Digital Discourse Database

Number of Posts: 47
Posts 21 - 30

How To Completely Unplug From Your Smartphone For An Entire Day

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Newspaper | Huffington Post
Date | 3.6.2015
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | addiction, research/study, technology-free
Summary | We are all a little addicted to our technological devices and are so used to spending all spare time we have on our smartphones. It is however greatly beneficial to our body and mind to unplug completely for a day. We may not be able to fathom what we could do will all that time without technological devices but the author provides a long list of possible activities: cooking a well-balanced breakfast, reading an actual print newspaper or book, exercising, cleaning up, taking up a craft, playing with one's pets, meeting friends, or going on a day trip to explore.
Image Description | Getty images of people doing the suggested activities and one of a person photographing a sunset on their smartphone (described by tags).
Image Tags | camera, female(s), hand(s), smartphone

Here’s A Clear Sign You Might Be Too Dependent On Your Phone

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Newspaper | Huffington Post
Date | 26.1.2017
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | (mental) health, addiction, research/study, threat
Summary | American researchers have conducted studies confirming that "device dependability" is a real psychiatric illness that leads people to perceive phantom buzzes from their smartphones, i.e. to hear a notification when there is none. Most individuals affected show neurotic personality traits and/or feel anxious when separated from their smartphone. The condition is supposed to be included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychological Association and the researchers hope that this will raise awareness of the dangers of smartphone dependability or addiction.
Image Description | Getty image of five race and gender diverse young adults holding smartphones in front of an orange wall.
Image Tags | female(s), male(s), smartphone

Les jeunes passent plus de temps sur le net

(Young people spend more time online)

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Newspaper | 20 minutes
Date | 9.11.2016
Language | French
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | addiction, research/study, smartphone, social media, threat, youth
Summary | According to a study, young people spend an average of 2 hours and 30 minutes online during the week, and 3 hours and 40 minutes on the weekend. Also, young people cannot live without their smartphone. They don't usually use their phone to make phone calls or text; they rather use their phone for social media (e.g. Snapchat, Instagram). Even though young people spend a lot of time on their phone, they still meet with friends face-to-face. Smartphones do not replace physical relationships. Finally, families should have rules for new media use at home.
Image Description | Photograph of a group of teenagers (their faces are cut off from the picture); they are sitting next to each other using their phones.
Image Tags | smartphone

Los jóvenes se sienten incompletos sin internet y las redes sociales

(Young people feel incomplete without internet and social media)

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Newspaper | El Mundo
Date | 9.4.2014
Language | Spanish
Country | Spain
Topic Tags | addiction, research/study, smartphone, social media, threat, youth
Summary | A lot of young people wouldn't be able to live without new technologies (internet, social media, etc.). According to a study, they feel isolated and incomplete without them, and they wouldn't know how to socialize. Young people are aware of the advantages of internet and social media (e.g. possibility to have many relationships) as well as the risks of such new technologies (e.g. loss of privacy). They also know they can become dependent on their digital devices. However, they are not so worried; they think such disadvantages are normal and part of today's society. The survey also showed contradictory results; 74% of the respondents thought that social media facilitate new friendships, but about 72% of them thought that social media isolate people more.
Image Description | Video: interview of young people about their online practices, and two charts showing statistics about online practices.
Image Tags | chart, computer/laptop, female(s), male(s), smartphone

Ante la violencia de género: 'Educad al niño para no castigar al hombre'

(Gender violence: 'Educate the child so as not to punish the man')

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Newspaper | El Mundo
Date | 26.11.2016
Language | Spanish
Country | Spain
Topic Tags | addiction, gender, threat, youth
Summary | A photo competition called "Don't touch my WhatsApp" (No me toques el WhatsApp) took place in Spain in order to fight against gender violence. A work called "Connected" won the second prize in the '14-17 year-old' category. According to the director, the photograph represents a different side of today's reality; whereas young people rely a lot on new technologies -which can harm relationships-, the work portrays the substitution of a digital relationship to a face-to-face one. The face-to-face relationship is sincere, direct, responsible, and caring.
Image Description | Photograph of two young people sitting on a bench and texting; YouTube video (second prize in the 'video' category); photograph of two young people talking face-to-face in the backgroung (foreground: two smartphones).
Image Tags | female(s), male(s), smartphone, text

El 21% de los jóvenes está en riesgo de ser adicto a las nuevas tecnologías

(21% of young people are at risk of becoming addicted to new technologies)

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Newspaper | El País
Date | 3.7.2015
Language | Spanish
Country | Spain
Topic Tags | (mental) health, addiction, research/study, smartphone, threat, youth
Summary | A lot of young people are addicted to their phones; although they might not know they are addicted, they spend most of their time glued to their phone. Beatriz Valera is 19 and is addicted. She used to spend her days alone on her computer and smartphone. She would only spend time with people online. A psychologist expert in addictions claims that the need to be part of a social group makes people addicted to the digital world. Techno-addicts need to learn how to use their digital devices and how to control themselves. To help them, experts also suggest giving them the same advice as they would give drug addicts. Most of the techno-addicts are between 14 and 30 years old.
Image Description | Photograph of a girl holding a phone that is hiding her face.
Image Tags | female(s), smartphone

Más dóciles y más cobardes

(More docile and more coward)

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Newspaper | El País
Date | 28.3.2015
Language | Spanish
Country | Spain
Topic Tags | addiction, smartphone, threat
Summary | Smartphones and tablets are invading our lives and making us less social. People cannot live without their digital devices; they love them and carry them everywhere. Before smartphones and computers, people had time to think, and information didn't travel at the speed of light. The Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben claimed that we've never been so docile and coward at the same time. Smartphones and tablets are making us lonely. People used to gather around fires, and then around TV. Now everyone has his or her own screen and own headphones.
Image Description | Photograph of three smartphones with a picture of a headphone.
Image Tags | headphones, smartphone

Think millennials have it tough? For 'Generation K', life is even harsher

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Newspaper | The Guardian
Date | 19.3.2016
Language | English
Country | UK
Topic Tags | addiction, smartphone, youth
Summary | Today's teenagers talk about the struggles and fears they face nowadays (e.g. job insecurity, distrust in government). They think that life is tougher for them than for their parent's generation. The author of the article suggests that despite people's hyperconnectivity, today's teenagers are lonely. They also prefer hanging out with friends face-to-face even though virtual communication is the norm or standard. This generation is also very creative and active on social media; they want to make things and not only consume/buy things.
Image Description | Illustration of Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games) with a smartphone, photograph of teenagers on their smartphones (their face is either cut off from the picture or blurred), photograph of Bernie Sanders' supporters, and portrait of Felix Kjellberg (famous on YouTube).
Image Tags | female(s), male(s), smartphone

‘We’ve grown up with some frightening events’: UK teenagers' hopes and fears

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Newspaper | The Guardian
Date | 19.3.2016
Language | English
Country | UK
Topic Tags | addiction, smartphone, social media, youth
Summary | Five teenagers and young adults talk about the society they live in (jobs, school, alcohol, social media, etc.). They blame social media for being a waste of time and for favoring bullying. Moreover, social media are responsible for spreading certain norms that young people are expected to follow (e.g. ideals of beauty for men and women). One teenage girl claims that social media make people competitive. Even though she agrees that smartphones are addictive, it would be hard for her to live without it because she wouldn't want to miss out on things.
Image Description | Series of six photographs: two teenage girls on their smartphone are sitting back to back, and portraits of the five interviewees.
Image Tags | female(s), male(s), smartphone

Cellphones really are addictive. Here's why.

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Newspaper | Washington Post
Date | 8.2.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | (mental) health, addiction, smartphone, technology-free
Summary | The author reports of her journey of trying to reduce her smartphone use. She decided to start regulating her new media use in her everyday life because she knows the amazing feeling of being free of the internet for a while. Her family takes a technology free vacation every year. Smartphones attract our gaze in an addictive way, similar to casino slot machinces, studies confirm. Exessive smartphone use causes health issues such as sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, and car accidents.
Image Description | iStock photograph of a surprised man looking at his smartphone while lying in bed.
Image Tags | male(s), smartphone

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