generation mute noun [U]
/ˌdʒen.əˈreɪ.ʃᵊnˈmjuːt/
a way of referring to the generation of young people who tend to use written forms of communication, such as texting, rather than making phone calls
A survey by the regulator Ofcom has found a new “generation mute”: only 15% of 16 to 24 year olds consider phone calls the most important method of communication, compared with 36% who prefer instant messaging. In America, a study found that 80% of millennials … felt more comfortable conversing via text or online.
[Sunday Times, 5 November 2017]
cyberloafing noun [U]
UK /ˈsaɪ.bə.ləʊf.ɪŋ/ US /ˈsaɪ.bɚ.loʊf.ɪŋ/
the activity of spending working hours engaged in online activities that are not work related, such as checking social media sites and surfing the internet
“Cyberloafing is a compulsive behaviour for many people,” she tells Stylist. “It’s an attempt to replace something that we’re lacking, but we never get that ‘filled-up’ feeling. So it just goes on and on with the empty promise of replacing the things we actually want, like a fulfilling work day or a career in an industry we’re passionate about.”
[Stylist, 24 August 2017]
infobesity noun [U]
UK /ɪn.fəʊˈbiː.sə.ti/ US /ɪn.foʊˈbiː.sə.t̬i/
the state of having access to so much information that it leads to difficulties with decision-making, concentration and understanding
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you couldn’t even make a simple decision? Infobesity affects every company due to innovations like the internet, apps and sensors. Did you know a typical entrepreneur checks her email 50 to 100 times a day? Moreover, 60 percent of computer users feel the need to check their email in the bathroom.
[Huffington Post, 26 July 2017]