Technology is making the average person’s life worse

With the latest trends in technology, people all over the world have become obsessed with the buzz of a notification or the latest gaming system that tears them from the outside world. This increased fixation is ruining lives, and it is only getting worse.

From iPhones to Playstations, teenagers especially have fallen victim to screen addiction. More than 95 percent of teens reported they own a smartphone, or access to one, according to a study done by Pew Research Center. As for time spent online, 45 percent of teens are on the internet for hours on end. This is precious time teenagers waste behind a screen instead of hanging with friends, driving around or doing the other things that adults lack the time to do.

After speaking to mental health experts on social media and addictive gaming, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, learned that playing video games are more addictive than drugs and alcohol. In result, he has spoken out against ‘Fortnite’ due to its creators purposefully making it so addictive that it keeps teens and pre-teens playing for hours. This news is making headlines in England and the U.S. as he moves to ban the game in hopes of urging kids to finally redirect their focus away from a screen.

Technology also opens the world to the harsh reality of cyberbullying on social media. Apps such as Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are insanely popular. According to DoSomething.org, nearly 43 percent of kids have been bullied online and one in four have experienced it more than once.

The downsides of cyberbullying is widely known, but there are other hazards of technology that differ from screen time. New ‘Car Safety’ technology, such as Apple’s new CarPlay system, is being installed into cars to help drivers send texts, answer calls and skip songs. The efficiency in the idea is credible, but all it does is increase phone use while behind the wheel, even if the physical use of the phone is not involved.

In 2016, more than 3,450 lives were lost in due to distracted driving, which was an increase from the 3,300 lost in 2012, according to the United States Department of Transportation. At the same time, more than 600,000 people are manipulating electronic devices at any time while they are driving, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This not only puts the operators of the vehicle at risk, but also any pedestrians, traffic guards and anyone else who is on the road or near it in danger. Is a simple text really worth the lives of so many?

Technology is making people’s lives worse in more than one way. It is not worth it to send a text while behind the wheel or to go out of the way to hurt someone’s feelings behind a screen. People who are affected by this epidemic, especially teenagers, need to put down the phone and focus on the real world around them.