According to Growing Wireless, today over 56% of children (ages 8-12) have a cell phone and in the teen population, 91 out of 100 teens are cell phone holders. All these teenagers either own a smartphone, or has access to one. From the previous data you can deduce that cell phones have been a strong part of our millennials lives today.

What today’s teens use as a cell phone for has changed majorly compared to previous generations. Martin Cooper, the creator of the first telephone,got his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering so he was well experienced on the needs of electronics. He originated the use of cell phones to better society and makes everyone’s lives easier.

In 1973 he said, “The cell phones that we have today are really very awkward, but they’re getting better and better, and pretty soon the phone is going to be an extension of our mind, an extension of our body – and it’s going to make our lives much easier.”  Obviously, Mr. Cooper’s hypothesis for the future of cellphones has been accepted, but has it taken over teen’s lives?

Although cell phones have made it easier to communicate, they may contribute to a decrease in face to face social activity. After being interviewed by Growing Wireless, most in this examination teens admit that there verbal phone calls with most people will only last about four minutes and there favorite way of communication is by text. Now maybe I am just an outlier, but personally, I mostly enjoy communicating with others by direct confrontation. I believe that this generation definitely has altered the means of communication in today’s society.

One of the main contributors to the change in everyone’s electronic world is social media. 89% of the teens have it and 1 in 3 of them feel more accepted on social media. Most teens have at least one of the following: SnapChat, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook. Growing Wireless gives us the information to know that these websites have become a primary part of the teen’s lives today.

Back in the late 1900’s when cell phones were first being used, they were only used to communicate by telephone. Presently, they are being used for both communication and expression because of socially networking apps. These apps are what are causing teens to be glued to their phones.

I believe cell phones have helped our society immensely, but I also believe the use of them have come at a great cost. The benefits included with a phone today have absorbed our teen’s lives by convincing them that to be accepted or “cool” is to get the perfect photo or act this certain way.  Although, I do have to admit that cell phones help families keep in contact, teaches children responsibility, and they have easy access to the internet. In the end, I believe that teen’s having cell phones is a plus, but will be up to you one day to choose when it is the best time for your teen to have a cell phone so choose wisely.