‘CrackBerry’ Addicts Suing Employers

Posted on Oct 2, 2006

From MNSBC

Obsessive users of the BlackBerry (CrackBerry) are blaming the mobile Internet appliance for “chronic insomnia, relationship break-up, premature burn-out, and even car crashes,” according to the Independent.

It’s a brave new world.

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The Independent:

No self-respecting boss-in-waiting would be without one. The BlackBerry has replaced the Filofax and the mobile phone as the must-have status symbol for the 21st-century office climber. But now these discreet handheld gadgets, which provide workaholics with constant email updates, are being blamed for chronic insomnia, relationship break-up, premature burn-out, and even car crashes.

British employers are being warned they could face multi-million-pound legal actions from BlackBerry-addicted staff on a similar scale as class law-suits taken against tobacco companies. Research by the University of Northampton has revealed that one-third of BlackBerry users showed signs of addictive behaviour similar to an alcoholic being unable to pass a pub without a drink.

The report found that some BlackBerry users displayed textbook addictive symptoms - denial, withdrawal and antisocial behaviour - and that time with their families was being taken up with BlackBerry-checking, even at the dinner table.

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