By M L Satyan

Bengaluru, April 11, 2023: I am happy to have a mobile phone with me. It helps me get connected with anyone living in any part of the world at any time. Last month I was touring some of the interior parts of Jharkhand.

From a remote village located in the forest I could have a video chat with my priest-friend working in the US. I have also attended online training and Zoom meetings many times. With my mobile I am able to do financial transactions easily.

However, I have had several bad experiences too. Last month I was traveling in the train from Madurai to Bengaluru. I was in third AC compartment. A family got into my compartment at Salem station around 8 am. Their berths were next to mine. The family consisted of husband, wife, a boy and girl (aged between 8 and 12).

All of them had a mobile phone in their hands. From the time they occupied their berths, they were busy with their mobiles. None of them spoke a word, except the children asked their mother for biscuit and chips packets. I tried to talk to the man but he showed no interest, rather getting irritated, as he was busy watching a film on his mobile phone. This situation continued till I reached Bengaluru around 12:30 pm.

In my family my wife, daughter and I have mobile phones. Some years ago, when we did not have mobile phones, we had good recreation. But today it does not happen. My wife and daughter are busy with their mobile phones most of the time. If I have to discuss certain important matters, I have to make repeated requests to them to keep their mobile phones down. I guess and I am sure that this is the case in most families.

Please note that today every conference/meeting starts with an announcement: “Please switch off your mobile phones”. A Caution Note is found in churches and temples: “Please do not use mobile phone inside.”

Last week I received a WhatsApp video highlighting the negative effects of mobile phone. A 30-year-old woman in Hyderabad was using her mobile phone for more than ten hours during the day. At night she used to put off lights and use her mobile phone. Her eye-sight is affected badly. As per the doctors she has got the Smart Phone Vision Syndrome. This seems to be spreading fast among the mobile phone users.

It is in this context I did a study on the positive and negative sides of mobile phone. Let us look at them carefully.

Positive sides:
• People act more efficiently when they are connected whenever, wherever, and to whomever they wish. People can talk, text, email, Tweet, post on Facebook, Instagram, and video conference cheaply and conveniently.
• Mobile phones work as a great source of entertainment – watch TV online, download fun games and play. Internet facility is available at cheaper rates.
• Many companies have their own marketing apps on Android which makes the business go very easy. Online marketing has become the latest trend. Customers purchase most items through online.
• Emergency cases can be many. In such situations the mobile phone helps us to reach the concerned people and get the required help.

Negative sides:
1) Effects of Mobile Phones on Children: The harmful effects include excessively engrossed on mobile screen for hours. It impacts psychology and development of a child. According to Child Specialists a lack of interaction between the parents and child can lead to development problems. The use of the internet on mobile phones exposes children to inappropriate behaviors. They can easily access sites showing age-inappropriate contents. This can have a negative impact on the psyche of the children, leading to disturbing behaviours.
2) Effects on Education: Mobile phone’s effect on education is also a serious societal concern that should not be ignored. A study had found that mobile phone usage in class can have a negative impact on learning outcome due to distraction. Those who use smartphones in class tend to recall less information, and therefore perform badly in exams. The scholars have found that excessive use of mobile phones leads to headache, irritability, anger and self-enforced isolation.
3) Impact of Mobile Phone on Health: Various studies have shown that mobile phone usage leads to increased risk of cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radiation from mobile phones as possibly carcinogenic. Excessive use of mobile phone leads to changes in sleep patterns, leading to insomnia. The lack of sleep results in a host of medical problems including a high risk of diabetes, heart attack, depression lack of self-esteem, confidence, and sense of worthlessness.
4) Effects of Mobile Phone on Social Life: The use of smartphones is taking a toll on our relationships with our friends. For most people, texting is better than talking to others face-to-face. Today, people are more engrossed with their mobile phones rather than with the physical surroundings. This level of connectivity leads to a strain on their social lives. It creates social isolation that breeds emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, anger, management issues, and other emotional problems.
5) Effects on Relationships: Spending more time on phone rather than with each other can decrease intimacy. Constantly checking the phone disrupts communication during a romantic moment or meal time. It creates a feeling of rejection which negatively impacts the psychological health of a person. Even a minor feeling of rejection can seem extremely painful particularly for women. The hurt feelings can lead to a negative mood, reduced self-esteem, resentment and anger. This ultimately leads to a discord, even resulting in a divorce.
6) Dangerous Driving: Despite the fact that using mobile phone while driving is illegal, most people can’t resist the urge to reply. Drivers who use mobile phone while driving have reduced visual information of the road ahead which increases the risk of accidents that might even prove fatal.

One of the seven crimes about which Mahatma Gandhi spoke was: Science without humanity. It is a fact that mobile phone is a gift of science and technology. In life we have learnt to use many things like knife, fire for right purposes. Likewise, let us use the mobile phone in the right manner and take its advantages. Let us make sure that the usage of mobile phone strengthens our relationships and keeps the humanity alive.