In today’s rapidly moving society, it is almost impossible to imagine life without the convenience of the Internet. The majority of college students feel an obligation to stay in touch through sites such as Twitter and Facebook and, although primarily used by a younger generation, many adults have started taking advantage of these Web sites as well. The real question lies in how the ability to stay in touch at all times is affecting daily interaction among people.
Rasoul Butler, a junior in fashion and textile management, believes that using Twitter in small doses will have fewer negative effects on personal interaction.
“I feel like some people use Twitter and networking sites as their only main interaction with people,” Butler said. “Most people are the same in person, though. Meaning I could talk to you on Twitter or in person and you wouldn’t be different. If you only use Twitter to talk to people then it can definitely interfere.”
While the majority of people are able to keep a steady balance between online chatting and face to face communication, others become obsessive about updating their tweets or checking their Facebook pages. The number of U.S. citizens using Twitter and Facebook has increased rapidly. According to the North American Technographics Benchmark Survey, the number of people who use social networking sites has doubled since 2007, meaning a little under one third of adults in the United States visit social networks at least once a month.
Some people feel that signing up for too many accounts is excessive.
“I don’t use Twitter because I feel like it’s a replica of Facebook. It’s too much to handle all of these different things,” Butler said.
Another issue that has sparked attention is whether or not Twitter is hurting people’s ability to live in the moment.
On the flip side, when used for the right reasons, Twitter can have benefits.
Amanda Young, a freshman in management, sees Twitter as a fun way to keep in touch with close friends.
“I use Twitter because I have some friends who use it and it’s a good way to keep up with them,” Young said. “I also like to look at celebrity pages and the CollegeHumor page. I’m really not a hard-core Tweeter. It’s just for fun.”
The benefits of networking sites such as Twitter go even further when considering long-distance relationships.
“I think people who are separated by distance benefit the most from Twitter. Family and friends who live far apart are able to keep in touch,” Young said.
Although there are many benefits to keeping up with family and friends online, the drawbacks to becoming accustomed to non-verbal conversations cannot be ignored.
“I would definitely say it creates barriers among people,” Young said. “You get used to interacting through technology and it creates distance between people in daily situations.”
So could people have honestly been better off before the age of technology? The ability to connect with people 24/7 has obvious benefits, but what people don’t consider are the limitations that it creates in daily life. Interview skills, language skills and having a keen sense for reading people’s emotions and body language are all hugely affected by non-verbal communication.
Kama Kosenko, professor of communications, sees both the benefits and the limitations to the use of social networking sites.
“Networking sites benefit us and are a limitation to a certain extent. We have become rather lazy with our language based on ‘text talk’ and Twitter. It is affecting how we communicate face to face,” Kosenko said. “However, having the ability to connect online can also strengthen interpersonal relationships.”
From a professional standpoint, sites such as Twitter can be negative when they blur the line between personal life and work. Posts on many Twitter accounts can be read by anyone who knows the “poster” whether they are a close friend or a co-worker.
“I don’t use Twitter. I find that posting on any online social networking sites requires me to manage my identity in such a way that it’s difficult to figure out what to post,” Kosenko said.
Whether or not you’re a fan of Twitter, the important thing is to use online social networking as a complement to genuine human interaction rather than a replacement. Keeping up with friends and family online is the modern way to stay in touch, but non-verbal interaction can not substitute for a face to face social experience.
