There is no doubt that the internet has made a big splash since it first arrived in the 1990s. Although it was obviously seen as important, not many would have predicted just how central to modern life it has now become. This is especially true in our personal lives, where the internet permeates everything we do in the majority of cases. From Pennsylvania sports betting with the Fox Bet sportsbook PA to how we shop or check out how trustworthy a company is, online is the place to be.
As the internet has become more important to us all, it has also developed and become more prevalent in all corners of the world. The whole planet is better connected now than it has ever been due to the internet. But how has this changed our friendships and how we stay amused in our spare time?
Video Calls
One way that the internet has changed our friendships is how we choose to stay in touch now. Gone are the days of phone calls, as many now fill their spare time and contact friends with video calls. This is done via popular video call apps such as Skype or FaceTime that use the internet to work. Without this online digital technology to use, video calling platforms simply would not exist. Video calling is basically like making a standard phone call – the beauty is that you can see who you are talking to as well as hearing them. It can also be done on mobile devices, so it is perfect for catching up with friends when you’re bored at work or waiting at a train station, for example.
Social Media
Another big player in how we spend our spare time and catch up with friends is social media. This includes big platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, which have billions of users between them. Social media platforms need online tech to operate and have really changed how we interact now. Rather than catching up in person, many of us will use social media to chat to friends or tell them our latest news. It is also something that has become more common as a leisure activity – many people now will log onto social media when bored to see the latest news or celeb gossip. It also, of course, allows us to make new friends from across the world due to its global reach.
Online Video Gaming
In the past, playing video games with friends meant that you all had to be in the same room and hooked up on the same PC or console. Naturally, this was impossible if you lived far away from one another or could not get over to the same place. Online gaming, which uses the internet to connect players together wherever they are in the world, changed all this. Now, you can log on and play games with friends even if you are at opposite ends of the country. This has not only made online gaming a popular way to fill your spare time compared to traditional video gaming, but it has also allowed friendships to remain intact, even if someone moves away. It has also changed the nature of modern friendship from being about who you grew up with to who you meet online when playing games.
Streaming Music, TV Shows and Movies
Internet tech has disrupted a lot of sectors for the better, and entertainment is certainly one. It has allowed how we listen to music and watch movies or TV shows in our spare time to totally change in recent years. Now, most of us will check out new tunes via an internet-based streaming service such as Spotify. In the same vein, many use streaming services such as Netflix to watch TV shows or movies, rather than normal terrestrial services.
This has also meant that more people watch or listen on mobile devices compared to the past as streaming services can be accessed on them. But how has this affected our friendships? In simple terms, it has brought us closer together by giving us more portable ways to listen to the best music or watch movies together. Wireless speakers that operate over the internet also allow us to meet up with friends and play music, wherever we may be.
The Internet Shook Up The World
Just like when Muhammad Ali beat Sonny Liston, the internet really can claim to have shook up the world. To think back to a time when we were not all connected to it is pretty tough now! Luckily, this has only been a positive thing as digital online tech has enriched our lives for the better. The above shows just some of the best ways that this has happened.
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