Doncaster Voices: “Are young people too reliant on their phones?”

Laura Andrew – Doncaster resident:

“I absolutely fall into the category of ‘millenial who is glued to their phone.’

“I spend on average 3 hours 30 minutes a day on my iPhone (you can check your screen time on your settings).However I do not necessarily think this is a negative thing, I use my phone for work, to keep in touch with friends and to stay connected with the world’s news. Even though I may have a slightly unhealthy relationship with my phone - I do sleep with it under my pillow- I still think the positives out way the negatives. Social media has become a networking tool like no other and I use apps such as Instagram and Twitter to help me in my profession as well for personal enjoyment. In terms of age I don’t think we can only blame the youth generations for being addicted- my parents spend just as much time on their devices as I do.”

Andrew Hibbitt – Doncaster Chamber:

“It is only natural for young people to embrace and connect with technology.

“It might appear that they are too reliant on technology like mobile phones due to negative consequences it can bring. However it can be noted that the positive outcome of relying on these tools far outweighs the negative. We should support the skills that young people have learned today through the use of technology, and the fact they are capable of doing things that previous generations would never have even dreamed of. We do however have a responsibility as a nation to ensure that not just young people, but everyone, uses technology as efficiently as a person who uses it frequently. Whilst key skills have been gained through the use of mobile phones, we cannot forget the importance of both verbal and written communication.”

Emily West – Doncaster Youth Council advisor

“As a young person, yes, our lives do revolve around our phones. But we rely on them purely because of the useful opportunities that are available in many different forms; whether it’s revision for exams, viewing job availabilities, or to offer a more versatile way in order to communicate

“In 2019, we, as a younger generation, have never been more connected, and I feel that without phones, we would be lost. Shy, introverted people can feel more at ease communicating with others their age online, which encourages self-confidence and new social skills in a time where anxiety is common within young people. Phones may be seen as a disruption to education, but the truth is all the games, social media sites and revision advice available are actually a fundamental way for children and young people to learn and grow, as technology plays such a main part in today’s society.”

Margaret Herbert – Doncaster resident

“Mobile phones are great, especially when caught in a rain storm with a load of shopping I can just dial a taxi.

“But what I do object to, is people on a bus or train who go on and on when talking about all their personal ailments. Children on their way to school who walk aimlessly across the road without looking, talking to their friends who are generally a few yards away. In most ways they are a ‘god-send’ and must be great for men working on building sites, also when the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, which is how I first persuaded my husband to have one. They can of course be intrusive when in a meeting and not turned off or in the cinema or theatre. Young people tend to be those who become too reliant on them but we must remember that they are being brought up in a world of technology.”