Points to speak on the topic ‘Technology addiction’:
- Technology made our lives so much easier. But it also created a new problem, which is tech addiction. With the increasing usage of smartphones and the internet, people of all ages are struggling with tech addiction.
- The pandemic made tech addiction even worse. People were forced to stay indoors, so to escape from the feeling of isolation, many people took the help of technology and got addicted unknowingly. Even students had to attend online classes, and hence the usage of smartphones and the internet increased a lot.
- Tech addiction causes several negative consequences such as decreasing attention spans, lack of interest in studies and hobbies, unable to form deep human connections, memory troubles, poor sleep quality, giving importance to virtual lives to real lives, inability to focus etc.
- Even people who are avid readers are losing interest in reading books after getting addicted to technology. Many people are complaining that now they feel like it requires so much effort to read a book when compared to watching movies or other digital video content.
- We can know that we are addicted to technology if we think that our internet usage is affecting our lives negatively, but are unable to change our behaviour.
- Several social media apps are providing an option to set a time limit to remind us to stop using the app. But, the more we use technology, the more neurological changes take place in the brain. So, it is very difficult to have self-control when we are addicted.
- People who are suffering from anxiety issues and depression are even more vulnerable to tech addiction because it provides an escape from the problems in life.
- Instead of passing the responsibility of self-control to users, tech companies should take steps to prevent this addiction. Several engineers work in tech companies to make their platforms and apps addictive. They do this to make users spend more time on their platforms so that they can get more revenue.
- Providing awareness to students about the negative consequences of tech addiction is also important.
- Providing healthy offline distractions can help many to overcome addiction. Moreover, if there is a lack of public parks to have casual chit-chat with people, governments should take steps to construct them.
- Digital detox should be promoted. Having a tech-free day can help us realize how much addicted we are to technology. It can help us to choose healthy offline alternatives, and most importantly it can improve our relationships.
Conclusion:
Technology made our lives so much easier. It is very difficult to imagine our lives without technology. But with increasing dependence on tech, many people irrespective of age are getting addicted to it. Reaping the benefits of tech without getting addicted is important. Moreover, tech companies should take responsibility and should not promote addictive behaviours.
Your Turn…
Are you addicted to technology? What are your thoughts on this topic? Express your point of view through the comment section below. And subscribe to our blog to read answers to the trending GD topics.
Photo by cottonbro
References:
- Psychiatrists warn of internet addiction in children
- Tech addiction is real. We psychologists need to take it seriously.
- Big Tech and Big Food both resemble Big Tobacco today
- How Does Technology Addiction Impact The Brain?
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