{"id":182,"date":"2025-10-14T09:18:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T09:18:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/sociologyofeverydaylife\/?post_type=content&p=182"},"modified":"2025-10-15T11:01:52","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T11:01:52","slug":"chapter-9","status":"publish","type":"content","link":"https:\/\/staging.routledgelearning.com\/sociologyofeverydaylife\/students\/chapter-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 9 \u2013 Smartphones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\tHome<\/a>\n<\/span>\u203a<\/span>\n\tStudents<\/a>\n<\/span>\u203a<\/span>\n\tChapter 9 \u2013 Smartphones\n<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 9 \u2013 Smartphones<\/h1>\n\n\n
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Chapter Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In this chapter, we shed light on the tension between group connection and separation by examining a ubiquitous technological device: the phone. Understanding this tension\u2014between group solidarity and social isolation\u2014is central to the modern sociological project. A case study of the phone allows us to examine how sociologists study feelings of togetherness, drawing upon concepts of social capital, social networks and homophily. Phones can be used to create virtual communities, allowing consumers to become prosumers that create their own culture and sometimes mobilize to demand social change. On the other hand, more critical voices suggest that the constant connectivity made possible through our phones can paradoxically produce social isolation, while distracting us from engaging with important social and personal issues. A sociological perspective leads us to question whether alarm about smartphone usage can be classified as a moral panic that exaggerates the threat they pose to society. While technological devices like cell phones are clearly an important part of our everyday lives, sociologists caution against technological determinist arguments that overemphasize the power of technology to drive social change and tend to produce overly optimistic or pessimistic conclusions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Further Reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Miller, Daniel, Laila Abed Rabho, Patrick Awondo, Maya de Vries, Mar\u00edlia Duque, Pauline Garvey, Laura Haapio-Kirk, et al. 2021. The Global Smartphone: Beyond a Youth Technology<\/em>, Chapter 7, \u201cThe Heart of the Smartphone: LINE, WeChat and WhatsApp.\u201d UCL Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This chapter examines how LINE, WeChat, and WhatsApp have become central to smartphone use, acting as the \u201cheart\u201d of social connection by sustaining family bonds, group solidarity, and care across distances. Through what the authors term \u201cscalable sociality,\u201d these apps facilitate communication on a scale ranging from highly private, intimate exchanges to broad, public interactions. They illustrate a shift toward multifunctional \u201csuper apps,\u201d integrating diverse social, cultural, and economic activities within one digital platform. As these apps increasingly dominate daily life, they not only reshape interpersonal relationships but also consolidate corporate influence in personal communication spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussion questions<\/summary>\n
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  • How do users use messaging apps like LINE, WeChat, and WhatsApp to express emotions and sustain meaningful connections? In what ways do users in different regions modify or \u201clocalize\u201d their use of these apps according to cultural norms and practices?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How does the concept of \u201cscalable sociality\u201d challenge the traditional distinction between private and public communication?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How does the integration of multiple services within apps like WeChat (Tencent) and WhatsApp (Meta) increase corporate influence over users\u2019 personal lives? What are the sociological implications of this dependence on a single platform for communication and daily tasks?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What do these findings contribute to the debate surrounding social connection and isolation in the context of smartphone use?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

    Walsh, James, and Dallas Hill. 2023. \u201cSocial Media, Migration and the Platformization of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Moral Panic: Evidence from Canada.\u201d Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies<\/em> 29(3):690\u2013712.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This article examines the ways that moral panics take shape on social media. Using the case of anti-migration discourse during Canada\u2019s 2019 election, the authors introduce the concept of \u201cplatformed panics.\u201d Unlike traditional moral panics, which rely on mass media to spread a uniform message, platformed panics leverage social media platforms\u2019 unique features, where algorithms both amplify sensationalist ideas and diffuse counter-narratives. These digital panics are marked by decentralized discourse, with users, hashtags, and bots participating in the discussion. The study highlights how social media intensifies both alarm and pushback, creating contested moral boundaries rather than strong boundaries typical of traditional panics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Discussion questions<\/summary>\n
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    • How does the rise of social media-driven \u201cplatformed panics\u201d differ from traditional moral panic dynamics? Who are the participants and gatekeepers in each form of moral panic?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • How might the decentralized nature of moral panics on social media impact the authority of traditional actors (e.g., politicians, media) in shaping collective fears and symbolic boundaries?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • How did Twitter\u2019s algorithmic structure contribute to the amplification of anti-immigration messages during the 2019 election? What role do bots and automated accounts play in shaping public discourse?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • To what extent do social media platforms create space for resistance and counter-narratives against moral panics? How do social media produce new opportunities for contestation?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

      Cheng, Zicheng, Hugo Marcos-Marne, and Homero Gil De Z\u00fa\u00f1iga. 2024. \u201cBirds of a Feather Get Angrier Together: Social Media News Use and Social Media Political Homophily as Antecedents of Political Anger.\u201d Political Behavior<\/em> 46(2):1171\u201387.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This study examines how online news consumption and network homophily can lead to intensified emotions regarding political issues. While merely using social media for news has no effect on political anger, interacting with those who share similar political views is associated with more intense negative emotions around politics. The more often individuals engage in politically like-minded networks, the greater their levels of political anger. These findings suggest that both the information we consume and the networks in which we consume it play key roles in shaping political polarization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Discussion questions<\/summary>\n
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      • How does the sociological concept of homophily explain political echo chambers?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Why might homophilic networks be particularly effective at fostering political anger, and how does this compare to more diverse networks?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • What role does the strength of ties play in shaping the intensity of political beliefs and attitudes?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • How do social media platforms contribute to or inhibit homophily? What are the implications of homophilous digital networks for democratic politics and institutions?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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        Quizzes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Test your knowledge with the Chapter 9 quizzes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        Quiz<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n