Technology and Social Interaction

Technology and Social Interaction Throughout the years technology has gotten more and more advanced. The better the technology the easier it is for people to stay connected with each other. There are so many ways to contact a person now. You can call/text, email, or even video chat. Social Interaction is getting much better in today’s world of technology. In the past 15 years, the Internet has transitioned from a medium that’s interacted with strictly though desktop computers in homes, offices and computer labs to one that a growing number of people take with them everywhere they go. Whether via laptops, ever-evolving mobile phone devices or through Internet-connected workstations in the office and at home, many are online all the time. (Margolis)
The cell phone has really improved over the past few decades. It used to look like a giant brick, but now they seem to be getting smaller and smaller. Cell Phones can basically do anything such as call people, text message them, or even go on the Internet. It is very easy to get into contact with people these days because almost everyone has a cell phone. The Pew Research Center found that half of American teenagers — defined in the study as ages 12 through 17 — send 50 or more text messages a day and that one third send more than 100 a day (STOUT) They even have games on cell phones that people play against other people around the world.
Computers have also improved drastically over the decades. Almost everyone has a computer or access to one, which means they most likely have an email account. Emails and instant messages are one of the best ways to stay connected with others. Peer networking sites and instant messaging brings people geographically removed from one another into each other’s lives more casually, making it a daily interactive stream (Margolis). Facebook is one of the most popular social networks on the Internet and keeps everyone in touch with everyone they know who are on that site. Social networking also allows people to share their daily lives and thoughts with one another through outbound messages and walls that signal all of their connections. Although some use social networking sites for limited communication, others spend large periods of their day communicating with contacts through computer and mobile social networking interfaces (Feigenbaum). Technology these days had really helped us have a social life without even being with them in person.
Technology has led people to write more and talk less. The ubiquitous and cheap nature of email has made it the backbone of business communication. Emails have the advantage of being able to transmit information instantly to numerous recipients. With the increasing use of email-enabled phones and devices, people no longer have to be at their desks to communicate (Feigenbaum). People no longer have to wait for a letter to come in the mail, email is instantaneously.
A great way to connect with people through technology theses days is video chatting, where you can talk to someone face to face over the computer or even cell phone. It is basically a phone call, but you get to actually see the person you are talking to. Video chatting is getting much more popular these days Facebook even added it to their site so everyone can do it. Also there is a website called chatroulette which is a site just for video chatting random people from across the world. With the proliferation of built-in cameras and microphones on computers and mobile devices, broadband connections and program refinements, an average of 300 million minutes of Skype video calls made daily globally, an increase of about 900 percent from 2007, according to data provided by the company. Many more calls are made using other popular software programs, like FaceTime and Google chat. (SCELFO)
I believe living in this day and age is very easy to have a social life than it was years back when technology was less advanced. There are so many opportunities now to get into contact with someone. Basically everyone has a cell phone, computer, email account, and a way to video chat. It is so crazy how technology has improved and there will be much more in the future ahead.

WORKS CITED
STOUT, HILARY. "Antisocial Networking?." April 30, 2010. n. page. Web. 1 Apr. 2012

Feigenbaum, Eric . "The Effects of Modern Technology on Social Interaction." n. page. Web. 1 Apr. 2012.

SCELFO, JULIE. "Video Chat Reshapes Domestic Rituals." n. page. Web. 1 Apr. 2012.

Margolis, Daniel. "The Social Impact of ‘Everywhere’ Technology." Certification Magazine . N.p., July 2009. Web.

Cited: STOUT, HILARY. "Antisocial Networking?." April 30, 2010. n. page. Web. 1 Apr. 2012 Feigenbaum, Eric . "The Effects of Modern Technology on Social Interaction." n. page. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. SCELFO, JULIE. "Video Chat Reshapes Domestic Rituals." n. page. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Margolis, Daniel. "The Social Impact of ‘Everywhere’ Technology." Certification Magazine . N.p., July 2009. Web.