Technology is replacing face to face communication

     Experts agree that technology itself is not a bad thing, but the way it is used can be cause for concern. When technology infiltrated the world of communication, it started phasing out personal connections and created a world based on ''likes'' and ''hashtags.'' “It is much easier to communicate and stay in contact with people over the internet,” said senior nursing major Dustin Dy. “It makes people more efficient with their time.” Although some may say these websites have positive effects on our society, there are more negative impacts that should make us think twice about using them. For example, the first chat room was invented at the University of Illinois in 1973. Less than 20 years later, in 1992, the first mobile text message was sent. By 2010, the world was sending about 193,000 texts per second, Gizmodo reported. Just imagine what will happen with our society in the nearest future. A study conducted for online casino Yazino found that one in four people spend more time socializing online, via sites such as Facebook and Twitter, than they do in person. This shift may begin to affect their ability to properly communicate in person with peers.

     Also the Internet addiction now will be listed as a mental illness with emotional shutdown and lack of concentration. This problem becomes more dangerous, because new generation is Internet addicted from the childhood. Kids ages 8 to 18 spending on average 44.5 hours per week in front of screens, and parents are increasingly concerned that screen time is robbing them of real world experiences. Nearly 23% of kids are addicted to video games. These are the results of a new study of 1,178 U.S. children and teens conducted by Harris Interactive in 2007. As a result, they feel alone, alienated, and have problems making new friends, they turn to invisible strangers in online chat rooms. They may come from families with significant problems, and they cope with their problems by spending time online.

In conclusion, I would like to say that nothing can replace face-to-face conversation and interactions. The Internet addiction is a really big problem of 21th century and people should use the Internet more carefully. 

http://www.statehornet.com/opinion/technology-is-replacing-face-to-face-communication/article_78aa60d8-d570-11e3-ae4d-001a4bcf6878.html
http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/resources/tips/ethics-and-legal/family-internet-addiction-what-can-parents-do
http://college.usatoday.com/2012/10/11/opinion-why-social-media-is-destroying-our-social-skills/