Smartphones, Big Tech, and Social-Media Addiction

I remember the days of typing out text messages using T9, deleting texts after reading the previews so that they wouldn’t diminish my allotted 400 per month, and calling my best friend on the home phone because it was too early in the evening to access free minutes on the family cell plan.

These experiences would be unimaginable to most kids ten years younger than me, members of a generation that grew up awash in digital technology, screen time, social media, and smartphones. I was in middle school when Apple introduced the iPhone, and as I progressed through high school, few of my peers had one. In fact, few of my peers’ parents had one. By the time I got to college, I was one of very few students without one.

About the Author

Alexandra DeSanctis

Alexandra DeSanctis is a contributing writer at National Review.

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I remember the days of typing out text messages using T9, deleting texts after reading the previews so that they wouldn’t diminish my allotted 400 per month, and calling my best friend on the home phone because it was too early in the evening to access free minutes on the family cell plan.

These experiences would be unimaginable to most kids ten years younger than me, members of a generation that grew up awash in digital technology, screen time, social media, and smartphones. I was in middle school when Apple introduced the iPhone, and as I progressed through high school, few of my peers had one. In fact, few of my peers’ parents had one. By the time I got to college, I was one of very few students without one.