MOBILE PHONES AS A
PLATFORM FOR
UBIQUITOUS SOCIETIES:
The case of Youth
ITU WORKSHOP ON UBIQUITOUS NETWORK SOCIETIES
GENEVA, 6-8 APRIL 2005
Santiago Lorente
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
slorente40@telefonica.net
FIXED PHONE AND MOBILE PHONE PENETRATION IN SPAIN, 1924-2002
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Year
FIXED
MOBILE
SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION, WITHIN HUMAN COMMUNICATION
SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION, WITHIN HUMAN HISTORY
Telephone is more personal than portable:
-
Many calls take place from/to the bedroom
Young people want privacy and avoid parental control
Young people love personalising the gadget;
a jewel more than a prosthesis
Primary group, peer group, gangs,
smart mobs (Seattle, Manila, Madrid…):
-
Compulsory communication drive
- Compulsory group membership
Compulsory group identification
Action drive (antiglobalization, ousting Presidents)
Virtual brotherhood:
-
Small family size.
-
Loneliness leads to communication
Family "fision"
FRIENDS
FRIENDS
FRIENDS
FATHER
SON
MOTHER
FRIENDS
DAUGHTER
FRIENDS
Digital leash, GPS:
-
-
Parental drive for spatial control. Big Brother.
Simulacrum: parents think they control children;
children think they are free from parents
Most likely, parents are ignorant of
virtual spaces visited by children
Contents of calls/SMS messages:
-
-
Mostly dating, appointments, which prepare
further face- to-face contacts
Mundane conversations
Mobile phone facilitates first gender encounters
SMS language:
-
The same worldwide:
- Abbreviations
Numbers instead of letters
Adult fear about spoiling language
THE MADRID CASE:
THE ROLE OF MOBILE PHONES
AS COMMUNICATION MASS MEDIUM:
Emotional atmosphere: Iraki war, terrorist attacks (11-M),
governmental lie
Emotional response: manifestations before governmental
political party headquarters (13-M)
voting opposition leader (14-M)
Mobile phone: Broadcasting (more effective than TV & radio)
Starting tool for the ubiquitous society
FORESCASTING THE FUTURE
ELDERLY
YOUTH
ADULT
ADULT
YOUTH
YOUTH
T1
T2
T3
TODAY
TOMORROW
THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW