This new era of digital technology promises a better future, technology has come a long way and is continually advancing as days go on, but does it come at a price? Does staying connected actually mean disconnecting? Does the growth of the digital World encourage laziness in the real World? As the World turns more and more into a robotic reality, we decided to take a look into the pros and cons of digital…
Today’s Digital World
Gone are the days that children would spend over the park, climbing trees and scraping knees, nowadays children are sitting at home, eyes glued to the iPad screen or teens sitting opposite each other, fingers swiping left and right, pushing buttons and tagging memes as their form of conversation. Mobile phones now allow you to ‘stay connected’, watching Netflix on the go, swiping left and right on virtual dating sites, controlling the lives of your Sims whilst you lose control of your own.
Having a conversation in reality can now cause individuals to break out in sweat, avoiding all eye contact on the train to work, whilst plugging in earphones to avoid what’s in front of you. People pay money to go to concerts, or visit landmarks, only to experience it through a screen – as obviously sharing your ‘Insta-Worthy’ pictures and videos to your unknown followers are more important than experiencing it yourself.
With new software available every day, it is easier and easier for hackers to access your data. With events such as Facebooks Data Breach, Yahoo, HMRC, and various mobile phone networks just to name a few, it’s no wonder new legislation laws/GDPR are coming into place.
But we then have the pros of the digital expanse, numerous stories about Smart watches tracking defects in heartbeats – leading to life changing surgery / treatment. Sat Navs available in most new cars which prevents you getting lost, virtual reality creating a whole new experience.
Using social media for good intentions can have a hugely positive effect, sharing stories, raising confidence and promoting businesses. The likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat are great ways to stay in contact, and form new friendships around the World, but that positive feeling can quickly turn to negative with the likes of ‘Keyboard Warriors’ or effect your Mental Health if you get too dependent on the amount of likes you receive.
Printed media is on the decline, as digital media soars higher than ever. Gone are the days that you would have to wait until the following morning to read the news, nowadays you can read it at the swipe of a finger. As less and less consumers read the morning newspaper, or buy magazines, more and more consumers scroll through social media, download the app versions of news sites and share their thoughts online.
For companies, the digital expansion is both a good and bad thing. Marketing is made easier with different platforms available, whilst growing increasingly difficult to gain engagement with algorithms changing left, right and centre. Instead of going into your local high street store to buy a product, consumers now compare prices and reviews online before making a decision, meaning companies constantly have to push to be at the top of the spectrum.
Freedom for creativity booms with a variety of platforms available to have online blogs, portfolios and websites, and many are now creating their own businesses this way. Learning new skills has never been so easy with access to the internet, endless tutorials and guides available on the likes of Youtube or Pinterest, meaning both the younger and older generations are expanding their knowledge daily. Now going to a library is a thing of the past, as Kindles mean you can download unlimited books again, at the click of a button. Personally I love the feel of pages between your fingers, and the smell of an old book, but having a kindle is a very handy device for travelling light, or to read on the train to work.
Overall, we feel that moving forward with the digital World is a great concept, if used correctly. Technology is advancing every day, benefiting companies and individuals alike, however, if used in the wrong way we feel being digital could make the World lazy – and hope one day our language expanse doesn’t decrease to ‘Alexa, lights off’ whilst our thumbs twitch back and forth.
What’s your thoughts on the World turning digital?
Written by: Topaz Garrard, Marketing Co-Ordinator
