Band 7+: Some people say that instead of seeing the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities world-wide, we should be concerned about the effect this is having on social interaction. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. Write at least 250 words.

Nowadays the internet allows people to communicate with people on the other side of the world. This way people can gain so many experiences and learn about so many different points of views. This also helps people be aware of the news all around the world. However, people tend to forget how internet-based communication affects their daily-life conversation skills.

First of all, people usually text with other people online. This allows them to organize their thoughts better and be more confident in themselves, since they can delete a text message or never talk to that person again. However, in face to face conversations people need a lot more skills in order to actively listen to that person, think fast enough to keep the conversation going, and to empathize with them. The internet gives you unlimited access to time and resources as well as letting you make mistakes. This comfortability then disturbs people during actual social interactions. I feel these effects on myself especially when I’m talking to people I just met or when I’m requesting something. Also as a person with fairly good social skills, I can easily see the social anxiety problem in my day-to-day life.

Another hidden disadvantage of being used to online-communication is forgetting the importance of having foreign language skills. A lot of people tend to think that translators can replace learning new languages. Even though translators get better and better every day, most of the time they remove the human emotion from your words. Just like how we have miscommunications while texting even in our language, it leads to emotionless and dry communication. Another aspect of this is that in face-to-face communication, translators would waste so much time. This also obstructs active listening and thinking, and empathising during that conversation.

In conclusion, internet communication allows us to connect with a lot more people than we normally would. However, people need human connection in their conversations and lives. Social skills keep people connected and heard.