Articles

Written correspondence is a dying breed of communication. Internet has transformed the way we perceive interpersonal communication. In the past it would take up to a month for a person to receive a letter. If I was to send an email to someone in a different country he or she would have it almost instantly. You can have a pen pal in South-Africa and not spend a dime on a postage stamp in order to inquire about today's weather in that part of the world.

Phone craze

In 1876 the first telephone was created . This new machine was owned exclusively by the elite. The primitive carbon transmitter allowed for a peerless speed of communication across great distances. During those days, many thought that it cannot get better than that. Alas! Mobile phones were born. The first cell phones also belonged to the elite circles and many of them were permanently nested inside of cars, but things changed rapidly. The phones we're using today weight grams and are dirt cheap in comparison to their predecessors. It seems that today almost everyone has got to have one. Things like reverse phone look ups and ring tones are the talk of the town. Popularity has also reached the developing states which might not even create a landline network at all, but rather a cellular one. Mobile telephone towers are much cheaper in construction and maintenance which makes them an ideal alternative.

What people should know

Even though mobile telephones are generally good, they do bring some controversial "bonuses" to the table. Reverse phone tracing comes to mind. If you were to look up a landline you would only get the postal address of the individual to whom the phone number belongs. In contrast, the reverse cell phone look up might provide you with the exact location of the individual (if he or she has GPS installed on the phone). This ability can be hazardous if it falls in the hands of the wrong people. On the other hand it's a handy tool for a responsible parent. Reverse mobile tracing is just one of the issues. Cell phone usage and risks of brain cancer are also a big issue.

Solution

People's elected representatives have to get more involved in these important manners. This is probably the only solution that will help an average consumer feel safer in this era of communication.