I know we’ve talked about this topic a lot, but I feel like this story needs telling at least once. As much as digital technology and social media might actually be isolating, I’ve also seen it connect people in wonderful ways. I have a friend who religiously plays the MMO (massive multiplayer online) game, World of Warcraft. Through this, an interesting thing happened; she met one of her best friends. After that, a friend of a friend on Facebook contacted her and they started talking. And again, she met another on the chat site Omegle. All of these people are spread throughout the country, Texas, Oregon, New Hampshire, do different things, and have different lives. In spite of this, they all started “hanging out” online. They quickly became incredibly close, and now refer to themselves as the Skype Family. They’ve all been friends for over five years now, and I have seen the group be there for my friend time and time again. It’s true that digital technology can be insidious, but it can also do what it touts to: connect people. Of course, on the other side of the coin, there are negative sides to this. Such easy access to everyone, all the time, can encourage those who may not have the best intentions. Cyber trafficking, of people, of sex trades, runs rampant. As always, connection isn’t always wanted, or warranted.
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