Today, we’re talking about a new phenomenon that affects social interactions. Phubbing is something we've all likely experienced or done ourselves at some point. The term is a portmanteau of "phone" and "snubbing", and refers to the act of looking at your phone instead of paying attention to someone else in a social situation.

It’s becoming increasingly common as our reliance on our mobile devices continues to grow. The term was first introduced in 2012 by Australian advertising agency Maccann Erickson, as part of a campaign for the Macquarie Dictionary. The “A Word is Born” campaign was designed to demonstrate that language is constantly evolving and hence having an up-to-date dictionary is important.

Where does the term come from? Why do people phub then? How can we avoid phubbing someone? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 17/2/2023

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