Today, there is more communication in the world than ever before. But whether technology is helping us become better communicators isn’t entirely clear.
Sure, tech is affecting the volume of calls, texts and emails, but whether it is affecting quality remains to be seen.
This post runs through some of the positive and negative effects of technology on communication to give a more balanced picture.
The Positive Effects Of Technology On Communication
So, what are the positive effects of technology on communication? Let’s take a look.
Greater Connectivity
One perk of today’s technology is the sheer availability of people. You can now communicate with anyone anywhere in the world by pressing a few buttons on a device.
Connectivity is also improving the fidelity of communication. Whereas thirty years ago you had a crackly phone line, now people can video conference with each other, use messaging apps, and even holograms, creating a more immersive experience.
More Access To Information
Another positive effect of technology on communication is the heightened access to information. You can now find out about global happenings wherever you are without having to leave the comfort of your armchair.
What’s incredible about internet news is that it doesn’t matter what topic you want to learn more about. Somebody is already creating content for it, whether it’s fishing, video games, or finance.
Improved Tools
Finally, technology is helping to improve communication with enhanced tools. AI is enabling speech-to-text and vice versa, assisting disabled people and widening the scope of individuals who can be involved in conversations.
The Negative Effects Of Technology On Communication
Of course, technology isn’t helping with communication on every front. And in some instances, it is making it worse.
Information Overload
One issue is the risk of information overload. Instead of using strategic communication, many people are using new tools to bombard each other with excessive information, making it challenging to make progress.
Related to this is the notion that there are too many sources on the internet. When people look for information about how a specific event unfolded, they can often wind up getting it from many publications, all with conflicting views.
Social Isolation
Ironically, communication technology may be fostering social isolation. Instead of people getting their socialization requirements from other individuals in the real world, they’re getting them from social media apps and online chat rooms.
This social isolation is widely considered to be a symptom of the success of communication technology. It is now so powerful most people never need to leave their homes.
Shorter Attention Spans
Finally, better technology may be shortening attention spans. Users are used to consuming fast-paced bite-sized content instead of having in-depth conversations or focusing on something for an hour or more.
Shorter attention spans are an issue for conventional communication, too. It could make it harder to communicate with people.
Ultimately, technology probably isn’t making us better at communicating with each other. That’s why we need to be cautious going forward and develop skills independently to continue to thrive as social creatures.
