Online Communication and its Impacts - Research Paper

Introduction

Communication is the process of passing information from one party to another at a given time. Traditionally, there existed several methods of communication which primarily involved the mass media. It includes magazines, radios, letters, and televisions. However, the development of technology has completely changed the scope of communication. Modern-day generations are no longer dependent on the mass media to obtain any information. Instead, they rely on the internet to get the information that they may need. At the same time, it has become easier for parties to communicate and pass information. Interaction has become more comfortable in this era of technological development. Unlike the past when only computers would be used to connect to the internet, mobile phones can now serve the purpose. "With the advancement of mobile camera technology and the growth of social media, online photo sharing has become an increasingly popular phenomenon," (Oeldorf-Hirsch and Shyam 624). In several ways, online communication has changed the way individuals behave about the broader community.

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Online communication has changed society both positively and negatively. One of the positive impacts is that it has eased the burden of communication. Day in day out, new platforms of online communication are being discovered (Wesch, np). This is to mean that the world is fast moving to a technological stage where everything will be done using computers. Communication has become easier courtesy of modern technology. Information is quickly passed from one point to another with relative ease. At the same time, online communication has created a platform where individuals can interact with one another regardless of the cultural differences.

Although not much pronounced, online communication and modern technology have turned out to be the new symbol of world unity. This is because individuals from different parts of the world get connected through the internet. One of the online platforms that have greatly helped to promote integration is YouTube. The number of people that get to view the various content uploaded online shows that the world is united. Unlike other platforms that are filled with racist comments, YouTube is more of love. Any material that does not adhere to the regulations of the platform is pulled down. At the same time, the connectivity brought about by the various content features in the platform is of great significance as far as the unity of the world is concerned.

At the time, online communication has created room for individuals to express themselves. In life, there are people who are afraid of speaking out their hearts on face to face basis. These are the people that are vibrant in online platforms. They find solace online as they are free to air their issues. In most cases, they may be having problems that need the attention of other users to get a solution. On the other hand, they may be issues that are meant to correct society. The fact that social media give individuals a chance to express their feelings show that modern technology and online communication is essential to society.

Online platforms offer a room where people can share their ideas and pictures. Photography is an art and is meant to preserve certain events. "Individuals have captured and collected photos as memoirs of their lives..." (Oeldorf-Hirsch and Shyam 625). Unlike gadgets, online platforms are significant stores for various photos. With the advancement of technology, photography has gone a notch higher. People embrace technology for varied reasons. Among them is the fact that there is a need to preserve some memories. This particularly applies when it comes to personal photography. Apart from photography, there is the aspect of sharing pictures online.

Online photo sharing has become a modern way of interaction. In the past, there was a belief that pictures are to remain in private. However, things have changed, and people now are willing to share their photos with their problems. There is the notion that in modern day society, the best way to update your friends is by sharing pictures. This way, one can engage with the friends and thus a close interaction. At the same time, it is meant to ask friends how they are going about life. Online photo sharing has become a new way of communication, especially among the young generation.

Online communication has also come to the rescue of individuals who lack the courage to talk to people on a face to face scenario. This may be because they fear such individuals or respect has grown to levels that communication is hard. Others are even afraid of making errors in conversation and thus opt for online platforms that have room for correction. "Online communication may afford socially anxious users the perception of increased perceived safety and control," (Kamalou, Krystelle and Moscovitch 501). At the same time, individuals get to enjoy a chance to interact with one another without fear. Fear brings about a communication breakdown which is likely to affect the quality of information delivered. To this extent, online communication can be said to be of help to society.

At the same time, online communication has provided a platform where individuals can highlight a variety of issues that affect society. Every society has its challenges, but the lack of an appropriate platform to address them remains to be a challenge. Online platforms, therefore, form the best platform for such issues to be addressed. There exist certain rots in a society that are hard to correct with word of mouth. Online platforms thus provide a solution to the menace. Apart from the sharing of the photos, online communication and platforms are vital in the commercial world. New methods of marketing have been devised, and they are primarily focused on the platforms. Marketers have decided to incorporate their advertisements into online platforms. This way, the individuals that take part in the sharing of photos are likely to view the ads and thus more traffic.

Globalization is a world agenda that aims at bringing the world together. Globalization was brought about to end the world wars as well as promote a peaceful co-existence among the people. The internet is a crucial tool in the promotion of globalization. This is because it is through the internet that individuals can interact. Online platforms facilitate the interaction of individuals from all corners of the world. Globalization will only be actualized by embracing online communication. Apart from the globalization aspect of online communication, it is an excellent way of having fun. Platforms such as YouTube have multiple comic videos. Through the videos, one can get entertained. All these aspects show that online communication positively alters individual behavior about the community.

On the other hand, there exists a negative side of online communication. One of the ways that online communication has altered the traditional forms is that there is no longer the need for physical presence. To some extent, the lack of a physical presence may be detrimental to the development of any reasonable relationship. In typical cases, individuals who get to interact on face to face basis get to know each other better than those that do it online. At the same time, it may bring about some feeling of neglect especially to children who need the physical presence of their parents. In as much as the children will engage their parents online, there is a need for some physical presence. This helps to create some bond between the parents and the children.

Online communication has turned out to be the new front for people to fake their lifestyles. As it is now, most of the individuals in social media do not show the real proceedings of their life. Unfortunately, not everyone understands that online lifestyles are different from the actual lives that people lead. Photo sharing has turned out to be a cheat other than a way of keeping memories. It is all about showing the society the successes that one has had in life. Unfortunately, no one is willing to showcase their failures, yet they exist. This has put much pressure to social media beginners especially the teenagers. As Stefano, et al. (501) put it, "the expected online audience may influence participants." This will eventually affect the self-esteem of these individuals.

Conclusion

Online communication has become the new order of the world. The ever advancing technology is the main factor behind it. Long gone are the days when online communication relied primarily on the use of computers. As of today, mobile phones serve the purpose. Photo sharing is the most common form of online communication. Phones have cameras that can take pictures and upload them. Online communication has both a dark and a positive side. The positive side of it is that it can be used for fun. At the same time, it enhances connectivity through interaction and online sharing of ideas and pictures. At this era of globalization, online communication is vital. On the flip side, there is the issue of people influencing others with negative information. Online platforms may also cause individual and cultural tensions due to the lives that people lead. Regardless of the negative side of it, it is good to recognize the fact that online communication has some significant impact on the behaviors of individuals about the community.

Works Cited

Kamalou, Somayyeh, Krystelle Shaughnessy, and David A. Moscovitch. "Social anxiety in the digital age: The measurement and sequelae of online safety-seeking." Computers in Human Behavior 90 (2019): 10-17.

Oeldorf-Hirsch, Anne, and S. Shyam Sundar. "Social and technological motivations for online photo sharing." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 60.4 (2016): 624-642.

Triberti, Stefano, et al. "Changing avatars, changing selves? The influence of social and contextual expectations on a digital rendition of identity." Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 20.8 (2017): 501-507.

Wesch, Michael. "An anthropological introduction to YouTube." 26 July 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU. Accessed 9 Apr. 2019.