Electronic Communication and Virtual Networking Sites - Essay Example

? Communication Electronic communication by definition is the medium of transmitting information or anymessage through electronic appliances which majorly includes computer systems, cell phones, fax machines, satellite networks etc. Electronic communication mediums include e-mails (electronic mails), fax messages, text messages, tele or video conferencing, voice mails, television and internet. Electronic communication has enabled us to communicate with each other in a shorter time period owing to the development of social networks and other virtual networking sites. This new innovative technology came into being in 1998 and within a short span of time became popular specially among youngsters. The reason for its increasing popularity is the ease of usage and accessibility it has brought in communication. Moreover, certain scholars call it as an innovative tool and an interesting mode of communication. This is because electronic communication has brought ease not only for young people but also for businesses and students of all ages. Even elders are benefited with it since electronic communication has given birth to virtual communication, which has made it convenient to talk face-to-face with relatives overseas. Yet where this communication medium has benefited the society, it has brought with it certain downsides as well. This is because where virtual communication and networking has helped bring people closer, it has also developed certain negative consequences in numerous ways. In this paper we will be evaluating both the positive and negative contributions of electronic methods of communication in our society (Middlewood & Abbott, 124; Krus, 28-1 to 28-8). First off, we will discuss the benefits electronic communication has brought to our society. Firstly, on a personal level, virtual means of communication has helped people build closer ties with their family and friends living overseas. This is due to the social networking websites like Skype and Facebook through which people could communicate with their friends and relatives no matter what place or country they are in. Both the networking sites provide the facility of video calls which allow face-to-face conversations with the other person anywhere in the world (Middlewood & Abbott, 124; Krus, 28-1 to 28-8). On academic level, virtual communication has enabled the students to communicate more conveniently with teachers/instructors at a faster speed. Also, the networking sites mentioned has enabled the students to take virtual classes on Skype. Email facility and Facebook communication (which includes the study groups made on Facebook nowadays and other academic groups) provides student with the ease of getting instant feedbacks from teachers. Also Smart phones have further enhanced the communication since through smart phones, students and instructors can instantly communicate with each other. Moreover, the new trend of Colleges and Universities developing their own grading software on their websites has made it easy for professors to update student grades online in minutes. On the other side, students could immediately log in and see their results without waiting for the next day or so to get their reports in paper form. In addition, electronic communication through social networking websites have enabled professors to upload study materials on their College website account or on the Facebook group, which could be accessed by students within seconds. Most importantly, virtual/electronic communication has turned our environment into a paperless environment, since everything is documented and managed online (Middlewood & Abbott, 124; Krus, 28-1 to 28-8). On a business level, virtual communication has enabled businessmen to conduct meetings online without having to travel to another city or country. Emails, faxes and social networking websites have benefited the businesses in the fields of marketing, finance, public relations and all kinds of management. It is with the help of social networking and online advertisements that have helped businesses boost their sales and expand their businesses (Ellis, 12). Moreover, internal and external communications for businesses have been made convenient and led to increased efficiency in not only managing workforce but also all kinds of business processes and dealings. Moreover, networking websites like LinkedIn have made it easy for people to find jobs and for companies to find the appropriate candidates for the vacancies arising (Krus, 28-1 to 28-8). Coming to the cons of virtual communication, the major problem that we suffer from is the lack of security. No matter how strict the privacy settings are on social networking websites, yet still many incidents have been seen where personal Facebook, Gmail, Hotmail etc. accounts had been hacked. Many at times, personal pictures which had been uploaded on people's personal profiles had been used without their permission, which displays a huge invasion of privacy. Also sometimes data transferred could not be delivered owing to some discrepancy in the technology, thus leading to delays in responding both in case of academic and business issues. Academically, in case the files transferred by instructors contain a virus, it could destroy the entire computer. This may lead to the students or instructors losing all the files present in the computer, thus leading to delays in meeting deadlines (Middlewood & Abbott, 124). In case of businesses, since the data transmission speed is increasing quite rapidly, therefore, it is hard for the businesses to absorb such large volumes of data in the set time limit. Moreover, sometimes information if faxed could become distorted thus having no legal value if presented in court. Also, the speed of the message transmission may distort the messages' structure leading to misinterpretation on the receiving end. Furthermore data duplication in case of electronic messages is very simple and can be done without any trace of duplication. Even at times, people could send malicious viruses through emails which could not be detected and can wipe out the entire computer's hard drive. Lastly, technology though has brought intense convenience with it, it has also made us addictive of its facilities. Our dependence on electronic communication has given others a gateway to invade our privacy. Developing nations in order to become technologically advanced need help from developed nations. Though it is said that technology has brought people closer, it has also at some points led people to social withdrawal. Such a behavior has tarnished relationships instead of binding them closer together. According to researchers, one reason for increasing divorce rates is social withdrawal caused by technology (Middlewood & Abbott, 124; Krus, 28-1 to 28-8). Therefore, yes virtual communication has given our society a lot of advancement and has enabled our businesses to flourish. But it has made us prone to threats like privacy invasion, dependability, susceptibility to fraud and deteriorating relations in certain cases. Yes it has led us to lose many things but virtual communication has brought numerous bounties which has helped us develop and move further in creating a better lifestyle. Works Cited Ellis, Susan J. “Did You Get My E-Mail? Moving E-Mails beyond the Inbox.” Our Children: The National PTA Magazine 36.4 (2011) : 11-14. Middlewood, David & Abbott, Ian. Achieving Success with your Leadership Project. New York: Sage Publications, 2011. Print. Krus, Cynthia M. Corporate Secretary's Answer Book (4e). Aspen Publishers: USA, 2009. Print. Read More