Stanford students put down their iPhones to protest Apple not doing enough to curb device ...
Students from Stanford staged a technology addiction protest outside the Palo Alto Apple Store on Saturday, declaring Apple is not doing enough to prevent iPhone and iPad users from constantly checking their devices, urging the company to make changes that could help take the user's focus away from their smartphone's apps.
Standing outside the store, located on University Avenue, the group Stanford Students Against Addictive Devices (SSAAD) held signs and distributed fliers about the dangers of device addiction, reports Stanford Daily. The group is headed by Stanford computer science majors Sanjay Kannan, Evan Sabri Eyuboglu, Cameron Ramos, and Divyahans Gupta, with the four co-authoring a statement included in the flyers on behalf of the group.
The statement refers to studies claiming phone addiction causes stress, harms relationships, and undermines productivity. According to a survey by Common Sense Media referenced by the group, 69 percent of adults are said to check their iPhone on an hourly basis, and 50 percent of teenagers say they "feel addicted" to their iPhones.
The pamphlet claims Apple is responsible for some of the addiction, as iPhones are said to be the gateway to addictive services, namely apps and platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The group believes Apple is "uniquely capable" in helping curb device dependence as its business model doesn't rely on such addiction, but at the same time, insists it does not take "common sense" steps to curb addiction.
The group suggests Apple could start tracking phone usage and provide reports to users how much time they spend on addictive services. More fine-grained control of app notifications are also requested, along with an option to go into a reduced distraction mode that limits interaction with an iPhone to essential tasks, including calls, texts, and photography.
"We felt that this is the kind of change that a lot of consumers have to demand before Apple takes sustained action," said Kannan, who also hopes that if Apple makes changes to decrease phone addiction, other device producers will do the same.
"Historically, Apple has been the one to popularize new features and make them something that every phone consumer expects," the student claims. "Face ID is a good example. Other companies did it before Apple, but once Apple did it, it's like [it became] something we all need to have."
Apple has been previously pressed on the matter of addiction, as in January a pair of major Apple shareholders issued an open letter asking Apple to study the impact of smartphone use on children and teachers. The letter also proposed modifying the initial setup of an iPhone to allow parents to set limits on screen time, what services a child can access, and to potentially monitor their child's usage.
While iOS does have some parental restrictions, they are mostly affecting the ability for younger users to buy apps and in-app content, as well as access to "offensive" apps and media, and the use of features like location sharing. There are more extensive controls on macOS that provide much of the control options requested by critics, including access to specific apps, limited periods of usage, and overall time limits.
Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive briefly raised the issue of device addiction during an October interview, as one of the negative points of the iPhone's design. When pressed, Ive admitted the "constant use" of a device is a misuse of the technology, and hinted the design of the Apple Watch was to address that very problem.
Ive also mused that the challenge of finding a balance in life, surrounded by objects, tools, and interactions, is a constant struggle that existed long before modern technology, let alone the iPhone.
Standing outside the store, located on University Avenue, the group Stanford Students Against Addictive Devices (SSAAD) held signs and distributed fliers about the dangers of device addiction, reports Stanford Daily. The group is headed by Stanford computer science majors Sanjay Kannan, Evan Sabri Eyuboglu, Cameron Ramos, and Divyahans Gupta, with the four co-authoring a statement included in the flyers on behalf of the group.
The statement refers to studies claiming phone addiction causes stress, harms relationships, and undermines productivity. According to a survey by Common Sense Media referenced by the group, 69 percent of adults are said to check their iPhone on an hourly basis, and 50 percent of teenagers say they "feel addicted" to their iPhones.
The pamphlet claims Apple is responsible for some of the addiction, as iPhones are said to be the gateway to addictive services, namely apps and platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The group believes Apple is "uniquely capable" in helping curb device dependence as its business model doesn't rely on such addiction, but at the same time, insists it does not take "common sense" steps to curb addiction.
The group suggests Apple could start tracking phone usage and provide reports to users how much time they spend on addictive services. More fine-grained control of app notifications are also requested, along with an option to go into a reduced distraction mode that limits interaction with an iPhone to essential tasks, including calls, texts, and photography.
"We felt that this is the kind of change that a lot of consumers have to demand before Apple takes sustained action," said Kannan, who also hopes that if Apple makes changes to decrease phone addiction, other device producers will do the same.
"Historically, Apple has been the one to popularize new features and make them something that every phone consumer expects," the student claims. "Face ID is a good example. Other companies did it before Apple, but once Apple did it, it's like [it became] something we all need to have."
Apple has been previously pressed on the matter of addiction, as in January a pair of major Apple shareholders issued an open letter asking Apple to study the impact of smartphone use on children and teachers. The letter also proposed modifying the initial setup of an iPhone to allow parents to set limits on screen time, what services a child can access, and to potentially monitor their child's usage.
While iOS does have some parental restrictions, they are mostly affecting the ability for younger users to buy apps and in-app content, as well as access to "offensive" apps and media, and the use of features like location sharing. There are more extensive controls on macOS that provide much of the control options requested by critics, including access to specific apps, limited periods of usage, and overall time limits.
Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive briefly raised the issue of device addiction during an October interview, as one of the negative points of the iPhone's design. When pressed, Ive admitted the "constant use" of a device is a misuse of the technology, and hinted the design of the Apple Watch was to address that very problem.
Ive also mused that the challenge of finding a balance in life, surrounded by objects, tools, and interactions, is a constant struggle that existed long before modern technology, let alone the iPhone.
Comments
April 1st already? Poor March - I hardly new you.
Take some responsibility for your own action. Don't bring your phone to meals. Turn off your phone. Leave it in the other room.
April Fools' Day. That is a good theory.
These idiots have ZERO respect from me, and should be told to shut up and grow a pair for their own good!
Hey Stanford Student's Parent, stop paying your entitle whiner kid's cell phone plan, quickest way to stop that addition.
You all know the phone does this today
The group suggests Apple could start tracking phone usage and provide reports to users how much time they spend on addictive services.
Just look at your battier usage report it tells which app you spending the most amount of time on.
You know, they would not have this issue if they spent more time studying and had a real job. Obviously Stanford is too easy on its students they have free time to worry about what other people are doing with their free time. I know when I was in College I did not have time to worry about what other people were doing.
I don't bring my iPhone everywhere I go, I only bring it when I know I need to have it (maps, long trip, I am on call, etc.) and I don't use it when I am meeting with other people -- unless I am waiting for something urgent... otherwise it stays in my pocket... and I will check it after.
Unfortunately many people today lack basic manners when they are meeting with other people...
and they were marketing it to children and young adults knowing it was addictive and killed,
In this case, the "addiction" is a god damn misnomer, most people that use it will not be harmed by it.
At most, it would be as "bad" as coffee, something that's actually addictive...
By abusing words they are devaluing them.
It's like blaming their TV set because they're watching too much crap TV.... Makes as much sense. They could switch to better programming or switch it off, but no Samsung and LG must save them from their poor choices.
Notice also how it's all Apple's fault while there are 85% of Android phones on earth, again Apple is a whipping post and clickbait magnet.
They are the epitome of the definition of the word Snowflake.
Their parents have forgotten them a long time ago.
I DARE them to put it down for good. Let’s see if they can last a week.
"The pamphlet claims Apple is responsible for some of the addition, as iPhones are said to be the gateway to addictive services, namely apps and platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The group believes Apple is "uniquely capable" in helping curb device dependence "
Delusional elitist f**kwhits trying to "save the planet".