1. 18th November 2015 – Obsessed
Newest filmmakers, Gina Hollender, Natasha Manners and Lauren Stocks
realized the potential for a documentary as seventeen year-old girls with an
ongoing personal mobile phone obsession. However, they are not alone.
According to a series of reports on mobile phone obsessions, 1 in 8 young people
are further ‘addicted’, so Channel 4 decides to investigate and find out more. ‘Are
You Obsessed?’ on Channel 4 at 7pm tonight explores the impacts of the younger
generation obsessing over their unique digital world.
In 1973 Motorola was the first company to produce a handheld device. No one
could have guessed that 40 years on, most people prioritize social media over the
primary function of a mobile phone - calling. Everything that could previously be
done on a computer can now be done with the luxury of a small device that fits in
your pocket. However, mobile phones amongst youngsters have caused anything
but convenience. Many parents can see the change between their own childhood
and their son or daughters – The documentary begins to investigate the true
meaning of the ‘Mobile Phone Obsession’.
Most young people nowadays continuously check their mobile phone without
reason and 80% of 18-24 year olds have experienced phantom vibrations that
simply do not exist – sound familiar? You may not question yourself at first but
in fact, Nomophobia, the fear of being without your mobile phone, is a serious
growing problem amongst the younger generation of today.
2. It’s not just a minority of people either – its celebrities too. Kendall Jenner stars
in Estee Lauder’s advertisement video for the newest Double Wear compact
makeup, which ironically, is called ‘Party Zombies.’ Kendall’s big social media
following is considered to be a large participatory factor as to why she was
chosen to play the part of a ‘phone-addicted zombie.’ This creates the lasting
impression of the stereotype of the younger generation replacing social
conventions for a mobile phone. The fact that this is created through a famous
social media icon illustrates how a large amount of the younger generation, even
celebrities, can be obsessed with their mobile phone. The effect the obsession
has on celebrities emphasizes how extreme this phone obsession has become.
The documentary looks into how the effects of mobile phones on everyday
‘normal’ girls can also be something that affects the celebrity lifestyle.
In the documentary, they researched a number of statistics that were pulled
from a variety of Ofcom reports. Statistics showed that 1 in 8 people are addicted
to their mobile phone and mobile users tend to spend an average 3.6 hours a day
on their mobile. They also discovered that 58% of males and 47% of females
suffer from Nomophobia. 80% of the UK population sleep with their phones
right next to them and 80% of these people suffer from ‘phantom vibrations’ and
ringing that does not exist. This could simply be because of a constant need to
keep within the ‘gossip bubble’ with the fear of feeling left out for not seeing
something online or through social media. There is also a conclusion that there is
a greater need to keep other people updated with their personal life, taking
pictures, posting statuses, sharing videos and online shopping are all necessities
for the younger generation, yet very different for the older generation. The
3. documentary explores what the difference is with the younger people of today
and why so many more teenagers of today ‘need’ a phone to hand. The three
filmmaker’s Gina Tash and Lauren live normal lives go to normal schools and
present very standard lifestyles and even they still find themselves obsessed
with their phones.
Not only does the documentary explore the lives of young people with their
mobile phones but also captures what family members and individual members
of the public think about the issue. “The younger generation would definitely be
more on their mobile phones only because they know how to use the phone
whereas the elderly lot still don’t know”-A quote from one of the documentary’s
mobile phone experts. The overall conclusion of this was that the difference in
generations with mobile phones are very significant and we get to see exactly
what members of the public think, about the changes which have taken place
over time surrounding mobile phones.
The interview with a phone expert is particularly interesting because we get a
sense of the main target market for mobile phone users. This begins to illustrate
a clearer understanding of the statistics found in the documentary and at times
you even find yourself questioning each time you check your phone.
Regardless of whether you notice that yourself, this documentary leaves you
thinking ‘Am I Obsessed?’ 7pm. Channel 4. Must watch.
