In our hyperconnected world, apps give us immediate access to connectivity and can
be used for both practical and entertainment purposes. In class we have
discussed the amount of time that we devote daily to checking our phones and
visiting our apps. Some of us even said that the first thing we do when we
wake up is check our Instagram or other social media accounts. For Jodi Dean, apps not only fasten us to our devices, but they also
“withdraw us momentarily from our larger world [and] the pressures of everyday
life,” (Dean, 233, 2014) offering us an escape from reality, even if only for a
few minutes. I know that this is especially true for me when I need a quick
break from my work. Whilst some might get up and stretch or go for a walk, I’ll
either check my Instagram or my BuzzFeed app. Did you guys know that they even
have apps that help users to limit their time spent using apps on their phone? For
example, there’s an app called Offtime that you can download right to your
mobile device, which limits a users access to any apps that they overuse and
records their activity to create charts on how much time they spend on their
phones. There is also another app called BreakFree that monitors phone and app usage and tracks how addicted you are to your
phone and apps. Do any of you think that there will ever become a point
in time where you need to download an app that helps you to lower or control
your time spent using apps or your phone?
Watch the following YouTube clip to see whether or not
you are considered addicted to your phone. Obviously this exaggerative little clip
is a marketing ploy to try and get you to download their app, but it does get
you to consider whether or not you think you spend too much time using your
apps.
Dean, J. (2014). Apps and
Drive. In A. Herman, J. Hadlaw, & T. Swiss (Eds.), Theories of the
Mobile Internet: Materialities and Imaginaries (pp. 232-248). New York:
Routledge.
This is insane. Your post proves that there's an app for literally anything and everything. How ironic that there's an app to stop you from using apps. I wonder if this cultural shift is indeed people becoming addicted or it's simply a new form of sociality and basically just a cultural shift in the way in which we act and socialize. I would argue that it's a bit of both!
ReplyDeleteI agree that many of us, especially our parents are concerned with our media usage. However, using Fisher's article about Networks, it becomes almost impossible to separate work and social media spatially and temporally. Many of our jobs include using media such as email, and promoting on social media such as twitter or Instagram. Fighting media usage seems unrealistic in order to participate within society on a social level. I think this app will have little success but not long term profits.
ReplyDelete