Teenagers spend a lot of time on their phones and on the internet. Yet some people are saying that technology may actually be hurting our relationships! Is this really 100% true? Technology is important for many reasons, and doesn’t really hinder our relationships as much as some may think.

One important reasons that technology isn’t hurting our relationships is that it enables us to be able to contact people/friends that live far away, or you can make friends with people that live in different state or country! Technology helps us all stay connected with each other, and not just with friends- family too! Regardless, there are and may always be people looking to hurt you on the internet, which is many people’s argument against teens using the internet without supervision. But kids and adults alike can stay safe from these kinds of people by avoiding potentially malicious sites and talking to people you’ve met face-to-face! You can also keep up with things and help friends, which is very important to a lot of people!

Another reason technology is good is that it gives you something to do when you’re bored, like when you’re on the bus. Now, some may argue that you can just talk to the people around you or bring a book, but there are many weaknesses in that argument. Many people don’t like just talking to strangers in public, and for some people that may be hard to do. If you bring a book, it could easily get lost, ruined, or even stolen- and on a bus, they could get motion sickness. But on your phone, you can play games, talk to friends, or browse social media! This is one of the many reasons why technology is good.

Thirdly, the most important reason technology is good is that we can always have a piece of “home” with us. Some people may argue, “People look at their phones too much in public places!”. But before cell phones existed, people would bring newspapers, books and the like with them in public because it’s sort of like bringing a piece of home with you wherever we go. When people get stressed or nervous, a good way they can calm themselves down is to look through their phones- plus, you don’t really know what they may be looking at! They could be looking at a picture or a text from a loved one, the last letter their grandma sent them, reading a book, or talking to a friend! It doesn’t hinder our relationships because even if we can’t see the person face-to-face, we can still talk to them, and wherever we go!

As you can see, technology isn’t harmful for many different reasons. Actually, many teens think it is fairly important to our everyday lives and the way we live, ranging from talking to friends who live far away, giving you something to do, to technology even acting as a comfort object for some people. Adults and teens alike should always learn to be responsible with their technology and should be respectful on social media- what goes on the internet never truly goes away. Adults can be more responsible with their technology by being respectful on social media (which goes for teens too) and not ignoring their work by being on their phones all the time. Teens can become more responsible by keeping their phones away at school and respecting their peers on media and such.