Australians are giving a thumbs up to ergonomically sound text messages today as the country recognizes its first ever National Safe Text Day.
Following the motto “Safe Text is Great Text,” National Safe Text Day was created to “giv[e] our thumbs and fingers some light hand relief,” states co-organizer Virgin Mobile. According to Virgin’s estimates, over 300 million text messages are currently being sent each month in Australia.
As part of National Safe Text Day, text messagers are being asked to wear a bandage on their text thumbs to show their support of safe text messaging. Chiropractors Association of Australia (CAA) vice president Dr. Joseph Ierano, whose organization is the other sponsor the day’s events, advised that this broad scope awareness is needed because of the potential for injuries that exists with text messaging.
“We recognise[sic] that if you text regularly, it’s important to look after your thumbs, fingers and neck and back so you can get the most out of your text life,” Ierano said in an article on ninemsn.com.au. “It seems a little bit like computer games. Ten years ago (you) wouldn’t have predicted it, but there are people who suffer from use of computers and computer games,” Ierano said.
In honor of National Safe Text Day, Virgin Mobile has developed a set of text messaging exercises, an interactive text messaging quiz and a downloadable Safe Text is Great Text bandage for text messagers’ mobile devices. The company has also created a top 10 list of reasons to practice safe text that reminds text messagers to slow down and proofread their messages, to not text and drive, and to never get “tipsy” and text their ex-girlfriend or boyfriend or their boss.
While text messaging is soaring in Australia as well as in European countries, U.S. consumers have been slower to respond to the technology. Over five billion text messages are expected to be sent in Australia annually, while only 176 million text messages were sent in the U.S. last year.
Source: ninemsn.com.au