Although more studies show the benefits of the internet and social relations, a good number of people disagree. It isn’t just a matter of convincing them otherwise, technology is moving very quickly and changes of significance have already changed industries such as journalism.
The future of social relations:
“Most experts surveyed in the latest Pew Internet/Elon University study say social benefits of Internet use far outweigh negatives; some say it robs time, exposes private information, engenders intolerance.
The social benefits of internet use will far outweigh the negatives over the next decade, according to experts who responded to a survey about the future of the internet. They say this is because email, social networks, and other online tools offer ‘low-friction’ opportunities to create, enhance, and rediscover social ties that make a difference in people’s lives. The internet lowers traditional communications constraints of cost, geography, and time; and it supports the type of open information sharing that brings people together.”