Social Distancing = More Online Connections
Imagine life in 2020 without access to the internet, how would we connect with our family and friends? The COVID-19 pandemic has called for the closure of most in-person activities, and therefore an increase in online connections. We have a basic human need for connection, so social distancing was only an obstacle in the way for humans continuing to make connections with one another. The internet gives people a platform for the potential to create meaningful connections if used intentionally, rather than surface level use. I think that the internet is positively impacting relationships during these times of crisis as it gives us a place to connect with the people that we haven’t been able to see in months. It also has the potential to make us disconnect when online connections are only surface level such as just scrolling through your newsfeed.
We can use the internet to help us with what we need as it is a platform that almost anyone can use if they have access, and that spreads information incredibly fast. Media communications provide information and updates to the public about the current pandemic, and other relevant topics such as the upcoming election, allowing the public to evaluate risks (Glik, 2007). Research shows that the use of social networking apps have significantly increased since the pandemic began to affect the world, and the use of video chatting has increased even more than that (Koeze & Popper, April 7, 2020). This shows that people are seeking more than just surface level connection. People want to see each other and make more authentic connections, which they can do using video chat such as Zoom, Google, and Houseparty where they can make eye contact and see each other’s body language when they talk to each other.
I think that an important example of how the internet helps serve humanity right now is by being the people's main source of information right now for the current issues of police brutality, protests, voting, and more. During the summer when America was only beginning to understand how to navigate both a pandemic and a race war following the murder George Floyd by Minneapolis officers, the internet served as a place for people to express their feelings and frustrations, share and spread information, and gather people for protests and to sign petitions.