Will the Internet change the communication pattern in the future?

We have been witnessing the rapid change in our personal life and careers caused by the Internet. A recent research study claims that the current social media will create a new social world in 2020. The study reveals that people will count on the Internet to build and maintain friendship, marriages and other relationships. Thanks to the Internet, the world will get closer and closer.

It is true that the Internet will and is playing a big role in connecting people. The Internet reduces the phone costs whenever I talk to my parents, who are in China. Using Skype even doesn’t cost me any penny to talk to my parents if they use Skype in the meantime. I posted a message on Facebook the other day, looking for some connection with the German Marshall Fund of the United States. To my surprise, a few hours later, a friend responded to my posting and gave me contact information of a person she knows who work for the organization. I am not a Facebook or Twitter fan, but I have to say that the Internet has made information dissemination faster than ever before. And this type of social media can really rock in someone’s professional life. When it comes to social networking, the Internet has become a tool that can not be replaced by any traditional communication tools.

However, I don’t embrace the Internet when it comes to nurturing deeper relationships with family members and close friends. Unless there are some physical obstacles, I always prefer to have face-to-face communication with people. This may be because I am from a culture that values family ties. Without being able to see their facial expressions, I don’t know if my family members and/or friends are really telling me the truth. Do they really feel happy now? Do they need any help but are afraid of asking me for a favor?

The Internet is not mighty in some aspects. Many people believe that benefits of the Internet outweigh the negative effects, but I am skeptical about this argument. It is not the Internet that has advantages or disadvantages; it is the people who are using the Internet can gain benefits or suffer from the use of the Internet. By 2020, we may have more social media platforms and tools, more Facebook, more Twitter and more YouTube.

For the full article about the study, click here.