Throughout the years we’ve seen countless technological advancements that have seemed to help society for the better- (and yes, also for the worse but we will not be discussing that today). Regardless, as a result, there has been a division between age groups in the usage of some of the most common forms of technology- mobile devices. Our cellphones, tablets, and smartwatches are very helpful pieces that assist us in our daily lives, and some people use them for texting, to read the news, take photos, or social media to name a few.

In 2019, 96 percent of 18 to 29 year olds owned a smartphone in the United States, and this shows how essential cell phone ownership is for Gen Z and Millennials, especially for social media usage. As for people from the age of 30-49, 92 percent of them owned smartphones, and the number decreased to 79 percent for the age group of 50-64 (Statista.com).

I proceeded to ask a peer some questions, with respect to smartphone ownership, and cell phone usage in general, within her family and herself. 

Jadee Ortega is a junior at Cal, and she states, “Four members of my family own smartphones, and I use my phone a lot more for school… and on top of that, I’m usually on my phone for like 2-3 hours a day for entertainment purposes or listening to music”

Technology is at the touch of our fingertips, and it can do wonders for our daily tasks no matter how old we are, but it’s important to remember to use them responsibly!