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Preparation
Today's grandparents are joining their grandchildren on social media, but the different generations' online habits couldn't be more different. In the UK the over-55s are joining Facebook in increasing numbers, meaning that they will soon be the site's second biggest user group, with 3.5 million users aged 55–64 and 2.9 million over-65s.
Sheila, aged 59, says, 'I joined to see what my grandchildren are doing, as my daughter posts videos and photos of them. It's a much better way to see what they're doing than waiting for letters and photos in the post. That's how we did it when I was a child, but I think I'm lucky I get to see so much more of their lives than my grandparents did.'
Ironically, Sheila's grandchildren are less likely to use Facebook themselves. Children under 17 in the UK are leaving the site – only 2.2 million users are under 17 – but they're not going far from their smartphones. Chloe, aged 15, even sleeps with her phone. 'It's my alarm clock so I have to,' she says. 'I look at it before I go to sleep and as soon as I wake up.'
Unlike her grandmother's generation, Chloe's age group is spending so much time on their phones at home that they are missing out on spending time with their friends in real life. Sheila, on the other hand, has made contact with old friends from school she hasn't heard from in forty years. 'We use Facebook to arrange to meet all over the country,' she says. 'It's changed my social life completely.'
Teenagers might have their parents to thank for their smartphone and social media addiction as their parents were the early adopters of the smartphone. Peter, 38 and father of two teenagers, reports that he used to be on his phone or laptop constantly. 'I was always connected and I felt like I was always working,' he says. 'How could I tell my kids to get off their phones if I was always in front of a screen myself?' So, in the evenings and at weekends, he takes his SIM card out of his smartphone and puts it into an old-style mobile phone that can only make calls and send text messages. 'I'm not completely cut off from the world in case of emergencies, but the important thing is I'm setting a better example to my kids and spending more quality time with them.'
Is it only a matter of time until the generation above and below Peter catches up with the new trend for a less digital life?
I see my boys using their smartphone all day, So I realize it is a bad habit , cause They are using it even when they are having their food. Even worse, I am starting to do the same.
Ok, My family and me, we knows the new technology like: facebook, twitter and instagram: but is not difficult for us and easier
I think using smartphones isn't as bad as we believe, but being addicted to the phone throughout the day for nothing beneficial to satisfy their wants, and using social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is the worst thing that we do, the thing is, we change the want in need which isn't good. There are a lot of things to do on smartphones rather than scrolling for the whole day. On the other hand, in my family, my elder sister uses her phone to watch dramas, movies, and animations, and recently she got eyeglasses because of using her phone.
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Who among your family or friends uses their phones more?
In my opinion, both use it more. This seems normal these days. On the other hand, I try not to rely on it because it's very addictive. I agree with some examples: there's a case where someone commented on spending quality time with their family. It's true. Nowadays, families are more disconnected, even if they live together. Most of the time the family spends connected to their phones; there's no time to talk or reflect.
I think we should use social media to our benefits. Nowadays, there are very social media. If we use all of them we miss things that more valuable. So sometimes I notice that I waste my time on Instagram. Then I break to use Instagram. My darling use very social media platforms like tiktok, twitter, instagram. I don't use tiktok and twitter. Especially when I have child I will take precaution to they don't be addicted the smartphones.
Nowadays, people are more spending on social media. That is not wrong because we get more opportunity, reduce time waste to do something, to know up to date news around over the world. However, we can also get disadvantage from using social media. Todays, teenagers and young adults are more using and spending than in the world.
My friends are all the time with the phone. Actually, there are many apps like tiktok that are very entreteiment and funny, they spend a lot of time watch it
My friends are all the time with their phones. Actually, there are many apps such tiktok that is very entertaining and funny, they spend a lot of time watch it