From Star Trek to Back to the Future, many shows and movies have had the daunting task of predicting the future. While some have been more accurate than others, one thing no one accounted for was modern cellphones. It’s completely understandable as the idea of a full computer that fits in your pocket was inconceivable until it became a reality.
With smartphones being so integral to modern-day life, it makes a lot of shows and movies look very dated when every character has a flying car and a burner phone. One of these shows was Batman Beyond. The series ran from 1999 to 2001 but took place in 2039 when Bruce Wayne finally decides to pass down the mantle. As expected, the series features a lot of futuristic technology, but everyone has a phone similar to what was popular in the early 2000s. The show has a cult following which makes this more noticeable every year, but one fan theory provides a solid explanation for why this world wouldn't want to use smartphones.
Reddit user Salmanbhairocks justified the apparent step back in technology with an episode from Justice League, which takes place in the same DC Animated Universe (DCAU) before Batman Beyond. In two Season 2 episodes, “Wild Cards Parts 1 & 2,” Joker hacks broadcasting signals to threaten Las Vegas and drive anyone who watches it insane. With 24-hour news cycles prevalent by that time, the fan theory speculates Joker could’ve reached a worldwide audience. This would’ve given everyone justifiable cause to not want another screen in their pocket at all times.
This theory makes a lot of sense and goes along with current fears of technology many face in real life. Many people are scared of their cellphone and other devices being used as surveillance to track our every move. The internet keeps us connected and is so ingrained into our lives that it’s been the source of many problems. Big tech companies have entire divisions dedicated to cybersecurity as they’re always under the threat of hackers. While many people may be able to keep these concerns in the back of their heads, we also don’t have psychopathic supervillains pulling off wide-scale threats every week.
The DCAU is riddled with numerous villains who constantly put the public in danger. While Joker may be the first to use broadcasting to cause mass hysteria, he likely wasn’t the last. Plenty of villains are smart enough to use that tactic later which would act as a constant reminder of the threat new technology imposes. People in that universe would be a lot more skeptical when new technology is introduced to the masses since it poses a much bigger threat.
This isn’t to say they’ve never had smartphones. It’s also possible they got just as popular as they are in our world until they were used for supervillain plots. It would prove skeptics right and make others more fearful. As it kept happening, more and more people would go back to simpler phones to protect themselves. Government officials probably wouldn’t be allowed to own one. Large corporations would probably ban them in certain areas to prevent a company leaks. They’d eventually get phased out of society to eliminate a potential threat.
The cell phones used in Batman Beyond may make it look dated upon a re-watch, but this fan theory makes it fit in even better with modern times. Fear of technology has always been a theme of science fiction. Turning something many of us rely heavily on into a medium for mind control feels topical and right in place with discussions about how media affects our worldview.