Blog Post #3

I recently updated my Iphone software. This software update introduced a new feature: "Screen Time".

Screen Time lets Iphone users see how much time they are spending on their devices, as well as what that time is spent doing. For example, yesterday I had 3 hours and 20 minutes of "social networking" screen time. This includes apps such as Instagram (which was my most used application), Messages, Snapchat, and Twitter.

In addition to showing one's activity and usage, Screen Time also has a downtime scheduler which can be used to "schedule time away from the screen", as well as an app limit feature to set a limitation of how much time you can spend on certain applications. A final feature worth mentioning is the ability to set up Screen Time permission for family members. This option is useful for parents who are now able to enforce certain limits for their children.

I think Screen Time is a great Iphone addition, and one that really made me re-evaluate how much time I am willingly spend on my phone. Seeing my figures, which were honestly rather disheartening, made me want to put my Iphone down and make an effort to be more engaged in real life. Sometimes we don't realize how much of a slave we are to our devices, which made me think of the video which we watched in class of the girl who had an unhealthy relationship with her phone.

Have any of you played around with the new Iphone "Screen Time" feature? Share your stats - there's no judgement here... I've got an average of 6 hours of screen time a day. Would you consider utilizing the downtime scheduling setting,  or enforcing app limits? What applications do you use the most?

You can answer these questions, or feel free to bring up anything else about this new feature or how you feel about the amount of screen time in which our generation engages in.


Comments

  1. adam gallOctober 20, 2018 at 2:27 PM

    Hi Ayesha,

    This is the first I've heard about 'Screen Time' (probably because I have an Android), but it sounds like a really interesting app. To be able to generate an exact number when it comes to how much time we spend on social media sites seems like it would give weight to any argument concerning social media addiction. Unfortunately I don't have any stats to provide, but if I had the app I'm sure the results would be just as disheartening as yours!

    To your last point about the amount of screen time our generation engages in; I'd like to take the point of view of 'domestication of technology'. We certainly live in an age where the amount of time we spend on our phones is equal to, if not greater than, the amount of we spend communicating face-to-face. But what are we to do? Even if I knew the exact amount of hours I spent on my phone, I would probably still continue to use it just as much. It's as if the only way to really curb the amount of time we spend on our phones would be to have everyone cut back together. I know that if I tried to spend less time on my phone, I would most likely experience a 'fear of missing out', prompting me to get back online so that I could keep myself in the loop.

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    Replies
    1. UnknownNovember 8, 2018 at 3:43 PM

      Adam,

      It's been three weeks or since I discovered Screen Time. As an update - I haven't made a significant cut down at all on the time I spend on my phone.

      The first week I was astounded by my statistics and would actively think and make an effort to stay off my phone. However, at times of boredom - for me this is at night, as well as early in the morning, I would find it extremely difficult. Now, I maybe think about my screen time once a week, fearful to check the statistics and be disappointed. You were right about it probably not cutting down the amount of time you spend - at least for my case!

      Additionally, I noticed that when i'm in class or at work, when I get a break or after my shift/class is over one of the first things I typically do is check all my social media to remain caught up.

      It's all very interesting how integrated social media and our devices have become in our lives.

      Delete
  2. Tarik Lee-VaiyaOctober 21, 2018 at 6:44 PM

    Hi Ayesha. I like your post on "Screen Time". This can relate a lot to the domestication of technology because the app would show us how we rely and use different social media platforms and also how we have become addicted to it.

    ReplyDelete

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