Smartphones: Essential or too Invasive?

Everywhere you go you will see people on their smartphones, from iPhones to Androids to Windows phones. Go on popular sites like Imgur or Buzzfeed, and you'll see all sorts of funny pictures and memes about how technology is taking over our lives, how when people are 'hanging out' with friends they're really just staring at their phone. Most people will argue that their smartphone is essential to their everyday life, but if that's true then what did you do 6 years ago, when smartphones barely existed? Even beyond technology taking up everyone's attention, apps you have on your phone may be taking more information about you than you realize. 

I recently saw an article about how Facebook's mobile messenger app for smartphones recently got a major update, along with several new required permissions. For Android users, every time you update an app, the app may ask to be granted access to more parts of your phone, such as your pictures or account information. Generally, everyone just accepts all new permissions, because you can't update the app otherwise. According to this article, which I ironically found through Facebook, the Facebook messenger app now has access to people's cameras, microphones, text messages, and emails. This means that Facebook can see what your phone sees by remotely turning on your camera and looking through. Facebook can hear what your phone hears by turning on the microphone. And Facebook can see all your text messages and emails, and even send messages on your behalf, without you knowing. Now, Facebook probably wouldn't send anything or take a picture without you knowing, but they can still see everything you might not want them to see. 

Facebook, smartphones, technology, and a whole lot of other potential privacy invaders are very useful to public relations professionals, but at what cost does using them on-the-go come to you? Right now there doesn't seem to be any way besides totally disconnecting, which many people can't do, so I believe that more people have to become aware of this issue and start protesting this invasion of million's of people's privacy. 

Here's a link to the full article: http://thebull.cbslocal.com/2014/08/07/facebook-crosses-the-line-with-new-facebook-messenger-app/ 

What do you think about smartphone use? We'd love to hear from you!

Benefits of Unplugging

Smartphones are our best friends and our worst enemies. They allow us to answer important emails on the go, remind us of meetings, and let us share on social media from just about anywhere. But they can also be a source of stress, constantly connecting us to work. We all know public relations is not a 9 to 5 job, a client crisis or PR emergency could happen at any moment, but it’s even less so thanks to our mobile devices eternally in the palm of our hand. So turn off that phone, sit back, relax, and check out these benefits of occasionally going off the grid.

More free time. As PR practitioners, it’s important to be up to date with what’s trending on social media. But think of how much time you waste continually scrolling and refreshing your news feeds only to see the same content over and over. Use those five minutes here and there more wisely to do something offline, like starting that book you've been hearing so much about.

More sleep. Putting your phone on airplane mode, or better yet turning it off altogether, allows you a good night’s sleep without the interruption of a text or update. This will also eliminate that awful habit most of us have of lying in bed continually refreshing our news feeds which always keeps us up later than expected. Staring at that bright screen at night suppresses your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone which regulates sleep.

Less stress. This one’s a given. Stepping away from your phone every once in a while will give you the opportunity to relax and get your mind off of school work and office work. You’ll be better equipped to deal with that to-do list if you’re not seconds away from a mental breakdown.

So as much as we love our smartphones and the access they give us to, well, just about everything, it’s important to give yourself the time you need away from the screen. 

Smartphone Dependency Syndrome: It's Real

Have you ever told yourself that you need to put your iPhone away? 

You tell yourself you'll put it down for the next thirty minutes   You feel like you are being super productive and it starts to feel as if it has been hours since you last checked it. You think about all the texts, tweets and Instagrams you've missed. You pick up your phone and look at the time. Only three minutes have passed.

Face it, you're addicted; but you're not alone.

According to the new Research report by IDC, smartphone dependency is real for Android and iPhone users, ages 18 to 44. 

The report is based off of an online survey, sponsored by Facebook, of 7,444 smartphone users 18 to 44 years old during a week of March. 

Here are some of the eye-opening numbers from the report:

49% of the entire U.S. population uses a smartphone, according to previous research from IDC. By 2017, the percent of smartphone users is expected to reach 68%.

132 minutes is average amount of time each day that smartphone users spend communicating and using social media on their phones. Over the weekend that number increases to 163 minutes.

70% of smartphone users check Facebook on their phones; 61% check it every day, oftentimes more than one time a day.

Four out of five smartphone users check their phones within the first 15 minutes of waking up. Among them, 80% say it’s the first thing they do in the morning.

79% of smartphone users have their phone on or near them for all but two hours of their waking day. 63% keep it with them for all but one hour. One-fourth couldn’t recall a time of the day when their phone wasn’t in the same room as them. 

Are you addicted to your iPhone? Tell us about it.