The Internet's Influence on Teenagers and Ways in Which Their Forms of Communication Change (Essay Sample)

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Internet and Teens Communication
The explosive growth of the internet and smart phones has transformed the ways in which teens communicate with friends, families and teachers. Access to mobile devices by teens has changed the traditional well-established communication methods (Jandt 11). Teens today use the internet and mobile devices to send text messages, emails, chat messages on social media networks and make voice and video calls. The use of the internet and mobile devices has become addictive to a high number of teens across the globe. The majority of the teenagers’ interpersonal communication behavior is altered. Consequently, continued use of the internet affects the teens’ social relationships.
The use of the internet and supporting devices in communication has rapidly increased among teenagers displacing the traditional face-to-face method of communication. Many teenagers are spending most of their time communicating via the internet drastically reducing all face-to-face and voice-to-voice communication (Andersson 108). Additionally, the internet has also affected physical interactions among teenagers at home, school and other social places. Teenagers spend most of their time on social media networks, chatting, updating profiles, images, and general browsing through other people’s profiles. The internet is shaping teenagers values, culture, attitudes and the patterns of social communication and behavior.
Facts to support
The interaction between teenagers and their parents today have significantly reduced. This is attributed to the increase in the use of the internet. The communication between teens and the parents have deteriorated, resulting in social misunderstandings and strained relationships. Teens spend a lot of time on the internet and less time interacting with their parents and the rest of the family (Andersson 109). This has also affected the family bond that is normally enhanced by physical communication between the members of the same family. Teens prefer searching for answers from the internet as compared to taking to their parents regarding various social and physical changes in their lives.
The face-to-face communication between teenagers and the teachers have also been altered by the overuse of the internet by teenagers. Overuse of the internet minimizes the exposure of human interaction that helps in perfecting face-to-face and voice-to-voice communication. Teenagers remain shy and unable to engage in the traditional methods of communication, especially with the teachers and other individuals in authority (Jandt 13). Teenagers also exploit opportunities to avoid face-to-face interaction by using emails and other internet-based communication channels to consult teachers and present their assignments. This shows a breakdown of student-teacher physical communication relationship that may eventually affect the main objectives of interactions.
Every day, human beings are faced with various experiences described by signs, verbal messages, images, impressions and reactions. Experiencing these gestures and receiving related...