Online Communication

E-mail

‘E-mail’ can be loosely defined as ‘messages transmitted electronically’, meaning that the first actual electronically transmitted messages were in the form of telegraph messages and Morse Code transmissions. However, the real development of E-mail came during the late 1970’s, due to the large growth in personal computers. E-mail has continued to develop further; meaning that it is now available worldwide, and is so well known and widely used that one can immediately assume that others will have an e-mail address.

There are many advantages of using E-mail nowadays as it is more widely available, for example one can access their e-mail account on their computer, tablet, mobile phone and gaming consoles etc. There are no limitations when it comes to when you can send an e-mail; they can be sent 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As long as you have an internet connection and a working device, you can send and receive e-mails anywhere in the world. Although you have to pay for broadband, the actual e-mail is free, therefore proving cheaper than sending a letter in the post for example. E-mails can also be sent to multiple recipients, therefore saving time.

A large disadvantage of e-mail is spam/junk mail, as it is hard to control who is sending you them. Viruses can also be sent in an e-mail, which can harm your computer. However, most e-mail providers scan emails for viruses for you, and warn you if they are going to be harmful to your computer. Phishing is also a common problem with e-mails, as some people manage to persuade others into giving them their personal details by pretending to be a legitimate company. The personal details can then be used for identity theft.

Personally, I do not use e-mail that much anymore as the development in technology provides us with access to Instant Messaging through mobile devices, tablets, laptops etc. I find that this is a much easier way of communicating with others as it gives you information such as whether the recipient has read your message and if they are typing a reply back to you. However, I still use my e-mail address for registering to things like Facebook and Twitter, and I also receive notifications about my accounts. E-mailing can also seem more professional compared to texting and social networking sites, so I use my e-mail for work and school related subjects.

Social Networking

The world of social networking is ever-expanding, in the fact that we can now fully communicate with others over sites such as Facebook and Twitter. There is no longer any need for chatrooms, as you can virtually have your whole life on one account, as well as contact people directly through things such as ‘Facebook Chat’. However, due to the world of online communication developing so quickly, we have seen the fast decline of previously popular websites such as MySpace and Bebo.

On Facebook, you can load photos on of you and your friends, and ‘tag’ people in them so it appears on their profile too. You can add information about where you go to school or where you work, as well as hobbies and interests. People can basically get to know you through your Facebook profile, as well as contact you directly through ‘Facebook chat’.  This is a big advantage as everything is all in one place, therefore making contacting people online very easy.

However, as with all forms of online communication, it’s not as personal as actually speaking to someone in person. For example, there is always the chance of being misunderstood when speaking online, as you cannot hear the tone of someone’s voice or see their facial expressions. As well as this, it is very easy to get addicted to social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and often people find themselves spending more time speaking to people through these sites than they do actually communicating in person. It could be said that the term ‘Social Networking’ is actually quite ironic, as spending all your time on these websites is preventing you from actually socialising with people in person. Another drawback of social networking is the lack of privacy because although you can change your personal privacy settings on your profile, people can still access photos of you through other people’s profiles if they have tagged you in them. There is also the fact that whatever you put on the internet stays on the internet, even if you think you have deleted it from your profile.

                Personally, I use social networking sites every day, such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. I have an account for all of them, as well as the app for each of them on my phone. I’d say  that it is very easy to become addicted to them, but I’ve found that I generally use Twitter more than anything, as you can keep up to date with what is going on that day, through the use of ‘hashtags’ and ‘trending topics’. You can also keep track of what celebrities are doing, and you can ‘follow’ them so you can see tweets directly from them, something you cannot do on Facebook as Twitter ‘verifies’ celebrities accounts so that you know it is definitely them, and not someone pretending to be them. From using social networking sites as often as I do, I have definitely encountered some of the disadvantages that come with them, but it wouldn’t put me off using them.

Video Communication

                Recently, the world of online communication has seen the rapidly increasing popularity of Video Communication, with things such as Skype and FaceTime. These programmes allow you to communicate with people through the use of video, so it is almost as if you are actually with the person/people, as you can see and hear them. Businesses also regularly use this technique to contact people, like a conference call. This enables them to talk to people from all over the world, without spending money on expensive, long-distance calls.

                A huge advantage of this is, unlike Facebook, it is more personal, and there is a lower risk of being misunderstood, as you can see and hear the person just as if you were actually having a conversation with them in person. You can also chat for as long as you like, with no additional charge, providing you are connected to WiFi. Again, this proves to be better than long distance phonecalls, as you have to pay more the longer you chat, which can end up being very expensive.

                Nevertheless, although there are many advantages of Video Communication, there are also a few limitations. For example, to be able to communicate effectively, you have to have a strong internet connection, so if you lived in a rural area, you might not be able to successfully use things like Skype and FaceTime. These can also be affected if you have a lot of other programmes open on your computer or phone, and it can slow down your connection.

                Personally, I don’t use video communication that often, but when I do, it is very clear as to why so many people use it. It allows you to multi-task when using it, as you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to write a text, for example. When I use it, it is normally to contact relatives in different countries. I prefer using Skype to talk to them as I don’t see them that often so it’s nice to be able to see what they look like etc.

Online Newspapers

Online newspapers have become increasingly popular due to the internet becoming widely accessible, as it is easier to go on the internet and read them than to go to a shop and buy one. This means you can keep up-to-date with current affairs easier and from virtually anywhere, as there are now apps for your phone or tablet for online newspapers as well. It also is economically friendly as it saves having to use paper.

                However, with the increase of popularity of online newspapers, there is a decrease in the sales of actual, traditional newspapers. This has an effect on the economy, as online newspapers are usually free, whereas traditional newspapers are not. The term ‘online newspaper’ is also quite ironic as it is obviously not on paper, it is on an internet page.

                 Personally, I still buy and read traditional newspapers, however I will occasionally look up news stories on the internet as they sometimes have content that is not included in the traditional newspapers, and I have downloaded a few of the apps for online newspapers just in case I’m not able to buy one, so I can still keep up-to-date on the news.