to prefer mobile phones as more effective than other means of communication. Besides, the World Health Organization (WHO) Task Force on EMF effects on health has no definitive conclusion on the veracity of these allegations (WHO, 2003). Meanwhile, there seems to be a behavioral change in the people while they communicate through mobile phones. Behavioral changes are said to occur after a considerable exposure to mobile phone technology (Palen et al., 2001). This change differs according to genders, male and female behavior (Geser, 2006). Examples of behavioral changes, aside from addiction, range from positive to negative traits. For example, increasing amount of deviancy like cyberbullying – harassment characterized by using offensive words and behavior via online chatting, emails or SMS/text messages (Robinson, 2004) is common among teenagers especially those who use mobile phone for leisure or luxury purposes. Other changes in behavior or problems are the considerable risk of crime, privacy problems, and other kinds of scandals. In relation to behavior and identity, Alexander (2000) explores how teenagers define and redefine the identity of the mobile as a dynamic social technology. He feels that “if we limit our view to the mobile phone’s present utility we may be ignoring some of the most powerful aspects of it” (p. 256). Mobile phones have many functions, not only as a communicator but also as a signifier for identity and an added device for consumption of communication (Alexander, 2000). Connectivity will not only influence their patterns of mobility but will also influence their identities and how they see themselves. For instance, you make voice calls; your mobile can be an email client, a calendar system, a contact manager, a web browser and many other things besides (including a multi-purpose entertainment device) (Alexander, 2000, p 225). Another controversial argument in the use of mobile phones is the increasing cases of road traffic accidents (Ahlbom et al., 2004). There are many studies that proved the potentialities and the higher risk of collisions and losing control of the vehicles while using the unit simultaneously. To address this case, various countries worldwide created laws on the restriction and prohibition of mobile phone usage while driving.
These and many other consequences of mobile phone usage are documented in a variety of empirical research initiatives. The discussion above advocates the significant role of mobile technology particularly that of mobile phones in creating a generational shift on human communication and building relationships. Indeed, mobile phones socially affected the process of conventional communication provided by some advantages as well as the disadvantages. It could be said that the shift is an ambivalent thing as it constitute an equal amount or condition of benefits and setbacks. Ironically, the advantages are coupled with disadvantages in one way or the other. Looking on recent literatures as source of supporting details on the argument made, I agree that the use of mobile phone indicate a generational change on human communication as well as relationships. All in all, mobile technology, especially that of mobile phones, are created due to the need of improving human communication and living as whole. It is the result of the budding technological progression, globalization, and innovations of human knowledge and expertise. In my own belief, the responsible usage of such technological gadget is the prime means to maximize its real beneficial function. Since we recognize its useful function, we should be aware of the appropriate usage and best application intended on this device. But with the presented conditions of mobile phones and its usage, are we the ones manipulating them or us being manipulated?
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