Should The Professor Beale Russel Supporting Social Interaction With Smart Phones

In the article, “Supporting Social Interaction with Smartphones” Professor Beale Russell from the University of Birmingham, makes the argument that smartphones are the next step to effective communication. With the smartphones recent innovations from a computing device to a communication device, social interactions will become more prevalent. Russel claims that smartphones encouraging social interaction is flawed because phones are addictive and time-consuming, leave little room for face-to-face communication and lead users to become incapable of communicating properly.
Russel argues that the high accessibility of smartphones is a positive attribute for the advancements of communication. Yet the obsessive attachment smartphone users have with
Russel claims that the diverse ways to communicate “[p]rovide…an easier solution to an old problem” (36). According to Bian and Louis, applications that allowed a user to type, where easy outlets to avoid face-to-face communication. (64) In correlation with smartphone use a person’s time is consistently being sacrificed from possible direct interactions, which in contrast smartphones aimed to increase. Thornton states, “The “constant connectivity” afforded by mobile technology has contributed to a preoccupation with the cell phone- an overwhelming majority of users check their phone upon waking and as the last thing before bed, are continually checking calls and texts and report they could not go without their phone for one day” (479).In many occasions instead of creating opportunist for contact, cell phones have become a middle man between social interactions. Direct communication has become less prevalent in the current information technology era. Furthermore, Thornton argues that, the ability to always connect becomes a constant distraction for us. Its makes it difficult to stay focus and think critically (479). Do to features like social media and different applications, the conventional way of communication and entertainment have been replaced. But
Smartphone users are so used to communicating over the phone or through text messages that they rarely understand the etiquettes of face to face communication. With little experience preforming the act, many are unaware of how to conduct themselves properly. According to Bian and Leung, “Some users even put the mobile phone on the table for all to see, implying that if the interaction is not interesting enough, and they have alternatives. Furthermore, some users appear invasive, impolite and disruptive” (62). Checking their phones and not maintaining eye contact while holding a conversation, is one of the many mistakes that smartphone users unintentionally make. Yet not only is the etiquette of direct communication affected but also the conversation. Body language speaks volumes over what a person is actually saying. People who are unaccustomed to this form of interactions will be unaware of these subtle cues. According Thornton, smartphones have been proven unfavorable to conversations held face to face in the present. A persons mind begins to wonder to the interaction opportunities within the broad range of their mobile devises and their actions soon reflect these thoughts (480). The mere presence of smartphones has an effect on the way we communicate effectively. Russel made the claim