Are We Actually Less Connected With Wireless Internet?

The Internet has opened access to information and people all over the world in a way unprecedented in human history. As a result, many people are spending more time online and less time physically with other people. Many people see these changes as having a negative impact on society. As mobile broadband technology such as 4G is only making the Internet more accessible and easier to use, we should examine the impact of the Internet on our social interactions.

Many of us who grew up in the age of video games remember being admonished by our parents to "go out and play." While they may have been thinking partly of the health benefits of sunlight and fresh air, implicit in this was also concern for our social development. People make connections by sharing common experiences, learning how different people react to different things, and developing senses of compassion and empathy. Humans are fundamentally social animals, and social interaction and development are absolutely crucial to becoming capable, healthy adults. It is important to make real, lasting personal connections not only for recreational or romantic purposes, but because social skills are also crucial in the workforce and therefore for financial stability and success.

The question is whether this social development necessarily has to take place in person. To be sure, there are certainly some limitations to the Internet as a communications medium. Although this is less true these days due to increases in bandwidth and the development of video chat services, there is certainly something lost in social interaction if you cannot see the facial expressions and general demeanor of the person with whom you are talking. However, one only has to think of people who consider themselves outcasts in their current social environments, for example gay and lesbian teenagers in small towns, who have used the Internet to connect with others in similar situations when there was no opportunity to develop this part of their identity in person. Thus, there do exist opportunities for Internet communication to facilitate, rather than hurt, social development.

Like most things, however, it is largely when taken to extremes that the use of the Internet as a social medium becomes a problem. There have been horror stories of people that have basically "lost" themselves in online multiplayer role playing games, spending days on end immersed in these virtual worlds without eating, sleeping, or other social interaction. However, it is easy to think of ways in which Internet use can actually facilitate social interaction. It is easier to keep in touch with someone you meet on a short trip abroad, or with far-flung family members using Internet services and social networking sites. If you had to make an international or long-distance call every time you wanted to communicate with one of these contacts, as was the case years ago, your motivation might be reduced. Another argument is that with the development of services such as mobile WiMax which allow you to access the Internet on the road, one no longer has to choose between making social connections in person and making them on the Internet. You can share coffees with a friend in person at a cafe while talking with a mutual friend over video chat, using wireless service.