The True Cost Of Using Social Media On Your Phone [Infographic]

The Internet has become a big cauldron of engagement. Through all of the various social networking services made available, we connect, share and learn from each other. This was previously only possible in whatever public place comes to mind. The Internet has no doubt become our primary way of staying in touch with each other. Of course, a big part of social media’s success is thanks to services like Facebook and Twitter. But what is the true cost of social media, and can we afford it?

What I mean by true cost is the cost we are willing to pay in order to stay connected with each other. Engaging on these platforms is becoming even more simple, and with smartphones, the ultimate connectivity was brought to our attention. Did you know that as many as 47% of the people who use social media do so through their mobile devices? People are quickly becoming addicted to their mobile devices, and it’s quite safe to say that social media users are becoming smartphone junkies. This in turn means the price they are paying to stay connected never seems to be too high.

Staying connected on a mobile device while using social networking services has a price. It’s something we don’t always think about, but with the service plans where you have to pay depending on how much bandwidth you use, it can be measured in money. The interesting thing is that not many people think about this. For example, viewing 10 photos on Twitter will cost you roughly $0.15. I am sure you didn’t know that, did you?

The true cost of social media becomes even more evident when you start looking at all of the statistics presented in this infographic called Is Social Media Bad For Your Phone? which is brought to our attention by Cordless Phones. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a wake-up call, but it is definitely something that will make you think twice before going on a rampage or a photo frenzy on your mobile device.

When it comes to evaluating your true cost for engaging in social media on your phone, only you know the price you are prepared to pay. Maybe having a look at this infographic will give you some insight into the cost you are paying for continuously tweeting those cute photos of cats or those ever so embarrassing drunk friends of yours. It’s all in the service plan you signed up for. Whether you are prepared to cut back or not entirely depends on the limit you have for living a rich life without spending it all on social media. What is your limit?