Most Annoying New Tech Habits

By Becky Worley

I love technology, but I don’t always love how people use it. As our interaction with gadgets and the Internet grows, so does the potential number of ways to offend each other. So I present to you the most annoying new tech habits.

Spamming Your Friends’ Facebook Feeds
Whether you are passionate about your new workplace, your cause, or your fundraiser, I completely support you in posting that info on your Facebook page – YOUR Facebook page. Posting on otherpeople’s pages should remain personal to them; it’s their page after all. When you post your issues on all your friends’ pages, it’s basically spam. The good news is that doesn’t show up very much for theirfriends, but it is on their timeline and feels a little invasive.

Now a recent development with Facebook is that they are trying to monetize their business more, and that means more sponsored intrusions. One trend I’m noticing is that when my friends “like” certain companies, I see a lot about that like in MY newsfeed. Either my friends are crazy-nuts about cowboy boots, or Country Outfitters is sponsoring their “likes” to unprecedented levels. The occasional corporate like is totally justified, but please, don’t like everything.

Parking and Texting
Here’s the scenario: you are hunting for a parking spot. You see a parked car with the brake lights on or sometimes even the reverse lights lit up indicating the car will vacate the spot immediately. You wait…. and wait… maybe cars are honking at you as you hold up traffic. But nothing happens. Why is the car not leaving? Because the driver is texting, reading email, or checking Facebook. While not as dangerous as texting and driving, it is annoying if you’re the poor sod waiting for the parking spot.

Talking in Toilet
In the last year, I’ve noticed a lot more people answering or initiating phone calls in public bathrooms. The stall of a bathroom provides a fragile illusion of privacy. Phrases like this “Hi Sally! Gosh it’s been a long time since we chatted.” shatter that illusion. My guy friends tell me it’s even more disturbing in the men’s room.

Know When To Talk And When To Text
Texting is a great way to handle simple logistical communications without the entrapment of actual conversation (“Meet me in front of Burger King” or “I’ll be 10 minutes late”). But texting is not the perfect mode of communications for all conversations. This particular annoyance is about back-and-forth, Ping-Pong text:
“where are the pliers?”
“in the drawer by the monitor”
“which drawer”
“the one to the left”
“there are two drawers to the left”
“the one immediately to the left”
“they are both immediately to the left”
“ARGHHHHHH! Call me already!”

Some conversations, even logistical ones, are nuanced or complicated.

Final Note
I‘m usually not this much of a complainer. I’ve actually been accused of being perky to a fault and way too bullish on technology. But I do hope that by giving voice to feelings I’m sure are shared by millions, I can help dial back the number of times all of us get annoyed. So in that good-natured spirit, please feel free to post the tech habit that annoys you most, in the Comments; perhaps this will be a consciousness-raising experience for us all, me included.