Gloria Kopp

Stories By Gloria Kopp

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  Smartphones

  Smartphones By Gloria Kopp

  My Phone, My Precious: Releasing From Its Controlling Powers

  It seems like the entire world has shifted to the online sphere – we don't say 'Call me', we 'Facebook', we don't dig out the encyclopedia for answers, we turn to the almighty Google. There are definite benefits of having access to so much information, just a few effortless seconds away. But, on the flip side, it can also be a completely controlling force in our lives – I hear my phone ding, and I can't stop myself from looking, no matter what is going on at that moment. I could be in the middle of a conversation in real life, but if I'm summoned by my all-powerful cell phone, the real life interaction takes a backseat to whatever may be beckoning. Like Pavlov's dogs, we can't help ourselves but drool and react to that cell phone ding. This constant connection has also resulted in the expectation that we're always on call – try not responding to your messages for a day or two and see the reaction. Even when we've left the office for the day or the weekend, or while we're sitting on the beach on vacation, there seems to be no reason why we shouldn't always be available. It can get overwhelming to the point where you just want to 'accidentally' leave your phone at the office over the weekend... but could you cut the cord? Would you actually be able to unplug yourself from the internet entirely? It does sound great, doesn't it? So liberating, so free, so... but what if someone needs to get a hold of me? I'll just give it a quick check... ok, nothing important. There have definitely been times when I wanted to just quit it all – go cold turkey, cancel my phone plan, disconnect the internet, and just live in the present, real world. I mean, if I think back even 20 years ago, this constant online connection didn't exist, and I don't remember this feeling of always needing to know what was going on. I didn't really notice what was happening until I had kids. Sitting down to read stories or play with them, I'd hear that phone and jump to answer it. The story was halted, and they would sit there patiently waiting... but, I came to realize that just because they weren't complaining about it, that didn't make it right. I thought about when I was on the receiving end of the 'hold on a second' treatment – when someone prioritizes a notification from their phone over what I've got to say, it's a little upsetting and offensive. I was doing this same thing to my kids, without even realizing it. Quitting the internet seems so extreme, and I honestly don't think I'd survive – I mean, I know I'd 'survive', but I'd constantly be thinking about what I was missing. But I think I've reached a compromise that's do-able. I started setting out times when I'm offline – I leave my phone at home when I go for a walk or to the park. I have phone-free time each day, when the focus is my kids or even just me and doing something I love. What I've discovered is that I actually look forward to the short time I'm disconnected each day. I don't think I'd ever be able to totally disconnect myself, but having that time each day lets me focus on real life at least for that moment. And, I've found that I have a greater appreciation for what's happening in my life as well as my cell phone... my precious.

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  Gaming

  Gaming By Gloria Kopp

  The Dark Side Of Pokémon Go: What Is It About?

  The augmented reality game, Pokemon Go has been wildly popular since it was released. It has forced gamers out of their darkened rooms and into the sunshine where it is even making them exercise. The landmarking technology used in the game is leading people to fall back in love with their towns and a well-placed Pokemon stop has seen many long-standing independent businesses suddenly acquiring a massive footfall. Because physical travel in the real world is required to progress in the game there is a social aspect to Pokemon Go too, one that is uniting communities across age barriers as everyone joins in on the fun. Whether they are a veteran of the Nintendo games or this is their first encounter with an Eevee. However all of the bright colored creatures that you can now find in your neighborhood hide a potential dark side to the phenomenon that is sweeping the nation. Privacy When the game was first released many people were so excited to get started that they didn't read the small print that was attached to the program. Pokemon Go gained access to all of its user's Google account data including a great deal of personal information that would be a joy to any identity thief that laid hands on it. Niantic, the company that produced Pokemon Go have been quick to assure everyone that they have no intention of sharing privileged information with any marketing companies but in this day and age when hacking is so common it is concerning that the personal information of so many people, including a massive number of children, is now going to be hidden in such a clearly marked location. Robbery Because a fairly expensive electronic device, the smart-phone, is required to play Pokemon Go there were reports of thefts and muggings happening within a few hours of the game's launch. The fact that an item within the game known pretty succinctly as a Lure Module will inevitably attract all of the Pokemon Go players in the nearby area has led to a few clever criminals setting up ambushes in secluded locations. Driving There are laws in many countries prohibiting the use of a cell-phone while driving but that hasn't stopped some ambitious Pokemon Go players trying to exploit the GPS system within the game to make their Pokemon Eggs hatch faster. Tragically, the game refuses to acknowledge any distance traveled if it is done over a certain speed. So these drivers are risking their life and the lives of others for nothing. Within a few days of the game's release the first road accidents caused by drivers playing with their phones began to be reported. Similarly pedestrians who were distracted by the game have been struck. Having said that, there doesn't seem to have been a significant statistical increase in the number of accidents caused by playing with a cellphone while driving or crossing roads. It just seems that the people who were going to be in these accidents anyway are now playing Pokemon rather than checking their social media or playing another game. Trespassing Many Police departments have issued special warnings about Pokemon Go with the intention of keeping the players safe as they go roaming around in areas that they do not usually venture into. There have been many complaints about trespassing and disruptive behavior between the players. It would probably be advisable if you have decided that this is going to be your new hobby that you consult with at least a basic Pokemon Go safety guide before heading out into the real world and trying to catch them all. Addiction Like every free-to-play game, there is an inbuilt economy in Pokemon Go that forces players to use their real money to buy items in the game. In a normal game these purchases make the game easier or eliminate activities that are less entertaining. In Pokemon Go, the core mechanic of the game is capturing little monsters in Pokeballs. If you run out of these balls then you will need to purchase more. For the people who are obsessively playing this game, those balls are less of a treat and more of a necessity. Real world financial troubles seem to haunt players of almost all of these free games, usually exemplified in a story about children stealing their parent's credit cards to purchase a digital hat or an extension for their imaginary house. Heartbreak As if all of these things were not dangerous enough in themselves there is also the terrible risk of heartbreak for Pokemon Go players. An entire generation that usually only interact through the internet have been out exploring the world and meeting one another. Craigslist has been showing new "Missed Connections" from Pokemon Go players who crossed paths and then went their separate ways every single day since the game's launch. There is a lot of fun to be found in Pokemon Go and in video games in general, but it is important to remember that the real world is always going to be more important. Whether that means having the good sense not to quit your job and become a Pokemon hunter full time or looking up from your phone to make sure you don't get hit by a car.

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