Technology has changed the way we communicate and share information. Communication has come a long way since the invention of the telegraph. Alexander Bell would be proud as to how far technology has taken communicating capabilities. Society has gone from calling one another to being able to see one another through the Internet. Someone in the United States can interact with someone in Japan. Teachers in the United States are now able to teach students in another country. The communication possibilities are endless with the constant advancement of media technology. Here are four media technology examples, their purposes, and how they have changed the way society communicates. 

Social Media

Social media networking sites are one of the biggest media technologies that have shaped the way society communicates. Social media sites have taken social connectivity to another level. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have allowed users from all over the world to communicate. However, the con of social media is that they have taken place of actual relationships. As Sponcil and Gitmu (2013) stated, “Social media sites have created new and non-personal ways for people to interact with others.” (p. 2). Rather than friends and families calling to check in on each other, they just log onto Facebook or Twitter to see how their friends or family members are doing.

Smart Phones

Phones have come a long way since and even cell phones today compared to cell phones 15 years ago are very different. No one ever leaves home without it and no matter where the location, someone is always on their smart phone. Today, most people hardly use their smart phones to call another person. Smart phones do not act as actual phones anymore. Society now prefers to text one another, email or even sends video messages. Users are still able to communicate with one another, they are not physically communicating with one another. There is no eye contact and no words are being spoken.

 Email

Email is faster, less expensive, and reduces phone usage (O’Donovan, 1998).  With an email, a person can add as many recipient as the email host would allow in one email. The great thing about emails is that it allows the user to communicate to more than one person. Email also allows rapid responses from recipients. There are no waiting long periods of time for responses from others.  

Instant Messengers

Instant messengers are usually done online or through an application. Users are only able to message other users that are online. Unlike texting on your phone,  there is no need to use your personal phone number, they would just need either your username or be friends with you on a social networking site. Instant messengers are not only just used by the public but they are often used by organizations for internal communication. Instant messenger allows constant and current communication between users. 

Media technology has made the world a little smaller, families and friends a little closer to one another. Social media sites, smart phones, emails, and instant messengers have given society a quicker and more efficient way to communicate with each other. However, that does not come without any cons. It has changed the way society communicates in a negative way as well. Although they have helped society communicate more, it has taken away from actual human interaction. It is to be said that media technologies such as these four have changed the way society communicates. 

References

O'donovan, T. (1998). The impact of information technology on internal communication. Education and Information Technologies, 3(1), 3-26. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1009618920604

Sponcil, M., & Gitimu, P. (2013). Use of social media by college students: Relationship to communication and self-concept. Journal of Technology Research, 4, 1-13. Retrieved from ProQuest.