Chanie Deutsch Technology Essay 2/21/22 WhatsApp was introduced in 2009 by two former Yahoo employees, Brian Acton, and Jan Koum. Over the years it was improved in many different ways through new features to become the genius app that it is today. Like everything in this world, specifically technology, WhatsApp has many positive as well as negative impacts on our lives. WhatsApp is one of the many ways we fool ourselves into thinking we’re connected to the world. Because it has many features it can be the cause superficial relationships. Sherry Turkle’s article called “The Flight from Conversation” discusses that having relationships through technology, isn’t the same as real ones. Included in the article is the following: “We are tempted to think that our little “sips” of online connection add up to a big gulp of real conversation”. In other words, because peoples text and email all the time, they think they’re connecting; they’re not. We convince ourselves that these things are counted as conversing with people when it’s really just a sip. A gulp can only happen when it’s face to face or on the phone which isn’t the case in an online connection. By talking to someone that creates a connection through conversation, or gulps which is unable to occur online. Another point that builds on this quote is included in the article “Does Texting Affect Writing?” written by Michaela Cullington. It discusses that today’s generation can’t afford to give anyone the time of day and that is really having an impact on their learning because of “textspeak”. Included in the article is the following quote that I feel strengthens the point in the quote above. “It is a common means of communication among teenagers and is even becoming popular in the business world because it allows quick messages to be sent without people having to commit to a telephone conversation.” In other words, texting was intended to be used for quick communication rather than having a conversation. The purpose is to avoid Chanie Deutsch Technology Essay 2/21/22 having to talk on the phone, which in some cases like a quick question is very helpful, but to gain a real relationship texting doesn’t work, as mentioned in the above paragraph. I really feel that today’s generation uses a different language than was used until texting was introduced. People nowadays say the words LOL not just type them, and how could using those terms not cause a change in writing capabilities. However, the point is that we’re always rushing, busy on our phones and because of that we’re so used to text conversations and we consider that to be real connection. Despite the true quotes brought above and that WhatsApp is a social media platform, it is easy to use, and has multiple positive features that can lead to real conversations and genuine relationships. One of these positive features, is the Facetime option which unlike texting and talking on the phone can lead to really getting to know someone. Facetime can. When people Facetime, they are able to see the other persons reactions which helps them come to understand everything the other person is saying. If I’m on the phone with someone I don’t know what else they’re doing while we’re talking. How much more so with texting, the other person could be doing anything even talking on the phone, so they aren’t fully listening to me and cant respond properly. As opposed to with Facetime where the other person knows you can see everything they’re doing, therefore it’s more likely you have their full attention. Another positive feature WhatsApp has, is that you can delete messages. This is something I find important and helpful because many times I’ll write something and then realize, it didn’t come out the way I wanted it to, and it’ll be misunderstood. On WhatsApp I can delete it and am able to reexplain myself more clearly, or sometimes in nicer words. It’s also a useful feature because sometimes I accidently send something to the wrong person and can easily delete it Chanie Deutsch Technology Essay 2/21/22 and redirect it to the right place. So even something as small as deleting a message is a positive aspect WhatsApp makes convenient to help improve relationships. A major aspect of WhatsApp’s accessibility is the feature of making group chats. Groups can be used for so much good, whether for Tehillim groups, support groups, and even for businesses to gain publicity. The chance to be part of all these groups does exist through other platforms, however I believe WhatsApp is the most private way of doing it, because you need to be added to the group to be part of it, you can’t just search up the title and join it. Which I think translates to WhatsApp being less public in general, more purposeful without as much distraction as opposed to other apps that are considered more social media and more about posting and getting publicity, rather than a communication app. In contrast to the positive things said about group chats there are also a few negative aspects. Firstly for kids, or even for not mature adults it can cause politics. In high school there was always drama involving chats and being excluded. And in adults there can still be these issues. Another negative part is that chats often involve lashon hara which is extremely bad and everything that can be done to avoid it should be. However, this aspect is able to be avoided through WhatsApp because there’s an option to only have administrators and specific people be able to write on the chat, so any unnecessary comments, including lashon hara as well as immaturity, is able to be circumvented. Another negative aspect of this app is the potential for wasting time and getting addicted. This applies to all social media platforms but seems less absorbing than most social media. Compared to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp wastes much less time because its Chanie Deutsch Technology Essay 2/21/22 more used as a means of communication rather than being more heavily focused on sharing your own thoughts, ideas and personal life. On the other hand, IMessage and regular texting involve much less wasting time because those apps are made dedicated for fast way of being in touch. So while WhatsApp isn’t a waste of time to the biggest extreme, because of some of the enjoyable features it has including: profile pictures, status’s, and group chats it can definitely be considered a time waster and potential for addiction to some extent. To conclude because of all the many positive as well as negative features and aspects that WhatsApp has, I feel that like everything in this world, it has to be used in moderation. There are ways that can lead to others’ harm, ways the get addicted to it and lost in it, in addition to ways to use it properly, and the goal is to try to find that proper balance.
