Gunpowder of the twenty-first century: Mobile phone - no less a social phonomenon than a technical one

A turning point in the history of telecommunication was marked in 2002 when the number of mobile subscribers overtook the number of fixed-line subscribers on a global scale. Mobiles became the dominant technology for voice communications. But no advances in technology are possible without effect upon society. Mobile technology transforms societies the same way gunpowder, electricity, radio, nuclear power and the Internet did.

Mobile phones allow users to construct their own ‘at-home’ environment, regardless of where they find themselves in physical space. With the fixed-line phone, an incoming call rings at a place, no matter which person is being called. With the mobile, a person is being called regardless of place. It gives users the impression that they are constantly connected to the world outside but sociologists are concerned that both physical and emotional attachment to mobile handsets is increasing. Many are afraid to leave home without it, and feel uncomfortable when others peruse their mobile menus or messages.

While admitting to an overall increase in spontaneous and widespread social interaction, Taylor & Francis Group researcher, Lara Srivastava, argue that mobile phones may be reducing the quality of face-to-face social interaction. Although the quantity of communication has increased through the anywhere and anytime functionality of the mobile, the qualitative aspect of communication may not have been correspondingly improved. Furtive text messaging, for instance, can often give an illusion of strong communication, whereas it is a medium that clearly lacks some of the principal elements of human interaction, such as tone of voice, body language, facial expression and touch.

Teenagers tend to be strongly affected by mobile phones technology and the most vulnerable to its ‘side effects’.Some sociologists claim that texting teenagers run the risk of affecting their capacity to interact with each other on a voice or face-to-face basis: many choose to text rather than to talk, particularly in awkward or emotionally-charged situations. According to Nokia survey, 78 per cent of users admitted to ducking out of uncomfortable or awkward social situations by sending a text message rather than calling

While the majority of adults may tend to use texting primarily for practical arrangements (appointments etc.), teenagers use texting as a medium to express a wide spectrum of emotion and feeling. Young couples text each other romantic poems or even argue through lengthy exchanges of short messages

Srivastava argue that mobile phones have certainly made it easier to engage in spontaneous communications, perhaps facilitating that first step in finding a mate. They also help maintain a loving relationship, allowing couples to keep in touch when they are apart. However, the mobile has also contributed to heightened individualism and to a reduced degree of intimacy between couples. When each partner has their own personal mobile phone, there is less potential for sharing communication experiences. Partners are likely to be disturbed by a call from a friend, colleague or a family member. In this respect, the mobile can even initiate romantic relationships outside a couple

It seems that despite the overwhelming availability of communications media (email, fixed-line voice, mobile messaging, mobile voice etc.), people are becoming harder to reach. According to the results of the Nokia survey 71 per cent of users are now consistently late for social events because of the option to rearrange through a mobile voice call or text and almost 70 per cent admitted that they often cancel at the last minute by sending a text message.

Mobile phones, therefore, tend to weaken communities, such as families, while at the same time strengthening decentralized and constantly evolving networks.