Part 1: Does Social Media Increase Communication

written by 10418 Lee Seo Hyeon, 10610 Park So Min, 

20302 Kim Dan Hee, 20618 Lee Seo Ahn & 20726 Hwang Da In

With the launch of several social media platforms such as MSN Messenger, MySpace and Facebook, social media has paved its way through people’s lives since the early 2000s. 

Social media began to leave its effects on communication as well. Communication became digitized mostly via text messages. The impact of social media has shed light upon new and different forms of communication.

Social media shifted vast amounts of physical interaction to digital communication. It thereby allows people to interact with each other all over the world at any time through the Internet, being less constrained with space and time.

Social media has also facilitated more communication as well. With hundreds of messaging applications that deliver texts within a few clicks, it has never been easier to converse with others.

However, social media also has its shortcomings regarding the same issue, communication.

Constant use of social media lacks profound and meaningful conversations. Researches have shown that less people interact in person since the rise of social platforms.

Lucy White, a Digital Media Executive, analyzed negative effects of social media on communication and found out that social media users tend to spend less time thinking about the messages they convey, since it takes less effort.

It has also been proven that social media undermines the literacy and writing skills of people, especially teenagers. Abbreviations and slang, which are often used in texts, become habit. Such short and brief communication allows teenagers to easily communicate with each other. 

However, for theses reasons, adolescents have trouble expressing themselves in longer terms of writing or examinations.




The Opinion department of the PRESS will explore both sides in a six-part series.