The gains and hazard of cell phone technology
Studies have also revealed that constant
contact with the gadget, to certain part
of human body could lead to cancerous
diseases and other dangerous ailment. A
scenario that has compelled numerous
people to wangle their tongues, many to
grumble, few to be indifferent while
some others excited and hopeful as was
encapsulated in the preceding
paragraphs.
However, the questions now begging for
answers is who is right in these whole
theatre of praises and condemnation and
what indeed are the gains and hazards
of Global System for Mobile
Communication (GSM) technology to
global community?
The first and third category of people
who believe that the technology is a
welcome development further defend
their position when they note that the
benefits inherent in the new innovation
are enormous as, according to them, one
can communicate to his relation, friend,
wife, husband and business associates in
other continents of the world from the
comfort of his living room without
having to travel the long distance or wait
for months before letter which used to
be the commonest means of
communicating in the recent past gets to
the intended party in the distant country
before he could fix a business meeting or
exchange pleasantries in the case of a
lover.
Buttressing their point further, they
explain that the cell phones are also used
to store data, take pictures and upload in
the Internet for friends to view, read
sacred books like the Bible, make new
friends and chat with them in various
social media platforms, etc.
They further say that the business
opportunity it creates is enormous as
many are engaged in the sale of cell
phones, others in the manufacturing and
assembling of their parts, some other in
repairs and sale of airtime while
numerous others are in the services and
regulation sub sector.
The remaining two categories; however,
contend that the calamity associated with
cell phone technology is something to
alarm the entire globe, developing and
developed, white and black, male and
female, educated and uneducated as well
as the young and the old.
They argue that apart from the health
implications of the use of this new
technology, it also promotes criminality
such as kidnapping, sexual harassment,
corruption, and adulteration of innocent
minds etc.
It is common knowledge, according to
them, that some commercial sex workers
are exploiting the existence of the social
media platform to promote their trade
by uploading their nude or half nude
pictures on the Internet with contact
numbers and prices of the sexual
escapade attached for interested parties
to contact them.
There are also reported cases of a female
who had in the recent past fallen victim
of ritual killing through friends met on
facebook that is in addition to a few who
were crushed by incoming vehicle due to
their absent mindedness on the road
following their over-attention to their
cell phones, either pinging or chatting.
There was the case of a Youth Corp
member who was crushed in Lagos by an
incoming truck because of his absent
mindedness while he was chatting with
his phone.
They also complain about what they
describe as the ineptitude and
nonchalance of Consumer Protection
Council (CPC) and Nigerian
Communication Commission (NCC) in
protecting mobile phone subscribers
from exploitation by telecom operators.
They see these as another minus to the
technology in developing countries such
as Nigeria.
The group argue that it is common
knowledge that young college students
also perform poorly in examinations
because they pay more attention to their
phones than to their studies, ‘you see
most of them playing with their cell
phones either listening to music or
chatting with friends while lecture is
ongoing in classes,’ they say
At this juncture; however, it will be
instructive to note that whichever divide
one may find himself the argument is
valid but the ultimate truth is that
mankind will not restrain themselves
from innovation and progress, simply
because of the shortcomings inherent in
it. As the Igbo say, “Warriors will not
desert war front because of fear of
death.” Therefore, the cell phone
technology is a welcome development.
CONCLUDED
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