The sight of a teen texting on his/her sidekick or phone is nothing new, be it a shopping mall, a living room, gym or even a classroom. Teenagers in North America are used to having cell phones at the young age of 12 or 13, some even before. However as the years have passed by, teens are now developing a new trend of texting more instead of talking on the phone. Many school officials considered having phones in classrooms a big distraction but this text-obsession might end up being a serious one.

As of the year 2008, more than 75 billion text messages are sent each month compared to 18 billion in the year 2006 which shows an increase of more than 200 percent. 

Many teenagers say it’s easier and more advantageous to text than to call a person. Teens believe it’s awkward to talk on the phone especially when the conversation has a “dead end” where no one knows what to say. Savannah Young, an employee with the Revol Wireless store on South Raccoon Road in Austintown, believes “With texting it’s to the point, so like three hours later, you might resume your conversation. If you get a text back, that’s cool, but if not, that’s OK.”

Furthermore, recent phones like iPhone, blackberry and G1 have Wi-Fi enabled which allow a user to use the internet but many use it just for IM or chat. Psychologists believe that “tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking them for electronic messages” temporarily takes away 10 points from a user’s IQ. This means that Electronic messaging lowers a user’s IQ by 10 points which is higher than Marijuana which lowers it by four points.

80% of teens own cell phones

Average of to get a phone is between 10 and 11

Teens average 2,272 texts per month

An average teen sends 75 texts per day

40 percent teens can text blindfolded

In addition, text messaging is more dangerous than just reducing someone’s IQ.  Brandie J. Conklin who was 22 died on April 12^th as her car crashed with a milk truck. Officials have said that she had been exchanging text messages with her boyfriend at the time of the crash. Eleven States in the U.S have already passed laws which prohibit texting while driving which include Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and Washington—and the District of Columbia.

Author: Rahul Mehta