The widespread use of smartphones and computers for communication purposes has led to negative consequences for the reading and writing skills of young people. I strongly agree that this trend is doing these skills a disservice, and I will provide evidence to support my point.
One of the most significant effects of digital technology is the decline in traditional reading habits. With the ubiquity of social media, instant messaging and other digital platforms, teenagers are increasingly inclined to read short and informal texts. This has led to a decrease in the number of people using books, newspapers and magazines, which were once considered essential reading materials. In addition, the decrease in concentration caused by constant exposure to digital media poses an insurmountable task for young people to form a healthy reading habit.
Technology has not only influenced users’ literacy skills, but also influenced their writing habits. The growing dependence on technology for communication purposes has contributed to the spread of informal writing styles. In fact, today’s youth tend to abuse emojis, acronyms and abbreviations in their language, which can hinder the development of professional writing skills. In addition, the dependence of young people on autocorrect and text prediction has simplified the writing process, which allows them to ignore spelling and grammatical errors. This, in turn, eventually leads to a lack of attention to detail and a deterioration in writing skills. Among the countless excuses for the decline in writing skills due to the ubiquity of computers and cell phones, there are several.
To summarize, the growing use of computers and mobile phones for communication has greatly influenced traditional reading habits and hindered the development of writing skills among young people.