First hour: The return of the "dumb" phone
Second hour: How to improve access to voting
If you’re a smartphone user, have you ever considered switching back to a “dumb” phone? According to the Pew Research Center, 95 percent of Americans own a cellphone, and the share of those that own a smartphone is 77 percent. But new research shows that there are a growing number of people who have ditched the smartphone for flip phones or other phones not connected to the Internet. While it’s unlikely that we’ll ever be back to the days of brick phones or landlines, experts say the reasons behind the dumb phone gaining popularity – security, financial, mental health – are worth discussing. This hour, we have a conversation about technology, boundaries, and how our devices impact our health (and you can stream it on your smartphone). In studio:
- Caitlin Whyte, reporter and host of Weekend Edition at WXXI
- Dr. Eric Caine, M.D., former chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester
- Mike Johansson, senior lecturer of communication at RIT, and social media consultant with Fixitology
- Mark Sample, professor of history at MCC, and self-identified “dumb” phone user
Then in our second hour why do so few people vote? Last week, in primaries across the country, a very small percentage of voters decided to participate. New York State had particularly small turnout in most of its primary races. That has turned the spotlight on New York voting rules, including hours of voting, early voting, mail-in voting, registration, and more. Does something need to change? Our guests discuss how to improve voting access and enthusiasm. In studio:
- Tom Ferrarese, Monroe County Board of Elections Commissioner
- Simeon Banister, interim vice president of community programs at the Community Foundation
- Michelle Long, election inspector
- Jesse Lenney, western region political director for New York Working Families
