As time goes by we are able to see how innovations
in social media and communication have affected overall human interaction. We
have seen drastic changes in the way people communicate on a daily basis,
whether it is through online communication, via text message, or even
face-to-face human interaction. Some people even argue that social networking
and other technological innovations have completely changed many traditional
social norms.
There have been many studies showing how as human
beings we are becoming more and more absorbed and connected with technology
particularly social media and the internet. In some parts of the world such as
South Korea, there is an obsession with online gaming, which has taken the
countries youth by storm. Children and young adults across the country are
entranced with online gaming to the point where it is affecting the family and
academic life of these children and teens. The preoccupation has become so
serious that the government is treating it as a psychological addiction.
Similarly we see how it is becoming more and more
common among people of my own generation to preoccupy themselves with the
Internet. While for the most part, the fascination is nowhere near same degree
as that of the youth generation in South Korea; it has still impacted many
aspects of daily social interaction. Whether these affects are negative or not
is another debate, however, fundamentally it is easy to see both the downside
and the upside of this phenomenon.
There are many new forms of communication in
Internet that have bee created through the years, and many of these means of
communication have been able to help people which aren’t maybe as confident
when it comes to face-to-face social interaction. One of the biggest
innovations when it comes to social interactions in online dating sites, which
have revolutionized the way people meet. These websites focus on compatibility and
the pair people through complex databases that collect information and pair
people based on each person and their personal preferences. From there, it is
up to these people if they decide to meet in person or not. This form of
communication is effective in helping people who may not have the time, or
simply are not social enough to effectively date.
However, the many also argue that social media
sites such as dating sites, or even Facebook are in fact making people less
social beings because they are losing their ability to communicate in the real
world. It is much easier for people to hide behind a screen and be confident
than to do so in real social situations. This often proves to be the problem
when people go on dates after meeting on a dating site, only to discover that
their date is not same person he or she may be online.
Social networks have also affected many traditional
norms of the society. For one dating used to be a much more personal and
cordial affair. Now one can make it as simple and impersonal as asking some one
out via text message. However, this may be somewhat of an over exaggeration
when one considers the more serious impacts on social networking sites. One of
the most negative consequences of the social networking is “cyber bullying.”
This tends to affect children and teenagers of my generation the most. Then
there is also the danger of “chatting” online. It is easy for people to conceal
their true identities when they are hiding behind a computer screen. This can
often leave children and teens vulnerable to pedophiles and other kinds of
online dangers.
Over the years there have been many efforts to make
the Internet safer for children, or friendlier in general, however, it is
important to understand that there are always risks. Over all it is difficult
to say that the social media has had a negative impact on society. It has in
fact succeeded in doing what it had intended, which was to connect millions of
people worldwide, in a way which could never even be fathomed before. However,
it one cannot deny that it is changing the world as we know it, and it will
continue to do so.
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