At this day in age technology is practically everywhere. According to the Pew Research Center, around three-quarters (77%) of Americans now own a smartphone. Even though there are big upsides to technology, there are also some downsides. The upsides include more ways to communicate, the ability to research, educational programs, educational games, online school, etc. Even though those are all great things that technology can provide us, there are also some negative affects that can come along with it. Overusing technology can lead to a multitude of damaging things including the risk of privacy and safety. Children or even adults may unwillingly put their information out there for anyone to see and or abuse. Bullying is a common thing seen among teens and young adults online. When you use social media, you’re putting yourself out there for the world to see. According to nobullying.com, 25 per cent of teenagers report that they have experienced repeated bullying by their cell phone, or on the Internet. 52 per cent of young people report being cyber bullied, and 11 per cent of adolescents and teens report that embarrassing or damaging photographs have been taken of them without their knowledge or consent. Also the more time you spend on technology the more likely you are to spend less time doing physical activities, which can often lead to obesity. It’s not necessarily the amount of food that people are consuming, it’s usually the food they consume without the physical activity needed for their bodies to remain healthy. One of the most common effects technology has on us is how it’s hurting our social skills. Face-to-face interactions are essential for us to develop the proper skills to interact with one another. When we don’t interact with one another, we lose the ability to communicate and connect with other individuals. Keep in mind that technology is great but just remember to take a break and put it down every once in a while.