Electronic Communication and Society

Electronic Communication and Society

In today’s world, it is very difficult to go anywhere without seeing the impact that technology has had on societies everywhere. From homes to schools to the workplace, the impact of technology has been tremendous. Everything from appliances to machines, from phones to cars, everything has become and still is becoming more modernized in ways people would never have imagined ten years ago. The same can be said for computers and communication technology. Currently, it is very rare to find someone that does not have a cellular phone or a computer. Cell phones have become a standard for people of all ages. From school-aged children to the elderly, almost everyone owns one. In the same sense, just about every household has a computer and some even have two or more. In fact, they have become so common that the more surprising statistic is the number of people who do not own one. Along with computers comes e-mail. It seems like e-mail and other forms of electronic communication have basically taken over. It is as though nearly everyone uses this type of communication in school or at home or work.

With the progress of computers and the internet, more and more people have become introduced to e-mail and instant messaging systems, though instant messaging is mainly used by the younger generations. “E-mail is fast, inexpensive, manageable, easy to use, and uniquely personal. It is already established as an important communications tool, often surpassing the telephone for many forms of business and personal interaction”(Roberts 4). These reasons probably explain why it is so popular