Social Networks: Effects on interpersonal communication
As technology has advanced throughout history, especially in the last century and a half, communications has become easier with time. There was a day that any form of nonverbal communication had to be through written letters, mailed to the desired recipient. As social networking has begun to dominate the way many people communicate to their friends, acquaintances, and business associates, a lot is changing in the way that the world handles everyday tasks. This could range from everyday conversations that use to take place in person to consoling someone for their loss of a loved one. Actions that used to be formal parts of society have now been reduced to occurrences that are socially acceptable to happen on a social media site. It used to be expected that you get close friends and family a card for their birthday or for other holidays or momentous events. Now it is perfectly acceptable for one to just say “Happy Birthday!” on their Facebook wall.
This dramatic shift in communication is one that many think has had a significant impact on people’s communications skills, especially in America. Because some people began using social networking sites to wish people a happy birthday, express gratitude for a deed, and share their experience, the need for interpersonal communication has been significantly reduced. These actions are causing people’s personal communication skills to suffer, as well as raise a generation of children in an age where the only place to share their feelings is the internet. Other effects of this online communication is the damage being done to greeting card companies. As more of the greetings, “thank you’s”, and “sorry for your loss” messages are being offered up through social media sites. This online communication has begun to have negative effects in life already in instances such as cyber-bullying cases that have caused bullying in real life. Some doctors and scholars fear that if people continue to rely so heavily on social media for communication that it will only bring about negative consequences
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