How often do you rely on technology to communicate with other people? Technology has quickly advanced and is a major technique of common communication in this era. This sudden advancement and adoption has arose the question, Has technology positively or negatively impacted our ability to communicate with one another? Cell phones, television, radios, and several other versions of the technology have opened the world to hundreds of ways to communicate, but the most common is social media. A 2020 statistic states that 85.8 percent of the United States population accessed the internet from anywhere via any device. This statistic is expected to increase to 87.2 percent by 2025.
Due to technology rapidly becoming a part of everything used in the majority of the world including communication, technology has positively affected our ability to communicate with each other. Technology has made it possible to communicate with virtually anyone in the world at any given time. There are over a hundred social media platforms that are used specifically for communication. This number continues to increase as more platforms are developed and released for the public`s use. The top five most popular social media apps used for communication are Facebook with 2.23 billion monthly active users, YouTube with 1.9 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp with 1.5 billion monthly active users, Messenger with 1.3 billion monthly active users, and Instagram with 1 billion monthly active users. To oppose this, some people believe that the overuse of technology for communication can lead to social anxiety. A study at the University of Pennsylvania showed increased levels of loneliness in high usage of social media which can be a contributing factor to anxiety and depression; however, technology allows people who suffer from social anxiety to communicate with less pressure than they would typically be affected by in a face-to-face conversation.
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In an article posted by Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, this test was graphed showing the massive decrease in the high social anxiety group`s anxiety levels from real-life conversation to online conversation.
Due to the multiple platforms of communication that technology opens to everyone, information and news worldwide can be accessed instantaneously. Through the use of television, radios, cell phones, emails, podcasts, and social networks 44 percent of Americans say they get news through one or more internet mobile digital sources. To contradict this, some people believe that technology creates the ability to rapidly share fake news worldwide due to the multiple platforms of communication that anyone can access. Technology had advanced communication to the point where anyone can interact with news andor rumors making it extremely difficult to decipher between what is real and what is fake. After conducting research, researchers concluded that the average fake news story spread to 1,500 users in 10 hours. The verified story took nearly 60 hours to reach the same amount of people. On average, the false stories reached about 35 percent more people, added the researcher. Sadly, fake news can not be avoided due to a lack of fact-checking and dishonesty; however, the ability to communicate quickly has proven to be physically lifesaving. In 2017, the United States alone experienced 15 natural disasters that each cost at least $1 billion in damages. During these disasters, technology was a constant use of communication. It gave emergency response crews a way to develop a plan of action, help stranded survivors communicate that they were in trouble, and get updated information to family and friends as fast as possible.
One final way technology has positively affected our ability to communicate with one another is through the use of dating sites and apps. There are currently more than 1,500 different dating app sites for anyone around the world to communicate through. According to Nielsen data, one in ten American adults spend more than one hour on a dating app site daily. To contradict this, some people believe that communicating through dating sites is dangerous because of fake profiles and predators. According to Kaspersky.com, the main finding while researching the dangers of dating app sites is false information and identities. Averagely, 57 percent of online daters lie to one another about their name, appearance, marital status, location, andor age. According to a report from Factual, 10 percent of online daters are sex offenders and approximately 25 percent of rapists are finding their victims through dating app sites. There are many dangers of dating through technology; however, it has led to thousands of successful relationships worldwide. According to The Knot 2019 Jewelry and Engagement study, 22 percent of couples meet online and end up becoming engaged. Of the couples that were surveyed, less than six percent of those who met online got divorced, while the break-up rate for marriages found offline was almost eight percent.
In conclusion, technology has and continues to positively affect our ability to communicate with one another in multiple ways. Technology is continuously advancing and will continue to further increase our ability to communicate in the future. Cellphones, television, radios, podcasts, emails, and several other devices used to communicate make it possible to communicate with people who are across the world in seconds. In emergencies, technology has become vital for communication to make sure everyone is safe and can receive help if needed. Finally, technology opens a whole new world to try and find love for people who have struggled previously. While you`re reading this paper, think of how much you use technology to communicate with others and if you could imagine a world of communication without technology.
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