Phones have been being used a lot more right now because of Covid. Everyone is  locked indoors and bored, so they gravitate towards using their phones.

Although there are a few exclusions, more popular social media apps like Instagram and Facebook are on both Android and Apple phones. There are many people that think the amount of time students spend on their phones is way too long, but most students believe that it allows for students to socialize with one another during such a hard time. 

If someone does not like social media, they can play a game like Gatcha Club or Clash Of Clans. Asides from apps that provide entertainment there are also apps that are just practical like an app that tells the weather or an app that can track your fitness.

One app that is very popular is TikTok. Tiktok is a social media platform  that allows you to watch videos through a section of the app called the FYP (For You Page). The FYP will tailor videos that the app will think you like. These videos range in multiple sorts of genres. 8th grader Harrison Earnst, at Edison Intermediate School said, ¨TikTok has a lot of funny stuff on it, but a lot of my For You Page is filled with more educational things like how to build stuff and things about guitars.¨

With such a wide variety of content, it’s very easy for students to scroll for hours upon hours without even noticing the time go by. Sometimes though parents don’t want there children to be on the phone for too long so instead they put a cap on how long they can use certain apps. One seventh grader from Edison Intermediate school stated, ¨My parents don’t allow me to use my phone past 10pm and only give it back at 7am.¨

Even past all of the time these students are on their phone, there is still a lot of malicious content on the internet that is very easy for anyone to access. This can cause people to sometimes see what they do not want. Mrs. Marsh who is a vice principal at Edison Intermediate School stated, ¨The internet has everything on it so it’s important for parents to monitor what is going on with apps sometimes.¨

Another popular social media that more adults use than students is Facebook. Facebook has you friend people so that you can see the content they post. After you see this content, you can choose to comment on it or like it. Using social media can easily make someone who had a stressful day at work to just calm down and relax.Mrs Marsh also stated, ¨During work not very often but when I get home, that’s my time and I’m on a combination of Facebook or online shopping on some web browser.¨

People also enjoy using apps to watch movies or tv shows using streaming services like Hulu or Netflix which people pay monthly to be able to watch these extensive libraries of movies and shows. 

Lastly, there are some apps that everyone needs on their phone, for example a weather app or an app that allows you to text people. Phones can even be used to help you track how many steps you’re taking everyday.

Overall phone apps are used everyday and even if you don’t notice how much you use them your life would be much harder without them.