Mobile And Social Media Apps - An Addiction Or Convenience?

7/13/2017

By Syed Adeel Ali Shah

Mobile and Social media app(s) usage and dependency has become rampant in our present cultures, societies, and world at large; and this is mainly credited to the dynamic revolution of technology and the immense ease of use linked to it.

The reliance we have has humans on these mobile apps is increasing with every single passing minute. Applications are everywhere. They have become an integral part of our modern lifestyle, blended between our personal and professional lives.

If you are reading this piece in a public location -- like a garden, book store, or a restaurant -- take a minute to look around you. What do you see?

I have reason to believe that most of you are probably witnessing a majority of your civil pears looking constantly at their mobile screen devices. Plus, having their necks bent in a posture quite hurtful if consciously aware of such movement.

Such is the addiction of these mobile (smart) phones, along with their apps. These mobile apps literally are driving our routine, and eating out a major chunk of our time daily.

(Picture source: tranqueelsoftwares.com)

Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Messenger are just a few of the most commonly used mobile phone apps being launched every day. Three of the top list apps are Facebook-owned (Facebook, Instagram and Facebook Messenger).

The love for using these social media apps is deeply rooted in the present era. Millennials are undoubtedly the most app-happy group, relying on apps accessed by their smartphones.

These social networking sites (and apps) have millions of active users. This is evident from the chart referenced below, showing these apps and their respective active users.

Source: Statista.com

It seems like there is an app for everything these days. As of the first quarter of 2017, there were 2.2 million apps available on the Apple App Store and almost 3 million on Google Play.

In fact, there's a growing concept called “FOMO”---fear of missing out”, which is primarily associated with the addiction to social media apps. In essence, it is the phobia that urges us to know everything going on around us at present and, to somehow, be the part of these current happenings.

How These Apps Have Become Central To Our Lives

SAVES TIME & MONEY

"Time is Money”, said Benjamin Franklin and, for sure, in certain fields of life these apps can certainly save both time and money. These applications can be used in making Work orders, contract agreements, filling out a wide range of forms as well as having features that allow you to be able to capture signatures on the fly can help reduce paperwork and having to process endless amounts of sheets involved.

CONVENIENCE

These applications have made access to basic information very convenient. This information can guide you on road maps, can tell you when and which turn to take, where is the nearest fuel station, departmental stores, and locations of restaurants along with their tempting deals.

CUSTOMIZED APPLICATIONS

In today’s world, there are app creators that can design a specific app that fits your explicit needs. You can tailor the app as per your requirements. SMEs are mainly taking the services of such customized apps in order to keep a track on their sales, cost and employees performance.

SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

The more you know about these mobile apps and the more hands on you are with them, the more likely you are to be accepted socially. This is becoming a new trend of our society. People are generally found to be more attracted towards those who know about the current apps and their usage than towards those that do not.

COMMUNICATION

The word ‘distance’ has lost its meaning in the present age. Ease for communication has increased immensely. Unarguably mobile phone app is the most effective and easiest tool experience some form of communication anytime, anywhere in the World. Apart from personal life, Mobile phone apps are bringing a major shift in the way people communicate at work.

What's The Dark Side?

SECURITY RISK

With the amplified usage of mobile apps, security stakes pertaining to the same has augmented drastically. The biggest threat to smartphone users comes from third-party apps. These applications are considered to be notorious, especially as far as leakage of personal information is concerned. These threats to confidentiality are open for both individuals and businesses.

DYSFUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

All important relationships, especially that of kids and parents, has suffered enormously thanks to these addictive apps. It is widely observed that parents aren’t giving the due time to their kids as they deserve because much of the leisure time is soaked up by mobile applications. The younger generation also has found these apps to be better companions than their siblings and, at times, their parents also.

A CAUSE OF DISTRACTION

The younger generation, especially that of high school, tend to lose a lot of the priceless time of youth because of their obsessive need to absorb themselves in these applications - even to an extent of compromising their academics. This could in the longer run hamper their personal development and ultimately their personality. Role of peer pressure also comes into play.

How it Should Be Tackled

As simple as it may sound, the most significant gadget (no pun intended) we have to dodge tech espionage is our “brain” coupled with our greatest tool, “common sense”.

It normally is our tendency to skim a lot of information over the internet but at these desperate times, it becomes highly imperative to absorb a little more knowledge in the dangers of this area, which just might come extremely handy.

Guest Writer

Syed Adeel Ali Shah is a Banker by profession. Apart from this, He is a content writer and blogger. He has an MBA in Marketing and Finance.

You can contact Syed at SyedAdeelAliShah4@gmail.com

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