Prompt: The use of cell phones (mobile phones) has grown rapidly in the past few years. Ċ People use them for both business and personal reasons. Ċ What are the advantages and disadvantages of the widespread use of cell phones Ċ (mobile phones)? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples Ċ from your own knowledge or experience

The use of mobile phones for businesses and personal use has increased significantly over the past few years. People have come to accept its importance in the society, hence, the rise in its usage. I believe this is due to a number of factors, such as its ease and convenience. Ċ There are several advantages that can be linked to the widespread use of mobile phones. The first; ease in communication. Friends and family can stay in touch with one another by voice calling, sending messages or video calling easily. Everyone’s literally one call away. For example, I live 800 kilomete\res from my family. We don’t get to see one another as often as we’d love to, however, we speak every day and make video calls once in a while without any hassles, thereby giving us this sense of closeness. Another advantage is convenience in e-commerce. It brings businesses and customers together. Business owners can reach their target customers by uploading their products for mobile applications. Recently, I ordered ASDA Ginger nut biscuits from London using my mobile phone, in the convenience of my bedroom and it was delivered to me in Nigeria. Ċ As with everything that has advantages, mobile phones also have disadvantages. Firstly, exploitation of data. Many people store personal information in applications on their mobile phones. This information can be exploited if the phones get hacked or fall into the wrong hands. In an article I read, a woman lost her savings because her phone got stolen and the culprit transferred her money using her mobile banking app. Secondly, mobile phones have caused a decrease in physical interaction. More people will rather interface on their phones. A wedding I attended recently, nine out of ten bridesmaids were on their phones most of the time. Ċ In conclusion, there is a rise in the commercial and private usage of telephones. With the current global cellphone penetration still under 60%, it is expected that in the next few decades that should increase significantly. The driver being the numerous benefits outweighs the potential drawbacks.