I believe that we should not teach how to live without cell phones, but rather we should teach how to make effective use of cell phones.

When we care about their hobbies and develop them

Please remember that humanity has had similar media and communication worries earlier in history. Access to printed books could once destroy young peoples eyes, would isolate them from the rest of the world and force them into living in unreal narrative worlds. Remember Video cassettes in the 80ies, television watching, addiction to popular music culture, etc. All of this kind of normalised after some time. We learn with time about how to integrate new technology into a new normality of our lives.

The important question is how technology integration happens in a more sustainable way than the first very focused and time-consuming way.

Then, we perhaps will understand why a young person takes a phone call or cheks a facebook message instead of continuing an ongoing conversation with a physically present person as example. The person online can be a lot more important for the smartphone user. Rational in a way, isn’t it?

Interesting

Dear Prof. Anders,

I agree with the fact that at some point it can stabilize, however it is something that goes beyond the senses that we apply on a TV and in good old reading of a book. The problem here is more profound.

It is from person to person, at a level of iteration seen by humanity. In addition to being comfortably attractive, you don't have to worry about your hygiene or personal appearance, just have a beautiful avatar.

I understand that integrating technologies is outdated, given that it, technology, has been integrated with us and not the other way around.

I am not a pessimist, but as a researcher, crumbs left in the path show a huge trail of concerns. Especially with regard to what you commented on, digital life becomes more important than real life.

I can't see it with good eyes. I have a bad feeling about that.

Thank you very much for your invaluable contribution.

Best Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

Dear Prof. حنان عبد الغفار عطية ابراهيم ,

Thank you for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

Dear Prof. Bozor Ulugov,

Yes, interesting and very worrying.

Thank you very much for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/06/learning/what-students-are-saying-about-how-much-they-use-their-phones-and-whether-we-should-be-worried.html

Gençleri akıllı telefonlara yönlendiren unsurları tespit ederek işe başlamak gerekir diye düşünüyorum. Yalnızlık, beğenilme arzusu, eğlence, anlamı olmayan bir yaşamı anlamlandırma arayışı belki bu unsurlardan ilk aklıma gelenlerdir... daha fazlası olabileceğini de tahmin edebiliyorum.

Dear Prof. Bruno De Lièvre ,

So, reading the NYT article, you can see that all the testimonials show remorse and a certain guilt for not participating in real life anymore. This is what I really care about.

They think their social lives and friendships are real using a digital system. How far does digital friendship go? Anyone who has a friend knows what I'm talking about.

Digital life cannot replace real life!

I am not against having a digital life if it is well balanced with a real life! In NYT interview reports, they spend more time in digital life than in real life! And I'm not just talking about conversations and chats with friends via messages, this is human to human, my concern is much deeper.

New systems based on behavior analysis and AI knowledge from e-commerce companies, games and services, emulate other human beings. And they will probably be friendly and affectionate, saying what they want to hear and not what they need to hear if the interaction was with humans.

My concern for young people today is much less than for their children!

When I say that we need to awaken these young people to have greater interest in real life, it is because they will soon be the example of other young people.

Thank you for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

Dear Erhan Metin,

Reply Translating from Turkish to English (by Google): I think it is necessary to start by identifying the factors that direct young people to smart phones. Loneliness, desire to be liked, fun, and the search for meaningless life are perhaps the first things that come to my mind ... I guess there may be more.

There is no doubt that it is necessary to identify cause and effect. I am an engineer and I confess that I have difficulty understanding people psychologically, I am very synthetic and absolutely pragmatic.

I see, that many times what you commented is true, but I also see, that it is not just the lack of some psychological complement that makes young people to enjoy digital life more. In fact, it is an easier way to interact with other people without suffering more serious consequences.

If you fight or scold another person in a chat room, most that will happen is that you will be banned or excluded from the conversation! In real life this would be much more complicated!

I have a bad feeling about trivializing this.

I think that better qualified professionals to understand human behavior should focus more on this issue.

Thank you for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

Teenage phone addiction is becoming worrisome

Dear Prof. Chikodi Anyanwu ,

YES!!!

Like any addiction, we must deeply understand the causes and effects.

Along the way of this debate, one can appreciate contribution of other colleagues, it is possible to note that despite being an escape valve as the NYT report showed, the facilities of digital coexistence lead to supplanting real life.

As I wrote before, my main concern is that more our machines interact deeply with us, the less we integrate with humans.

I am not against use of machines, it is not that, as an engineer and researcher I must confess that in addition to designing, building, repairing and using many machines I always thought that the human-machine interaction should be well delimited, so that it is not absolutely fundamental .

Thank you very much for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

I believe that at the root of the problem of spending a lot of time on social media, therefore, on the mobile phone is due to a lack of education of the object you are using.  the parents of these children need to give rules and more attention to their kids.  furthermore, there is a need for greater promotion and information of technology, mainly, in the school context where children spend most of their time, also because, today we live in a society steeped in technology and in the future it will be dominant. So the knowledge is the best potential we could never own.

Dear Profa. Addolorata Cofano ,

Part of it really is true!

I think that in case of children and adolescents, it is really up to parents to have control and the well-established rules, I see it in their family and friends. Both those who lay down rules and those who do nothing for simple convenience.

I find it strange, I always dedicate myself to my children and I loved playing with them. Tell stories to each other, etc ...

I can say that it took me a long time to give them cell phones, I have three children, a boy and two girls. Today two are already adults and my chasuble is a teenager, but with the girls I worry less. And when I talk about digital life, that includes computers, endless online games and multinational championships making even money.

My eldest son chose computer engineering away from home as a student. And he himself with all education and attention given, after being an adult he lives a good part of his connected time. Something that saddened me deeply.

I say that children do not come with an "operation manual", something that would be useful if each was not completely different from the other at all!

Without a doubt, part of this problem, especially reading the NYT report (Bruno De Lièvre thanks again) is what you point out the lack of attention and care. I know that this often does not happen on purpose. I also believe that the quarantine given the pandemic has exacerbated this.

I remember how they looked at me when passing several books through corridors of the university to teach my classes, the students saw me as a dinosaur! I was once approached by a student who asked me if I didn't have a computer with everything in PDF?

Digital ease is also a trap!

We use technology against ourselves! Rather than being in our favor.

Thank you very much for your contribution to the debate.

Best Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

Lot of contribution from parents initially to create this problem. Parents them self give their mobile phone to little ones for the propose of calming down them or distract them. Then, lack of care and attention play a huge role. i am not sure wether rules will help the problem. Parents have a huge role to prevent addiction than correction later.

Younger generation need to be involved with more productive work other than engaged in social medias timelessly.

Thanks

Dear Profa.Vasanthika Thuduvage ,

This is a problem with many causes and many effects is what we call multifaceted with no defined outline.

There is undoubtedly participation of parents, but there is also participation of society that sees it all very naturally.

I don't particularly like to see children "stuck" on cell phone screens. I think the digital life of children and young people must be real one. But as you said yourself, families practice what society says.

A young person will feel excluded if he does not have a cell phone and lives in digital world, although he is probably there, and in front of the other person in real world.

The idea that a cell phone is a "toy" is certainly very problematic!

I have to disagree with you about rules, they work, but you need good mediators and they make them important to be followed. Of course, it depends on parents, if a parent thinks a cell phone is a toy, do you think there will be any rules?

We live in a world of rules, which are almost always laws. A family has its own laws, its rules which must be important and help to live together.

As I said and I fully agree with you if prevention is a better way than correction!

Thank you very much for your contribution to this debate.

Best Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

@ prof.Wiltgen,

Thank you very much for your concern. Of course it is at the right time to pose this question or rather this concern for the society to start setting right their priorities. Most people tend to innovate in lines that the society will reward, and this is only money inclined projects without caring for the future or any generation, whom the worst hit are the youths since they still don't have that experience to project and make a judgement about tomorrow.

For the case of social media, it is in deed worrying and in my opinion, it more addictive and even should be classed together with drugs. Take for example this analogy, a drug dealer makes money and of course a lot of it by chaining our youths. Then comes back to the society and the same society cheers him up to be successful and even goes ahead to reward him with a political office. On his side, he pretends to give back to the society by engaging the youths to work for him for poor pay only to find a penny or two to buy drugs. This is what the governments and the owners of the social media do. Today, next to everything can be done online, from playing soccer to shopping not to count the likes of betting. The society talks of the developers as successful and are called to inspire the youths on how to be successful without considering the side effects. I do agree that everything has a side effect but the ultimate fate must be critically analyzed.

To answer your question on what should be done, I think the society, and that is the governments, should come up with regulations to bring a check on the programs developed by the social media owner and limit their access just as they regulate access to things like alcohol. This is to say the better options should be considered first. For example if physical fitness should be manual, then things like football games should not be developed. Or accessing leisure programs should be too costly for the youths, not a matter of a shilling's subscription to down load a program. The educational programs should be strictly left for the schools, whereby they can only download and release enough for the students after a scrutiny and approval.

Lastly, the role of good parenting must be the pivot. As the bible puts it in the book of Matthew, " where your wealth is, there also your heart shall be." The wealth of any family, and by extension the society, is the generation. Freedom of the children should be rendered judiciously as the parents try to paint a true picture of life in the real world, depicting the meaning of true success which suppers money or wealth.

Thanks.

Dear Prof. Gabriel Ogweyo ,

Undoubtedly the parents' behavior and attitudes are essential to family. Many times, even when acting right, something goes wrong. In case of attraction to cell phones it is something that is really worrying and that must be understood so that we can find a good enough solution so as not to harm real life.

Thank you for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

Thank you very much for the reply.

I have a real time experience about young children using cell phones. One day a father came to me with a 2 year old child complaining of poor hearing and non responding which is recent onset. He had been having good speech until recent and now not communicating at all. When i examine him he was totally engaged with the mobile phone.

Then I inquired more details from the father and he told during the initial cover lock down period he gave the mobile phone to the little one to play and listen music, and play games as every body in the family was stressed up with the situation. Gradually he has become arrogant when they try to remove the cell phone. A very sad situation. I had to get the child psychiatrist help to solve the problem.

This is the real life situation.

Dear Profa. Vasanthika Thuduvage ,

Thank you very much for your real testimonial.

I have nothing to say, unless this is all very sad, society needs to understand that the problem exists and that it will get worse.

Many families still don't understand that digital life can become an addiction. Since apparently, it is easier and more enjoyable to live digital life than the real life.

Once again, thank you very much for your important contribution to this discussion.

Best Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

More than have a real life outside of cellphones, I think we need to influence the belief that cellphones are just a part of real lives, integral part, but no more than a tool. Like a toothbrush, or shower gel, or living room. It is motionless and liveless item which has a meaning and the type of meaning that we give it.

Dear Profa. Elena Emma ,

I agree that showing young people that cell phones are just a tool.

Undoubtedly, I think this is true for our generation, which besides not depending on a cell phone, almost always sees it as a communication device.

Young people learn a lot more from good examples, and our generation has set bad examples.

However, another important factor in this endeavor is "bombardment of marketing", which young people are very harassed by cell phone companies. These companies do not go more than three months without a news cell phone to be exchanged and discarded, leaving obsolete quickly. Awakening in young people a need for purposeless consumption to keep up to date in digital life.

Real life doesn't depend on digital life, I don't even think digital life is part of real life. I see, like you, a cell phone just like a simple tool, and without meaning.

Perfect his final sentence "It is motionless and liveless item which has a meaning and the type of meaning that we give it."

Thank you for your contribution to this discussion.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

By showing them the benefits of life outside the world of smartphones.

Dear Zane Asher Green ,

You are absolutely right, although it seems easy for us who live in real world and know how fantastic it is. I know how difficult it is to do that. I imagine that several tried and many failed.

But just like you, I also think we have to show how good it is to really live in real life!

Thank you very much for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

My pleasure. We need to show them the beauty of relationships and what people less fortunate than us have to do to make ends meet.

Yes, life is not easy, but it is always beautiful! Many people far less fortunate than us live a happy life, despite all difficulties.

As one of our colleagues said in this discussion, we have to give the right importance to everything!

I tell my children that life is a straight and perfectly paved road only when you are a child, then it is just a curve and holes! We have to be prepared and resilient to keep moving forward!

Thanks again!

The great desire for cell phone is obvious. Even my one year old son prefer smart phone to old-fashioned phones. Tim Cook posited that, "anything can change, because the smartphone revolution is still in the early stages". I therefore foresee augment in the current desire in days ahead. However, we should explain to pedants to appreciate the desire of embracing the positivity associated with cell phone and discourage the negativity of cell phone to avoid abuse of the device.

Dear Prof. David Arhin ,

Yeah, you and Cook are right, tendency is for this to increase a lot and that's why we have to act!

I agree with you we must explain, show and set an example.

Undoubtedly value opportunity for fast and efficient communication, but keep it as a tool and not as a parallel life!

Thank you for your contribution!

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

I think there is a section of parents who doesn't give the children the alternative to cell phones. For example, in order to keep a naughty kid occupied, a parent gives the bait of a certain amount of screen time. Parents need to provide options to the kids and let them taste the alternatives.

Dear Sanjay Arora ,

Exactly what happens and that almost always leads to more and more time for young people to use cell phones!

It is very good for a child to be mischievous! My brother and I were forever! My eldest son too! And that should make parents happy and crazy sometimes!

I believe that each parent's own rules should be created, and thus determine how long they can stay in digital life!

With young children, interruptions are easier to manage.

The problem is young people (teenagers), who as you know are astute, like us, to circumvent the rules!

Thank you very much for your contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

Real life outside cell phones is more challenging especially during this covid-19 pandemic period. Both Young and old people are always glued to their cell phones to get instant information on what is happening across the world.

Not only that but phones are also a being used as a source of entertainment to keep them home. E-learning is also worsening the problem of digital life. Students are now thinking that digital life is an alternative life during this global pandemic and it is becoming normal day by day.

Therefore, I can say that digital life is a real problem and has to be addressed in a balanced way to ensure that we live with it in real life but not taking over our real life.

Dear Prof. Chinyama Vincent ,

Yes, excluding restriction due to pandemics because is a particular case.

The concern is with the day-to-day, before and after pandemic. What I think is that due to pandemic problem should get much worse.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, the use of cell phones in the pandemic, as you said, alleviated the monotonous days of children and the elderly trapped inside the home. This is a fact!

As for e-learning, I have severe reservations and prefer not to comment on this discussion. But I agree with what I said!

Thank you very much for your contribution!

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

My strategy is to take my daughter out for things such as running, cycling or just strolling in cool part of the town plus in adventure holidays just me and her all over the world but the sum of all these activities is 5% of her total time. If she is not continuously stimulated she won't act independently, so my activities are "patches" and don't change her general day by day attitude. So, I don't know. I fear there is no way back and on a long term humans will develop long fingers and arched back to better use their mobile phones..

Dear Prof. Giovanni Bordone ,

I cannot deny that my strategies, similar to yours, worked while my children were still 16 years old, after that they were also innocuous!

Society has absorbed much of digital life as naturally an evolution. And as a colleague said in that discussion, the pandemic helped to make it worse, which was bad before!

I fear that you may be right about your placement: "I fear there is no way back and on a long term humans will develop long fingers and arched back to better use their mobile phones .."

I feel sad to think that we can do nothing to change that, given that with each passing day digital life becomes more attractive. We were made to be outdoors and get wet in the rain, get tired and physically drained and that always made me happy! Today only thing that is exhausted for young people is speed of internet!

Our hope remains that someone will have a good solution and that it will be replicable. In meantime, we look forward to such help!

Thank you very much for your contribution!

Best Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

I totally agree with you Prof. Wiltgen,

humanity is going towards a new chapter that we like it or not and We are sitting on this interesting edge in between pre and post internet generations. So we are the ones who has to suffer for what we have lost (a fulfilling outdoor childhood..) and try to adapt with the new normal that is heavily affecting everyone around us, especially our bored teens!

I am nevertheless positive about the future!

Thanks for your answer ;)

Dear Prof. Giovanni Bordone ,

I am the one who is grateful for your words and reflections on this subject.

And I agree with you, and I also hope very much for a better future!

Thank you!

Prof. Wiltgen

This entirely misses that for our young people, real life is happening on those devices. They are participating in the same social interactions you did in your youth, just in a different format. Some of our analog systems may be lost, but quite a few, paper books come to mind, have outlasted the digital push. This is not something to be concerned over, and it is inevitable. In an age of instant communication, attempting to convince a high school student to not take advantage of that is a waste of time. Rather, focus on getting young people to use their technology responsibly. Use those new tools for the betterment of their communities and their education.

Dear Melissa Brady ,

I respect your opinion, but I disagree.

There is no way to think that digital life can replace real life!

Do you really think the paper book has not been replaced? Not even libraries survived.

I don't know where you live, but I live in a small town that had several bookstores, and today we only have Amazon.

Yes, I am fortunate to have a large private library, but this is unusual. Today my students don't have paper books, not even libraries have survived digitalization. Well, this example you used corroborates the legitimate concern of discussion.

It is not because something seems inevitable that we will not worry! Have you ever thought about saying that to NASA!

The issue is not communication tool, but replacement of it with other natural relationship options. I also do not think it is a waste of time to find solutions that can help enable a young person to understand that real life is undoubtedly much better than digital.

I only agree with your final question, which is everything that has been discussed here so far, I think you have not seen, which is precisely in the sense of thinking of cell phone only as a tool and not as an option of alienation in digital life.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

I think it's all about education. If we will lead adolescents to that smartphones are more of a working tool rather than a toy, we will teach them about healthy use and possible risks, they themselves will accept this fact.

Dear Gabriel Kňažek ,

It is definitely about education!

However, it is also about example, it is about culture, it is about society, in end it is about life!

You are right you need to show that cell phone is just a good tool. However, it is just a tool!

This is undoubtedly most difficult part. To convince young people.

Unfortunately, this is not easy to achieve, and it is not for lack of effort. I think they are not mature enough to understand this and to accept or agree with that fact.

But as you said, it's all education and we won't give up trying!

Thank you for its contribution.

Regards,

Prof. Wiltgen

This is an elusive one.......I'm taking in the suggestions Thanks Giovanni Bordone Gabriel Kňažek Filipe Wiltgen

Dear Adita Maharaj ,

Thank you!

Wiltgen

I believe that we should not teach how to live without cell phones, but rather we should teach how to make effective use of cell phones.

Yeah?!?

just pull the plug :) imagine a world without the internet, electricity ... some countries still live without both. one day will go back to nature. some cities nowadays hit by snowstorm everything was freezed, power was off ..no internet .the ice age is coming,and the solar storm is on the its way.