I’d like to announce that I’ve recently acquired a new limb. No, it is not a genetic mutation, but it certainly is a foreign body. I’m amazed by the way it’s worked way seamlessly into my daily routine. It is my way of waking up in the mornings, making sure I get enough exercise, and ensuring I get my 7 hours of sleep a night. And to think, my limb sends emails, take pictures, and even perform the hopelessly outdated function of “calling”.
Smartphones are seemingly innocuous additions to our lives, and while many teens (myself included) use the computing power greater than that used for the moon launch to post Instagram selfies, smartphones have given countless more the power to change their world.
A few years back, there was a story about a young woman who used her smartphone to research a cure for a virus that had been attacking the youth in her village. Imagine that- using the information at your fingertips to really influence your community. Smartphones give anyone the power to become a world-class journalist, with a quality camera at his or her fingertips and a way of immediate communication. There even exist apps that can detect illness, help overcome a disability, or just serve as a health gauge. Smartphones can help us enhance our own lives and the lives of others around the globe. The applications (both literally and figuratively) are endless.
Considering that there are currently more people in India that have a cell phone rather than a toilet in their homes, it is near impossible to imagine the magnitude of the “cell phone” boom. Although I fully admire the sheer power of the smartphone, I can’t help but wonder about the drawbacks. I am in awe of the microblogs and tweets that precipitated the Arab Springs, but I also am concerned by the government’s use of cellular technology to spy on their people. Consider Iran: the government has found and persecuted dissidents of the Shah through tweets and other forms of communication. A smartphone stores so much personal information. Just by carrying my phone, my location and perhaps what I was doing there, is immediately disclosed. Are we ready for this yet? Tracking poses several moral and ethical questions. We cannot ignore them anymore. Just like my alarm on my phone warning me to do the dishes, we have to reevaluate the power we give our new limbs, smartphones, or face the alarming consequences.
