Astoundingly, Dr. Turkle says, many people still forget that they're speaking out loud when they communicate online.

WSJ: Why We Are So Rude on Facebook and Other Social Media

"Normally they're quite a loud bunch in here, but over the last week they've seemed a bit demoralised, " he says.

BBC: It's like a ghost town here now. It's very deserted

"People don't realize a lot of times when they're on their cell phones how loud it is, and it distracts you from what you're doing, " said McEwen, who said she's even seen people trip on a treadmill while trying to send text messages.

CNN: Gym etiquette: Consider others when working out