Sound etiquette rules proposed amid growing mobile phone noise concerns in Norway

Do you find yourself irritated by noise from others’ mobile phones? The ping of a message notification when you’re at the cinema? Someone taking a phone call on speakerphone? The sound of a TikTok video playing behind you on the bus? Perhaps it’s time to consider introducing “sound etiquette rules” in public spaces.

Solfrid Mykland Fjell, a patient who recently experienced hospital stay, highlights the annoyance caused by mobile phone noise. In a piece she wrote, she described a distressing scenario in which, after undergoing surgery, she found herself in a room separated by thin curtains from other patients. One of her neighbors was loudly watching the news, disrupting her recovery. “It was uncomfortable, and I had no wish to listen to the news at that moment,” she stated.

Eirik Solheim, a technology journalist, also recognized the issue of mobile noise, emphasizing a lack of consideration for those around us. He described the sound from mobile phones as more intrusive than other background noise, as it is unexpected and unavoidable.

Fjell wants to open a discussion on what sounds should be acceptable in different contexts, arguing that rapid technological advancements have outpaced social norms. She believes that people often fail to realize they are disturbing others and suggests campaigns in public transportation to encourage quieter phone usage.

Ultimately, the conversation about mobile phone noise underscores a growing need for societal awareness and respect for personal spaces in our increasingly digital world.