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Cyber Communication
Chantel Navarro
5/8/2012
Blue 9/10
Cyber communication is the number one way of communicating nowadays,
whether it‘s through text message, e-mail, or phone call. There isn’t a place you can go to
and not see a person having a conversation through cell phone. It has definitely
revolutionized the way we communicate with one another. Even though cyber
communication, such as text messaging, social networking, e-mail and phone calls, is
beneficial, it has many detrimental effects. A quote said by American businessman and
politician, Mark Kennedy is, ‘All of the biggest technological inventions created by man the airplane, the automobile, the computer - says little about his intelligence, but speaks
volumes about his laziness.’ This quote though, only talks about the flawed side of
technology or computers although technology has helped the world and humans in a
countless number of ways. Technology is improving and increasing so rapidly, many
people have failed to remember about the cons and pros of cyber communication. There
are numerous pros, as there are cons, but I still believe that the pros outweigh the cons.
One of the big issues of cyber communication is that many people’s lives are
being put in danger. In a research done at Harvard University, it was discovered that
cyber communication causes over 200 deaths and half a million injuries in automobiles
each year (Cordill). A glimpse into the next vehicle’s driver’s seat is likely to expose
someone chatting or text messaging while barreling down the highway at a speed high
above the suggested limit. Although police attempt to capture lawbreakers and auto
manufacturers scratch their heads over the challenge of designing cars that allow drivers
to communicate and still pay maximum attention to the road and to other drivers, the
number of accidents from fender-benders to fatalities with causative electronics use
behind the wheel just increases (Lowen). Not only are lives being put in danger on the
streets but also online, on social networking sites. With all the openness and sharing
comes a serious danger; digital permanence. Digital permanence directs itself to the
history and development of digital storage techniques calculating the imagined lifespan
of data stored on several digital media and the factors, which influence the permanence of
digital data. Once anyone joins a social networking site, information becomes public.
There really is no secure way to fully protect one-self.
A large downside of cyber communication is that it completely ruins face-to-face
conversations. When using cyber communication, it is quicker and easier, but there are
no verbal conversations between people. In 1996 Joseph B. Walther, a professor at the
Department of Communication and the Department of Telecommunication, Information
Studies and Media at Michigan State University, identified three types of communication
which take place online: impersonal, interpersonal, and Hyperpersonal. Impersonal
communication is straightforward communication. In the early days of e-mail, when it
was used mainly in business and academic settings, much of computer-mediated
communication was impersonal in nature. Interpersonal communication is “more socially
oriented” (Turner, Grube, and Meyers, 2001). Employees were no longer sending e-mails
to discuss reports and meetings, but to share personal information like buying a new car
or the birth of a child. Walther introduced four different elements that define
Hyperpersonal communication. First, we create an idealized perception of the receiver.
Secondly, because we are able to sell select what we reveal to the other individual we
create an idealized image of ourselves for them. Third, the asynchronous channels of
communication allow us to self-edit to a greater extent than does the more spontaneous
face-to-face environment. Last, a feedback loop is created reinforcing our idealized
perceptions of the other and of ourselves. What Hyperpersonal communication produces
is an intense, and sometimes overly intimate relationship with the other individual.
Similarities between the two individuals are magnified and the differences are
minimized. A person experiences an intense sense of unison and may create a deceitful
image of the other. There is no doubt that the Internet is no longer limited to impersonal
communication. It can certainly be a powerful tool for building relationships, both
business and personal with individuals around the world. It can also be a powerful tool
for helping individuals work through personal challenges in online support groups.
Nevertheless, there is a real danger that the Hyperpersonal nature of some types of online
communication may put the reckless individual at risk.
Cyber communication affects people of all ages, especially teens. Using the
Internet for cyber communication too much, causes a major difficulty; this generation of
children and teens are a lot heavier than the last generation was. This is because children
and teens don’t play outdoors or aren’t involved into sports as much as they used to be;
you don’t see nearly as much kids outside running around or playing tag. This
generation’s children isn’t as easily entertained and isn’t as interested in spending time
outside. Children remain inside most of the day which encourages parents to put an
amusement in each of their children’s’ bedrooms, most likely a computer or a telephone.
Now the children do not want to go outside. There’s nothing more entertaining than
staying inside, locked up in your bedroom and socializing with friends via e-mail and
having conversations through telephone. No wonder children now look a lot bigger.
Another grave problem regarding cyber communication and teens is cyber bullying.
Cyber bullying is verbal harassment that occurs during online activities. Lots of children,
preteens and teens have been harassed, threatened, or humiliated online more than once.
Statistics show that 42% of kids have been bullied while online, and 1 in 4 has had it
happen more than once. Cyber bullying is considered to be a serious problem and is said
to be worse than traditional bullying. According to Susan Hayes, a contributor to Current
Health 2, the impact of cyber bullying can be devastating, resulting in suicides or even
school murders. Shanna Hogan, award-winning Arizona journalist and true crime author,
also argues that cyber bullying is worse than traditional schoolyard bullying. Hogan
states that unlike traditional bullying, there is little escape from cyber bullying --- the
mean comments or cruelly edited photos exist online twenty-four hours a day. Also,
unlike schoolyard bullying, which is typically witnessed by a handful of people, hundreds
or thousands of people can witness cyber bullying, making the victim feel publicly
humiliated to an extreme. Last, Hogan contends that the anonymity of the Internet
encourages people to be more cruel and aggressive than they would be in real life. As a
result, kids who are cyber bullied struggle with depression, self-esteem issues, anxiety,
higher rates of school absence, and suicide, concludes Hogan.
To conclude, cyber communication clearly produces much more negative effects
than positive ones. Cyber communication puts lots of people’s lives in danger on the
streets as well as online, completely destroys oral conversations, and badly affects youth
especially. Without a doubt, cyber communication has improved our ways of interacting
with one another but more people need to utilize communication like this less
irresponsibly.
Works Cited
Cordill, Joey. " Cyber Communication Progress or Problem By: Joey ." jcordill609's
Blogs — Just another Edublogs.org weblog. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2012.
<http://jcordill609.edublogs.org/2010/02/17/cyber-communication-progress-orproblem-by-joey-cordill/>.
Friedman, Lauri S. Cyberbullying. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven, 2011. Print.
Hodge, Cody. "Cyber communication: Progress or problem? - by Cody Hodge Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. N.p., 9 Oct. 2009. Web. 8 May
2012. <http://www.helium.com/items/1610436-cyber-communication>.
Lowen, Sandra. "Cyber communication: Progress or problem? - by Sandra Lowen Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. N.p., 10 Oct. 2009. Web. 8 May
2012. <http://www.helium.com/items/1611017-cyber-communication-asproblem>.
Main, Terri. "Cyber-Talk: Impersonal, Interpersonal or Hyperpersonal?." Cyber-Talk. 19
July 2006. Web. 8 May 2012. <http://cyber-
talk.blogspot.com/2006/06/impersonal-interpersonal-or.html>.
Scriptor, Mathias. "Cyber communication: Progress or problem? - by Mathias Scriptor Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. N.p., 8 Oct. 2009. Web. 8 May
2012. <http://www.helium.com/items/1610097-cyber-communication>.
Turner,J., Grube,J. and Meyers, J. (2001) Developing an optimal match with in online
communities: an exploration of CMC support communities and traditional
support. Journal of communication, 51 (2), 231-251.
Walther, J. B. (1996). Computer-mediated communication: Impersonal, interpersonal
and hyperpersonal interaction. Communication Research, 23(1), 3-43.