The Impact of Mobile Phones on Teenagers’ Socialization and Emancipation

The mobile phone has become an indispensable mean of communication, as according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2013 there were almost as many mobile-cellular subscriptions as people in the world (ITU, 2013). The device constitutes an important tool of communication of individuals with diverse demographic traits but its critical role has been emphasized specifically for teenagers who have adopted mobile phones with a surprising speed (Lenhart, Ling, Campbell, & Purcell, 2010; Ling & Bertel, 2013). Teenagers’ proneness to adopt mobile phones is primarily associated with its functions including instrumental (for instance, micro-coordination, accessibility and safety issues) as well as social and expressive uses (Ling, 2004; Castells, FernandezArdevol, Qiu, & Sey, 2007). With respect to the former, perhaps the most fundamental function is micro-coordination that allows teenagers to plan and re-plan their social activities with parents and peers providing both temporal and spatial flexibility (Ling & Yttri, 2002). Similarly, accessibility contributes to a sense of permanent availability; situation that has been described by Licoppe (2004) as “connected presence.” The mobile phone may also act as a safety link in cases of actual emergency; hence security reasons are critically important for both parents and teenagers to have mobile phones (Pain et al., 2005). For instance, Oksman and Rautiainen (2002, p.29) underline that the device is characterized from parents “as a small investment for the child’s safety,” whereas others advocate that the mobile phone acts as a “magic helper” that aids parents to monitor teenagers’ location in order to guarantee their safety in mobility, especially during the night (Fortunati & Manganelli, 2002, p.19). Through the instrumental components of mobile phone communication, social and expressive uses are accomplished (O’ Brien, 2010; Ling & Bertel, 2013) as the device enhances social interactions and bonding with those in teenagers’ intimate sphere. The mobile phone provides a direct communicative channel between users and peer groups, parents and children; hence the device allows teenagers to develop intensive interactions and reinforce their ties with their family and peers (Oksman & Rautiainen, 2002; Ling & Yttri, 2002; Green, 2003; Srivastava, 2005; Matsuda, 2005; Castells et al., 2007; Ling, 2004, 2007, 2009). However, the instrumental and social functions of mobile phones are intertwined with critical impacts on teenagers’ parental and peer group interactions. For instance, Pain et al. (2005) underline that: