In the past decade, the use of mobile phones and related technologies has multiplied by many folds. At present, it is difficult to find a person without a mobile phone in the street, at the workplace or sometimes even at the school unless the school or the workplace explicitly bans the use of mobile phones. In fact, certain organizations have banned the use of mobile technologies citing various reasons. Thus, it is prudent to assume that the mobile technologies have influenced the society to such an extent where certain social norms have disappeared in the mist of the changing society.

With each passing day, different types of technologies are being introduced to the market and most of them are related to mobile devices. Among these mobile devices, the mobile phone is perhaps the most important tool. From its humble beginnings, the mobile phone has evolved into modern day ‘smart phones’, which differs only slightly from a powerful computer. It can allow its users to access the internet, use social media websites, take photographs, record videos, listen to music, watch movies, read books and even do the shopping online. In addition, these devices have the capability to function as schedulers, reminders, external storage, personal financiers…etc and in most instances, to function as an all in one device. At the same time, technologies such as Bluetooth and direct messaging allow people to communicate between each other much more easily and in a much more personal manner. Meanwhile, navigation systems built into mobile devices have extended the use of such devices further and in few years time, the same devices might be usable for augmented reality as well.

In reality, these technologies have made people to behave somewhat different to what they have been used to. For instance, there was a way people write messages in the form of a letter with regard to different situations. However, in present day contexts, sending a message through a mobile device does not adhere with those social norms and would merely comprise of few words or few shortened words for that matter with minimum attention to grammar, greetings or appropriateness. A decade ago, people were happy to keep things private although mobile technologies have made people to become more and more public with their stories due to the incorporation of social media within such devices. A decade ago, travelling in public transportation is a thing which gave opportunity for people to interact or exchange pleasantries although in today’s society there are more and more people looking at a mobile screen or texting to someone without even caring to look around even for a second.

At the same time, mobile devices have changed the way the young generation react to different social situations as the role played by the parents as the first contact, has gradually decreased. For instance, young people tend to share certain information regarding their lives with those who follow them in the social networks through mobile devices rather than keeping their parents up to date.  

All in all, mobile technologies have influenced everyone to a large extent. It will continue to influence the society in a much bigger way in the coming years. Thus, it is prudent to assume that the technologies may change even the social norms that we believe to be true at present. Whether such changes affect the society positively or negatively remains to be seen.