Texting May Be Harmful To Teenagers' Well-being

nytimes.com:

They do it late at night when their parents are asleep. They do it in restaurants and while crossing busy streets. They do it in the classroom with their hands behind their back. They do it so much their thumbs hurt.

Spurred by the unlimited texting plans offered by carriers like AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless, American teenagers sent and received an average of 2,272 text messages per month in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the Nielsen Company -- almost 80 messages a day, more than double the average of a year earlier.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[OrestesCarvalho]

There is a point when texting can become excessive. But the NYTimes article is looking at it through the old mass-literate paradigm. Texting is not a fad and is not bad. In fact it is a very effective way to manage a much larger social network. It works like a radar screen where people keep pinging each other keeping the links of the network alive and tracking the information flow in their net. We would never be able to do it so effectively through time consuming face-to-face, or voice calls. Take a look at : www.ShadowsRevolution.com (specially the Preface: Writing a Book About the End of Books)

[fleaba]

I guess when the money runs out, then so will texting. Ha!

[ZellaBee]

not to mention the excessive radiation exposure!

[JoeGdr]

I think I may one of the few who simply refuses to text. I have no problem with simply calling someone up, asking them what I need to know, thanking them, hanging up and getting on with my day. I don't need a constant back-and-forth distracting me from my life. And if I want to have a conversation, I do so -- verbally.

[oakley9]

This article points out what should NOT be a surprise to anyone, with regards to the downside of texting, both mentally and physically.
What it doesn't discuss are the health dangers of cell phone use.
The profits in the industry are so huge, no one wants to discuss the dangers.
We are sacrificing our children's health, futures for trendiness, peer pressure and a false sense of security. Sad.
My 11 year old niece just got a cell phone for her birthday and I am livid.
Now both of my beautiful nieces are in danger and I can do nothing,

Anyone under age 21 should not use cell phones period. Brains are still developing until Age 21.
Adults should use them very sparingly and for very brief conversations only.
Toddlers are at a very highest risk.

Here is an article about the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and at UPMC, and his response.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08205/898803-114.stm

[mrschief93]

My husband and I are very rare holdouts in the cell phone world. We have a 14 year old who still does not have a cell phone. She complains, but not too much anymore. We are trying to let her know that it is not a "need" to have a cell phone, but a "want". It helps that we are not attached to our cell phones 24/7.

I can relate in the sense that I sometimes enjoy chatting on the computer instead of on the phone. It allows you to have a moment to think about your answer instead of blurting out whatever pops in your head.

[oakley9]

Bravo! I'm so glad to know there are still some intelligent parents out there!

[LitDr2B]

I'm right there with you. It sickens me that a large majority of children at my daughter's school have cell phones--starting in the third grade.

[jake106]

Like the others, I'm with you on this one. We haven't let our 14 year old get one either, nor do we intend to until she is at least 16, maybe later. We were aiming at 16, when she gets her driver's license, but now that we live in Japan she can't drive until she is 18 anyhow, so it just doesn't seem necessary.

[MzTexas]

I get tired of getting text messages . . . I like to hear people's VOICES! I actually quit dating a guy because of his constant text messages . . . . felt like I was in 7th grade!

[humble liberty]

That's the average? Wow.

[Kungfublood]

You are not "in the moment" when you make that annoying clicking noise!