Oh Rainbow

The internet has forever changed the world. Email communication transformed the way every office in the world operates, and virtually any information is now accessible at the touch of a mouse click. But the web has had the biggest impact on the area of socialising. Pioneers such as Mark Zuckerberg have revolutionised the way we meet, interact and arrange our social lives.

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Some put a negative spin on this new invention, claiming it keeps us in our houses, glued to various screens. The producers of Pixar movie WALL-E certainly have an image of the human race deteriorating into a world completely reliant on computers. But I disagree with this bleak image of internet communication – I think it enhances everyone’s social lives. Here are five indisputable ways the internet has changed social activity for the better…

1. Making new friends

There are now places on the internet to make new and lasting friendships. Discussion forums mean you’re thrown into contact with like-minded people, chat rooms and facilities have you talking to an array of new acquaintances, and dating websites can be the route to finding the love of your life. The internet creates new connections that simply wouldn’t have been possible before.

2. Cultivating a wider social circle

Social networks also mean you can cultivate and maintain a wider circle of friends. Now you don’t even have to contact someone to check how they are or what they’re up to – Facebook will tell you that. Also, faster communication techniques such as messaging and commenting mean you can have conversations with many of them simultaneously and in less formal ways. Your social life is so much easier to organise, and therefore you can expand it.

3. Keeping in contact

The internet also means it’s easier to keep in contact with people. No longer is there the issue of lost contact details – they are there on the internet should you wish to reach them. Search devices and networks such as Friends Reunited also mean you can find people you may have lost contact with many years ago.

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The internet also helps people keep in contact over long distances. Instant messaging and Skype ensure free and full conversations with people miles and miles away – a godsend for those away from loved ones for extended periods of time.

4. Organising big events

It’s also easier now to arrange big events and ensure a large number of people can come together. Rather than mailing out time-consuming invitations, you can set up events online, specify all of the details and even add maps and other useful information.

5. Keeping in the loop

Not only is it now easier to organise events, but it’s also far easier to find out about them. Keeping up to date with what’s going on in your area is so easy, meaning you can pack out your social calendar with gigs, club nights and whatever else you can find. All of the information is out there, and it’s useful to have updates assigned to certain venues to ensure you are always kept in the loop.

Whether you’re online dating London girls or Skyping your family in your gap year, the internet is definitely enhancing your social activity in some way.