Our View | Phone etiquette needs review

As technology becomes an increasingly larger factor in our everyday lives, we need to take precautions when it comes to how we properly handle it in the company of others. The days of just dialing up a friend to talk have started to cease, and instant gratification through text messaging and apps like Snapchat have taken its place. 

Teens nowadays carry their phones with them everywhere. It’s almost a right of passage; that age when one receives their very first cell phone, the world turns upside down and they suddenly have a plethora of knowledge at their fingertips. 

While technology does have the ability to connect us to people and ideas all around the world, it’s also become a distraction from the other things happening in our everyday lives. Most people who carry around phones have forgotten the basic cell phone etiquette rules and manners that everyone should follow. 

For example, many people nowadays will carry their phones with them into a public bathroom, and take pictures or talk on the phone while sharing the room with strangers. Not only is this an invasion of privacy, it’s also downright rude. 

Many teens at high schools also will openly take pictures in the locker rooms with friends, or Facetime other people while the people next to them are changing. Once again, choosing to use one’s cell phone is fine, but it should not intrude on the privacy of others. 

There are a couple of basic rules that we should all take care to follow. For instance, turning off the ringer to one’s phone is a common courtesy that many of us ignore. It saves the rest of the people around us from distraction that they are not responsible for. 

Another rule we should all follow is if we receive a phone call, we should move to another private space as to not bother others around us. This, once again is important to maintain personal privacy and as to not distract the others around us. 

In the year 2020, it’s becoming more and more obvious that we all are extremely attached to our phones. In fact, a CNN poll revealed that 80 percent of teens check their phone hourly, and 50 percent of teens feel addicted to their phones. This shows us that now, more than ever, we need to learn how to be away from our phones. 

The ultimate rule that we all should follow when it comes to cell phones is knowing when it is and isn’t appropriate to have one with us. We do not always have to have that small piece of technology in our hands to prove that we are busy or important. Disconnecting allows us to connect with others and truly be present in the moment.