The first SMS message was sent in 1992 in the UK from a computer to a mobile phone. By 1995, customers were only sending an average of 0.4 messages per month. Today over 18.5 billion texts are sent monthly globally, having increased by 250% each year. Texting has become a global standard for communication across demographics. Police have started using texts to catch criminals, with messages being used as evidence in court, though some see this as an invasion of privacy. There is debate around the benefits and interpretation of texts in investigations and legal cases.

3. History of Text
Messaging
 The first commercial SMS message was sent over the Vodafone GSM network in the
United Kingdom on December 3rd, 1992.
 It was sent from a personal computer, to a man who was using an Orbitel 901 handset.
The text said "Merry Christmas.”
 In 1995 there was only an average of 0.4 messages per GSM customer per month.
 Today, text messaging is the most widely used mobile service on earth. As of
December 2006, over 18.5 billion text messages are sent every month – and that
number has grown by 250% each year for the last two years.
 To validate the future growth within the channel, over the next 2 years, Verizon
Wireless anticipates the number of text messages sent by their users on their network
to grow nearly 5 times from 400 million messages per month, in July 2005, to over 2
billion per month. Text messaging is now becoming the global standard for
communication.
 Not since the internet have we as a society seen such an increase in technology use of
a certain technology. Men, women, children and the elderly are making a point to sign
up for cell phone plans that allow the use of text messaging in order to stay in touch
with the world’s growing technology. Now everyone can say what they need to say
without ever having to open their mouths.

4. Social implications of Text
Messaging: A Case Study
 “Insights into the Social and Psychological Effects
of SMS Text Messaging,”
 authors talk about the growing concern with the
social and psychological impact of mobile phone
text-messaging
 intimate relationships without really being present
 text massagers were found to be lonelier than the
people who actually used their cell phones to talk
 more susceptible to release private information
about themselves and talk more openly

5. Txting Justice
 Used to catch suspects
 Used to implicate suspects
 Used as a tool to fight crime
 Used as a tool to warn others about
crime
 Used as evidence in court
“Wish
I didn’t
use
txt”

6. Examples
 “Police to use text message tactics to
snare rape suspect”
 “Police Blotter: Armed robbers
nabbed through text messages”
 “Fighting Crime -- One Text Message
at a Time”
 “Think before you text: Wireless
messages are showing up in court”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhOb0Qs97vE
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jan/14/ukcrime.topstories31
http://www.news.com/Police-Blotter-Armed-robbers-nabbed-through-text-messages/2100-1036_3-6231980.html?tag=topicIndex
http://mobile1.aol.com/mobilearticle/_a/fighting-crime-one-text-message-at-a/20080128112209990001
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/21/Technology/Think_before_you_text.shtml

7. Something To Think
About
 Is the use of Txt Messaging Beneficial?
Or too much room for interpretation?
 Messages used in court = invasion of
privacy?
 How “True” are the messages being
sent?
 What kind of money are we talking
about spending for state wide alert
service?