The impact of digital forms of communication on relationships

Shaping Interpersonal Relationships

Digital communication tools such as social media, instant messaging apps, and video calling platforms revolutionise how individuals form and maintain interpersonal relationships.
Online platforms enable real-time communication with anyone, anywhere, overcoming geographic constraints and altering social interaction norms.
Internet-based communities and networks, such as online gaming communities or influencers’ fandom, foster new forms of friendships and ‘imagined communities’.

Deepening Family Connections

Digital communication tools have allowed for transnational families to maintain close relationships despite geographical distance. This includes migrant families, where digital communication acts as a virtual bridge.
The use of video chatting applications such as Skype or Zoom has allowed extended family members to keep in touch, making virtual family gatherings a possibility, thus strengthening emotional bonds.

Work Relationships and Digital Communication

At work, the use of email, Slack, Zoom, and other digital tools has transformed workplace communication. Business meetings, collaborations, and training can happen virtually, linking team members worldwide.
The shift towards remotely working or ‘telecommuting’ due to digital communication capabilities could lead to both isolation and new forms of social interaction in the workplace.

Romantic Relationships in the Digital Age

Digital communication platforms have a significant impact on the way romantic relationships are formed and maintained. Online dating has become commonplace, with apps like Tinder providing a digital platform to meet potential partners.
The phenomenon of ‘catfishing’ or pretending to be someone else online in romantic contexts raises questions about trust, deception, and authenticity in the digital realm.

Digital Communication and Social Dynamics

Digital communication also influences social hierarchies and power relations. For instance, ‘cancel culture’, powered by platforms like Twitter, empowers users to collectively criticise or boycott individuals for offending behaviour.
Yet, it’s important to remember the downside – the potential for cyberbullying and online harassment, powerfully impacting social relationships and issues like mental health.

The Cyber-self and Relationships

In the digital world, individuals often create a ‘virtual self’, tailoring their online persona through selective sharing – affecting perceptions among peers.
Concern arises over the dependency on ‘likes’ and approval on social media platforms, potentially leading to a ‘validation culture’ affecting self-esteem and peer relationships.

Approached critically, digital forms of communication yield both potential benefits and challenges to relational dynamics, rendering a complex, interconnected social landscape.