For many, a computer is not just a kind of technology, but rather an interlocutor. In itself, virtual communication has a number of positive aspects: the ability to exchange information with people who are thousands of kilometres away from us, the search for like-minded people, a way to find a remote job, and become financially independent.
True, virtual communication can also cause some problems , namely:
The problem of self-identification and identification.In real life, each of us plays a certain role, which leaves an imprint on appearance, communication, behaviour. In virtual communication, the appearance factor does not matter, because you can write any information about yourself. In the online world, we ourselves choose age, gender, sexual orientation, social status. For example, a 15-year-old guy might write about himself that he is a 25-year-old girl. Trying to communicate in such a way that no one suspects an inappropriateness, such a guy will involuntarily develop in himself inadequate skills, instead of developing a model of behaviour characteristic of his gender and age. As a consequence, it is unlikely to be successful in the real world. In addition, with virtual communication, in most cases you do not know with whom you are communicating, thereby making it difficult to build adequate relationships. In the real world, there is a model of communication between subordinate and boss, teacher and student, parents and children. In the virtual world, this line is erased, respect and self-respect are lost.
The problem of the development of dependence on virtual communication. A successful and popular person is unlikely to look for virtual interlocutors when he already has enough friends and acquaintances. If communication difficulties arise in the real world, then many people begin to compensate for this deficiency in the network, spending time on all kinds of forums, in chats. Stuttering in life, you can type quickly, thereby hiding your flaw. The desire to communicate more and more online is gradually developing, developing into an addiction, a need.
The problem of getting used to lying. Many people, communicating virtually, “decorate” their biography in order to seem more significant. Gradually, lying becomes a habit, spreading even to real life.
The problem of irresponsibility. This problem may be a consequence of a previous problem, often encountered. When the virtual interlocutor does not see you, is thousands of kilometres away from you, responsibility to him disappears. You can promise anything, take on any work and not fulfil, because the promise was given to the keyboard and monitor, and not to a living person, and in many cases it is not so easy to punish for failure to do something on the Internet.
Information distortion problem. With the help of words, a person transmits about 7% of information, sound and intonation - 38% , facial expressions, posture, gestures, that is, non-verbal communication means, are responsible for the transfer of the remaining 55% of information. In virtual communication, in order to fill the missing 93% of the transmitted information, all kinds of emoticons, punctuation marks, abbreviations began to be used in text messages... Are they able to convey the full range of emotions? You can feel tenderness, rage, fear, hatred, while typing the same words on the keyboard. Sometimes just a smile completely changes the meaning of what we say. How, then, to perceive what is displayed on the monitor screen? As cold text or how we want it?
The problem of using specific vocabulary. To quickly print some information, convey it to the interlocutor, use all kinds of abbreviations. It will be difficult for an uninitiated person to understand the meaning of such a message. And in real communication, all kinds of abbreviations and other features characteristic of virtual correspondence give the impression of illiteracy.
The problem of hostile attitude towards "outsiders" who do not belong to any community. People who spend a lot of time on certain forums, in chats, gradually get to know each other, unite in communities , unspoken rules appear. When an uninitiated newbie enters such a forum and tries to start communication, he can be rudely ridiculed, insulted by the permanent "inhabitants" of the forum. Minor mistakes, blunders of the uninitiated are inflated to universal proportions. Such a newcomer will either try to earn the favour of the old-timers and will himself be rude to new users in the future, or will leave this forum forever.
The problem of the emergence of online diaries. They start paper diaries in order to express their thoughts, share their emotions and problems with paper, knowing that the diary is unlikely to be read by anyone else. An online diary is the exact opposite of a paper diary. Starting an online diary, its owner understands that everything printed on its pages will be available to any Internet user. Unstructured scraps of thoughts, all kinds of phrases "for show", lies, vulgarities are the result of such virtual diaries.
