• Q. Let’s make a distinction between cell phone and smartphone. Which one do you think is more appropriate?

    A. A non-smartphone, that is, a cell phone like the ones that today’s parents had when we were young and with which we made calls and sent text messages, was enough for us, and it did not cause addiction.

    Text messaging was absolutely addicting, and had the distinction of being one of the very first forms of always-on, instant-access bullying. Osorio seems blind to the detrimental implications of her own experience.

    • Even before mobile phones, there where paid phone services, some about sex but some just to talk to people, that got people addicted.

      I remember something called “the party line” where you would dial a paid number and you would be connected to sort of a group chat with some other people.

      Some people even got in debt because of massive phone bills.