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Mobile devices have become an increasingly important part of our lives, thanks in large part to mobile apps. You can download apps for everything from breaking news updates to popular games.
Using the right apps can help you get the most out of your mobile devices. Despite the criticisms of society’s reliance on technology, a lot of positive things can come from the right apps. Below, I’ll detail how mobile apps have been used to address many social issues in the United States.
Types of Mobile Apps
There is a mobile app for just about anything you can think of. Most people rely on their mobile devices more than ever before, so a wide range of apps is necessary. Most apps can be categorized into one of these five areas:
– Education and Lifestyle
– Entertainment and Games
– News and Social Media
– Healthcare
– Activism and Government
The lines between categories can be blurry at times. Regardless of how you classify apps, there is no denying that every type of app can have a social impact. Even streaming services and gambling apps can have a positive impact on society.
Education and Lifestyle
It is not hard to see how education and lifestyle apps can have a huge social impact. They are designed to make our everyday lives easier.
Apps that make it easier to access education can provide new opportunities to larger groups of people and address educational inequality. Lifestyle apps, on the other hand, can help make other aspects of our lives more convenient. They cover a wide range of topics ranging from dating to grocery shopping.
Education apps can cover a wide variety of topics. Apps like Quizlet and Google Classroom are popular study tools at all levels of education. They were especially helpful during the pandemic when remote learning was a necessity.
Adults can also benefit from these apps, as evident by the popularity and success of companies like Duolingo. Lifestyle apps also serve to improve people’s lives by making it easier to access information and connect with people. These apps can cover a wide range of topics, including shopping apps, dating apps, and more.
Entertainment and Games
Arguably the most popular type of apps are those designed for entertainment purposes. Finding ways to keep yourself entertained is an important part of self-care and can help prevent burnout and depression. Thankfully, people in the US have a large range of entertainment-focused apps to choose from.
For example, there is no shortage of streaming apps for television and movies. You can even get apps for live television broadcasts.
Of course, there are other ways to entertain yourself than by just watching TV and movies. Mobile gaming apps exploded in the early 2010s thanks to apps like Candy Crush Saga and Angry Birds. Gaming apps have remained popular and only improved with time.
One of the biggest developments recently has been the growth of regulated betting apps. Changing legislation in the US has made it easier for land-based and online casinos to create mobile apps. Easier access to betting options has created unprecedented growth for the gambling industry in recent years.
News and Social Media
Another popular category of mobile apps is news-focused apps. Modern news apps allow users to stay up to date on the latest developments for any topic around the world. Social media apps provide a similar but more personalized experience.
The line between news and social media can be challenging to find. Many social media apps, like Facebook and the app formerly known as Twitter, are used to distribute news.
Many mobile devices even come with news apps already downloaded onto them. The ease of access to news updates has allowed more people to be informed about world events. But it can also have negative effects on our mental health, especially for teens and young adults.
In general, though, the increased flow of information and socialization afforded by news and social media apps is a positive. It can be vital during stressful times, like emergencies and natural disasters.
Healthcare
Medical apps can also have a huge social impact. Many home medical devices now include mobile apps that make the devices easier to operate.
A great example of this connection is healthcare apps for glucose monitors. These apps make it easier for people with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar levels. Other examples of common healthcare apps include:
– Exercise apps
– Menstruation tracking apps
– Medication reminder apps
– Medical ID apps
– Smoking cessation apps
Well-developed healthcare apps can help make their users’ lives easier. These apps are especially useful to US residents, given the cost of healthcare in America.
Healthcare apps are not a substitute for going to a doctor. But they can help you manage your medical needs between appointments. They can also help you stay on top of your medical needs and alert you to medical problems so you can seek treatment.
Activism and Government
Last but not least, there are mobile apps designed to facilitate social activism and political change. Likewise, the government also has its own mobile apps to help it connect with civilians.
Activism apps can make it easier for organizers to raise awareness about social issues and conservation efforts. Also, apps are great for networking and organizing events. Nonprofit charities can even use mobile apps to help collect donations while lowering their operating costs.
Not to be left out, many government agencies offer their own mobile apps. These can be great resources for people who want to stay up to date with government proceedings.
The White House even launched its own app back in 2010 during the Obama administration. It allowed users to keep up with the latest updates from the WH. You could even watch live press conferences and press briefings.
Are There Downsides to Mobile Apps?
Mobile apps can be great tools for connecting with others, getting news updates, and addressing social issues. These benefits are easy to access because apps are an important part of our daily lives. But there are some downsides to our growing reliance on mobile apps.
Social Impact
When used correctly, mobile apps can be the catalyst for a lot of positive social change. However, there are negative social impacts to the use of these apps, too.
For example, the decreased need for face-to-face interactions can impact our social skills. This can be especially problematic for younger users. Online interactions can also lead people to act in ways they otherwise would not have.
The increase in social media apps has already led to a rise in cyberbullying. According to a Pew Research Center study in 2018, 59% of teens reported experiencing cyberbullying.
The anonymity offered by internet apps can also create issues. Anyone who has browsed through online comment sections knows that anonymous users have little regard for social boundaries. On the bright side, there are more resources for combatting negative online experiences and cyberbullying than in years past.
Security Concerns
Another concern that has arisen from the growing use of mobile apps is the issue of security. Many people store a ton of personal data on their mobile devices. You may not even be aware of the type of information you are potentially putting at risk.
Unsafe attacks and cyber-attacks have created major security concerns over the years. Older generations who are unfamiliar with the technology they are using are uniquely vulnerable.
Even younger generations can be at risk if they are not careful. Complicated user agreements, cookies, and data mining are risks for everyone.
Thankfully, modern apps are only getting more secure. Major app stores like the Apple Store and Google Play also have strict criteria that developers must meet. These standards help to protect users by making sure that only safe apps are widely available.
Addiction
A third major concern about mobile apps is that they can be very addictive. This is not an accident, either, because developers design their apps to have addictive qualities.
The easiest example of addictive apps is mobile games. The rewarding nature of these games makes them fun to play, but it can also make them hard to put down. Many of these apps include microtransactions, too, which can quickly become expensive.
Addictive qualities are not limited to just mobile games, either. Social media apps are also infamous for their addictive qualities. Modern apps are even designed to appeal to users with shorter attention spans.
Of course, the allure of fame can also play into the addictive nature of mobile apps. Users will dedicate hours of their life trying to go viral and cultivate an online following. But these apps can also be used to create new career opportunities that did not exist before smartphones.
Which Mobile Apps Do You Use the Most?
Mobile apps are a great way to stay in touch with or escape from the world around us. There are apps for just about everything if you know where to look. In the right hands, apps can even be used to address pressing social issues in the US.
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