Living in a Digital World
Suddenly the world changed. During the COVID 19
pandemic, digital life became mandatory. The offline world shifted to online. Classes,
work, shopping, news: everything became digital. It became a necessity rather
than a choice. These services have become so convenient that they continue to
influence our lives to this day. The influence remains even after the pandemic
ended. Digital technology has also become cost effective which made it easier
for individual and businesses to communicate worldwide. Those who failed to adapt
to this transformation, may struggle to establish and compete in today’s
marketplace.
However the greatest advantage of digital technology
is the ability to connect with people who are far from us. It reduces the
distance between people. In earlier years, international calls were expensive
and families had to wait for a long time to communicate with their loved ones. Calls
and messages only took place occasionally. But today, video calls made it
easier for family members to stay connected and share every moment despite the
distance of thousands of kilometers. We can see their faces, hear their voices
and feel them as if the person is physically present with us. Social media has
also made it easier for people to find and reconnect with someone we lost
contact years ago. Like finding an old school friend with whom we separated in
childhood, can be found within minutes. There is something comforting about
seeing a familiar face after so many years. In this way, digital world has made
it easier for people to find each other and communicate with anyone in real
time despite the geographical boundaries. This makes the distance less painful.
Digital technology has made it convenient for people
to establish and promote businesses. Entrepreneurs can reach and promote their
products to people beyond their local community along with profiting while
sitting comfortably at home. Instead of travelling from one shop to another, consumers
can purchase products located in different cities or even countries in just one
click. We can compare products, see all the information, price and didn’t need
to rush before buying. But this has created challenges for the traditional
businesses. Due to the consumer’s shift towards e- commerce, traditional shops faced declining foot traffic, lower profit
margins, and increased closure. Convenience comes at the cost of things that
were once normal.
Despite this, not everyone has the equal benefits of
the technology. Those who didn’t have the access to the internet are left behind.
This was clearly visible during the COVID pandemic. Students from remote places
didn’t have the reliable internet connections or suitable digital devices due
to which they struggled to participate in the online education. Limited
technological access demonstrates the digital divide among people which creates
unequal opportunities.
Although digital technologies are great, it can also
become the greatest weakness if it is misused. One example is fake and
unverified news which spreads
rapidly and fool millions of people. Some people share the news immediately
without verifying it which reaches people within a short period of time, but
not all of them are accurate. Such carelessness could mislead thousands of
people and influence their decisions before the right information reaches them.
Another growing concern is excessive screen time. We all have
experienced the simple intention of checking our phones only to spend much more
time in constant mindless scrolling and engage in endless contents which can only
worsen mental health problems like anxiety, depression and stress. The fear of
missing out known as FOMO, repeatedly encourages user to return to the social
media platforms. It is similar to drug or alcohol addiction. When the user gets
a favorable reaction, the brain releases dopamine which leads to more
psychological craving. Digital algorithms are often designed to keep users
addicted to their phones even when the person is already tired.
Late night usage of smartphone and blue light emitting
from it strains the eyes and disrupts the natural sleep cycle. It delays the
release of sleep hormone melatonin. This could create stress, rumination and
disrupt inner peace. Even a day full of tiredness couldn’t stop people from
scrolling at night due to the digital stimuli. Our mind is constantly searching
to see something new. People of all ages are equally affected and over time
this leads to stress, fatigue, irritation or even worse. This could slowly
replace adequate rest, offline activities and replaces the connection with the
real life which weakens the social skills.
Another concern is the culture of comparison created
by social media. We constantly come across posts of people’s perfect lives
which we dream for ourselves. This triggers low self esteem and unrealistic
expectations which contributes to the feeling of loneliness, lower self
confidence and dissatisfaction with their own life. People rarely post their
failures. They only post the idealized versions of reality leaving the struggle
behind it. Yet we compare our ordinary lives with the edited versions of other
people’s lives.
Another version of the digital world is privacy and
personal security of people. We have become comfortable with sharing personal
information, emotions and experiences which can have serious consequences. It exposes
our identity which increases the danger of online shaming, cyber bullying, identity
theft, other security risks. Personal information gives hacker hints about
passwords or posts which could lead to identity theft. Even seemingly harmless
information like location could lead to physical harms like stalking, scams, and
harm to the mental health. Artificial intelligence has introduced another
dimension to this risk. Photographs, videos, and voice notes all contribute to
biometric footprint which can capture face and natural speaking voice. This can
be later reused in deep fake or voice cloning scams impersonating company
executives or family members, tricking victims into believing they are
communicating with someone they know and transferring millions of dollars to
the scammers.
Ultimately, I don't think we should fully trust the digital world. But it can be beneficial if used carefully. Although it helps with global connectivity, education, flexible businesses
and convenience in everyday life. But the negative issues such as
misinformation, excessive screen time, social comparison, unequal access, and
privacy risks cannot be ignored. A balanced approach should be adopted which
can benefits the lives of people without allowing it to have full control on
life. If used responsibly, it can be a great way to improve our life.
Hence, digital world should neither be blindly trusted nor completely rejected; rather it should be used responsibly and in moderation.
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