The argument about whether mobile phones should be banned is almost as controversial as the prices of some selected handsets

Many young people buy mobile phones so they can keep up with the trends of many of there friends. Sometimes they might buy a better, flashier or more expensive phone because they think by having these types of phones they will be liked more. Because some people are unable to afford these types of phones and are left out of friends groups and may have to steal money to buy a phone, or just steal a better phone for the sake of being popular.

There are as many as 25,000 robberies a year with young people being the most common victim. Some of the robberies are a form of playground bullying, whilst outside school they are perpetrated by opportunist thieves looking for something they can use for a while and get rid of. Most of the thieves, use the phones for a couple of hours before they throw it away and move on too another theft. Although these crimes are serious a more serious crime is that of stolen mobile phone networks where people will steal phones for different people. Whilst some will be re-sold here many will be shipped abroad where they will be sold as new or used phones at cheaper prices.

Some people whilst stealing phones, whether intentionally or not attack their victims causing injuries or deaths. One such story is of a young girl who was shot in the head by a thief who was trying to steal her mobile phone. Is it really necessary to kill somebody for the sake of a mobile phone?

Some other bad points of mobile phones are that they are intrusive, the continual ringing of someone's phone in a public place, they are constantly upgraded, so you have to spend more money trying to keep up with the latest trends, there is no guarantee of coverage, the accessories cost a fortune with most of them not even adding to the phones overall performance.

Although there are many bad points to having a mobile phone, they do also have their uses. Mobile phone can be used when it might not be easy to use a normal telephone, such as when you are lost or you have had a car crash and are unable to move, you can use your mobile phone to dial the appropriate people who will be able to help you..

Overall I think that a person should have a choice of whether they use a mobile phone or not. If a ban was imposed I do not see how it would be carried out as people would still continue to use there mobile phones the same as before. I think in the end it comes down to an individual persons human rights, you are allowed to communicate in anyway you see fit, be it by using a telephone or by sending a text message,it is the individual persons own choice which cannot be taken away.