Zoya Patel, a writer from Canberra, argues that for people under 40, phone calls are inefficient and anxiety-inducing, even in emergencies.
She recounts that during a medical emergency at 33 weeks pregnant, she used WhatsApp to inform family instead of calling.
"Nearly 60% of Australians aged 18–26 dread making or accepting phone calls."
Patel notes that young people favor texts and voice notes for their asynchronous nature, which allows senders to be specific and receivers time to reflect.
She asserts that phone calls are only acceptable for in-person social catch-ups or video calls with toddlers who cannot type.