Does Social Media Lead to the Destruction of How We Communicate?

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Social Media and Communication
Social media is an essential tool in today’s world since it allows real-time communication across the globe. With the onset of technological advancements in information technology, the internet has removed the geographical barriers that limited communication over long distances. Moreover, the increased speed of communication capabilities has enhanced the conveyance of information and brought more people together (Appel et al.). However, despite its benefits, social media has negatively impacted the ability of human beings to communicate effectively. This has led to the loss of the soul and the purpose of communication at its core. Therefore, social media leads to the destruction of how individuals communicate by reducing the reliability of the information, interests in real-life experiences, and language proficiency.
Social media has supported the increased trend of disinformation by speeding up the spread of fake news. Nowadays, discussions are usually based on information from different top social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram. As a result, trending news on such media may be unconfirmed and unreliable, thus leading to an explosion of reactions (Hannan). Consequently, the damage done by such news may be far-reaching and destructive hence making social media an unreliable source of information. For instance, Facebook was recently accused of promoting fake news in elections in many countries, thus interfering with democracy (Hannan). Being unable to believe a story run on a social media site can affect the credibility of such sites. More so, with the reach of such sites reaching billions across the globe, fake news can undermine real stories that would otherwise gain global audiences.
Apart from that, social media leads to reduced literacy levels, with individuals unable to concentrate on different aspects of life that require constant communication. Little effort is put into communicating complete messages leading to the increased popularity of shorthand (Baccarella et al.). The onset of instant messaging through social media sites requires quick responses, reducing the time to develop coherent messages to friends and family. This has raised concerns about the continued effects of such shortened interactions on upcoming generations' literacy levels, with a significant proportion of the young generation spending most of their time online. Consequently, social media directly impacts the use of language and reduces proficiency in the long run.
Additionally, the interest in engaging in real-life interactions is reducing significantly due to the continued use of social media. The internet has enabled quick messaging capabilities without limits, thus allowing friends and family members to interact online without meeting each other in person. As a result, individuals now prefer to communicate through social media instead of meeting face-to-face despite being separated by insig...