Struggling with the ethics of a found phone during a tough spot

I found a smartphone left on a bench in the park. Most folks say you should always return lost things, no matter what. But my own phone was dead, and I had a big family call coming up. I thought about using it just once, which goes against what everyone thinks. Now I'm stuck on if my need made it okay to even consider.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_evan1mo ago

Using it's a no-go, dude. What if that phone belonged to someone in a real crisis? Like, maybe they lost it while rushing to the hospital. Using it even once could mess up their stuff or drain the battery. I get your phone was dead, but you could've asked a stranger to borrow theirs for the call. It's always better to try and return lost items, no matter what. Next time, look for a coffee shop or store with a phone you can use.

aarona961mo ago

Yeah and honestly I'd probably mess it up even if I tried to do the right thing... like that time I found a phone and spent twenty minutes trying to guess the passcode to see the emergency contact, only to realize it had a "call 911" button on the lock screen the whole time. My helpfulness needs a help menu.

caseyl1825d ago

Actually 911 calls work even without service.