C ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE GROWTH OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION.

What are the pro’s and con’s on using technology? PRO’SCON’S Technology makes some tasks easier- eg.satnavs The use of technology causes a higher risk of bullying, sexting, grooming etc. People can research subjects that you might not be able to find in a book Some older people don’t understand how some technology works Medical technology had advanced so we are finding more cures to illnesses People might get addicted to a piece of new technology and become anti-social. Online businesses (YouTube, online dating) have made lots of money through technology It can be expensive to run and keep up to date You can talk to friends/relativesModern technology is changing the way our brains work

Pro’s and Con’s of i-phone 6: PRO -more storage space PRO -better camera PRO -the phone is slimmer than other models-it is elegant and nice to hold. PRO -good battery life CON -It is far more expensive to buy and run than other iphones CON -it takes a very long time to charge the battery CON -it is bigger and slimmer than other models-this could make it fragile and easy to break. CON -it is bigger than expected therefore can be hard to hold and put in your pocket. This shows that there are both advantages and disadvantages to technology and communication.

Why is the use of online communication growing? Many more people are using technology and the internet to communicate with each other. This is because with the growth of technology it is much easier to contact people this way rather than by writing them a hand written letter. People might use technology to keep in touch with friends and family who live far away of are unable to see each other very often, this is becoming more common as transportation is improving and homes are becoming more expensive. People use social media sites such as facebook, twitter, tumblr, instagram (etc.) to contact each other, this is because it is much easier to contact groups of people and it is usually free to contact people this way.

Technology in the news… An app supposed to detect when people on Twitter appeared to be suicidal has been suspended due to "serious" concerns. The charity's app was meant to use an algorithm to identify key words and phrases which indicated distress. But in practice, some said the app made those with mental health issues feel more vulnerable. The Samaritans apologised to "anyone who has inadvertently been caused any distress". "We have made the decision to suspend the application at this time for further consideration," said the charity's policy director, Joe Ferns, in a statement. " 'Stalkers and bullies‘ Launched last month, the Samaritans Radar app analysed Twitter accounts for phrases like "tired of being alone", "hate myself", "depressed", "help me" and "need someone to talk to". Users who have signed up for the scheme will receive an alert if someone they followed tweeted such statements. While Samaritans Radar only monitored tweets that were publicly available, some found the level of analysis unsettling

…this news story proves… …That technology can make people feel vulnerable and upset them. This is a disadvantage to online communication because if people don’t feel safe and the world knows about it due to this app, then they may be an easier target for bullies

In conclusion: There is a huge growth in the use of online communication, however we cannot tell if this is a good or a bad thing. There are many advantages and disadvantages to technology and online communication.