Blog Post 3: An understanding of how changes in technology impact on the way humans communicate, and the ethical issues that surround these changes.
“Communication is sending and receiving information between two or more people.” (Shawn Grimsley, 2018) Grimsley states that the different forms of communication are verbal, written and body language. The “invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in the year 1875 was the first technological invention” (Vijay Sharma, 2018). This was the first invention which would be followed by many more advancements and adaptions on this new form of communication. The internet and cell phone were major inventions that have allowed us to communicate on such a wider scale than was originally allowed. While technology has given us many benefits such as communicating to people instantly that are on the other side of the world, there are still some down sides.
The advancements of technology have many benefits. “Technology has transformed the once big and far world into a tiny global village” (Techspirited Staff. 2018) With technology, there are “no communication barriers.” (Techspirited Staff. 2018) You are able to get in contact with anyone at any time. It is now easy to communicate with old friends and even make new ones. With recent advances, you can even video chat with people meaning that you can see them and read their body language which is a major benefit.
As online communication is virtual, it allows the more timid and quiet people to voice their opinions. In real life they may be too shy or aren’t able to get a word in, however if they are communicating online, this levels the chance of them having a say without being interrupted by anyone.
Online communication is also beneficial for companies and businesses. It saves them from having to travel far distances which can be very time consuming and costly. They are able to have video conferences from their own building. With the right technology, it is almost the same as having an in-person work conference. If the conference is recorded, they can also go back and review ideas that were said that they may have missed. This is also the same with emailing. Because it is all written down, it is hard to miss elements, and you are always able to go back and look over what was said.
There are however, some ethical issues with the advancement of technology and the impact it has had on our communication in a negative way. Even though there has been an increase in communication between people, our interpersonal skills are diminishing. People are able to speak their minds freely and confidently online, but once it comes to a public situation where they could be saying the same thing, they struggle majorly, and this has to do with the increase in communication online rather than face to face.
With the invention of social media and technology, there have been negative things that have come along with this. Cyberbullying is when people are harassing others on the internet. Before social media was a thing, victims of bullying were able to escape once they got into the safety of their own home. Now with the internet, bullies are able to continue to harass their victims 24/7. “Cyber bullying can be very damaging to adolescents and teens. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide.” (Cyber Bullying Statistics. Undated.) If parents and schools educate their children and students more and tell them about the implications and consequences of cyber bullying, maybe the amount of cyber bullying cases could reduce.
While there are down sides to technology and the impact it has on our communication, it is obvious that society has really benefited by the advancements of technology and what it allows us to do.
References
· Grimsley, S. (2018). What is Communication? - Definition & Importance - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com. [online] Study.com. Available at: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-communication-definition-importance.html
· Sharma, V. (2018). How Technology has Affected Communication - KLIENT SOLUTECH. [online] KLIENT SOLUTECH. Available at: http://www.klientsolutech.com/how-technology-has-affected-communication/
· Techspirited Staff (2018). An Overview of the Overall Impact of Technology on Communication. [online] Available at: https://techspirited.com/impact-of-technology-on-communication
· Bullying Statistics. (n.d.). Cyber Bullying Statistics. [online] Available at: http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html [Accessed 3 Oct. 2018].
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