Don't call, do text: Gen Z has a lot of feelings about phone etiquette

Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI Younger generations simply aren't picking up the phone. That's OK — they're not doing much calling, either. How, and when, did spontaneous phone calls become rude? For the younger generations raised with smartphones , there is one phone feature they often avoid at all costs: the call button. The ubiquity of smartphones means that ringing someone up has become just one option among many. Now, we can send a text, email, DM, or voice note, and actual calls have fallen out of favor. Somewhere along the way, making a phone call without warning became less a casual way to catch up and more of an annoyance — or even a sign there's been an emergency. However, spontaneous calls still have their fans, and etiquette experts told Business Insider that they can help foster connection and clarity in real time.