In this fast-paced developed age, it is obvious that the number of individuals, especially the young ones, spending time online is constantly increasing. This tendency, however, is being argued for its direct influence on teenagers’ communication skills. The following essay will discuss both effects from positive and negative sides.
On the one hand, the approaches towards communication now tend to be digitized, simplifying interaction through modern gadgets, which is considerably widespread among young generations growing up in the digital-technology century. Therefore, adolescents may improve their written communication skills due to the constant use of social media, texting, and email that enhance spelling, grammar, or their ability to express their thoughts succinctly. In addition, Internet communications and online services, such as Facebook, X (Twitter), etc. offer instant messages via voice, text, and video with various tools, allowing users to stay in touch and interact whenever and wherever they want. Consequently, youngsters can inquire not only about worldwide cultures but also enhance their critical thinking skills thanks to discussions, arguments, or debates online.
On the other hand, like two sides of the same coin, this trend yields negative impacts as well. First and foremost, over-reliance on communication and full leisure on the Internet, without physical activities or gathering together, can lead to a decline in face-to-face interaction, and even weaken certain skills such as reading body language, maintaining eye contact, and active listening. Poor language skill is also a damaging result in teenagers’ verbal abilities because of the lack of formal words. As can be seen, young generations frequently overuse slang, and emojis in online communication, which may seep into their formal writing and speech, thus, these bad habits potentially result in misusing proper language conventions.
All in all, online communication can change significantly the way people interact with each other, becoming a part of dwellers’ routines. Its positive effects may contribute to enhancing interpersonal skills, nonetheless, some drawbacks should be taken into consideration before utilizing it dependently.