How Technology Has Improved Communication

Gone are the days of carrier pigeons and The Pony Express. Modern communication is handled by wireless signals, undersea cables, satellites and other advanced technology, ensuring the almost instantaneous delivery of messages and data to any location on the planet. The accessibility of technology also means that you don't need to be in any special location like a post office or mail room to send a message; all you need is a cell phone anywhere there is a signal.

Transmitting messages electronically is often more reliable than using letters or cans connected with string. Messages sent electronically instantly reach their destination, and are hindered only by glitches or errors, which don't happen often. This means that as long as the data lines are secure, sending anything via a phone or the Internet will be unaffected by weather conditions or human error.

Online communication has opened the door to new ways of communicating with strangers and taking part in communities. Chat rooms, discussion forums and dating sites let people meet each other and get to know more people without having to be there in person. This gives much more flexibility when it comes to scheduling and dealing with social anxiety; long-distance relationships, for example, are now looked at as reasonable options, escaping the stigma or stress previously associated with them. Online relationships, both platonic and intimate, have become a social norm.

Much online communication is done publicly, allowing anyone with Internet access to acquire an audience. Social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus let users follow anyone they find interesting, and some people have an audience of millions of people. The ease of sharing also lets news and information travel with incredible speed as users share links with each other, meaning that breaking news can reach hundreds of millions of people literally as it is happening. The speed of news has been able to save lives and promote assistance. In the case of some natural disasters, people were warned to get out of the way before it affected them. After the 2010 Haiti earthquake and 2011 tsunami that hit Japan, celebrities promoted donations to the Red Cross over Twitter, bringing in much-needed money.