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Research Paper Topic: The Momentum Behind Digital Communication Advancement
Can Be Contributed to Today’s Youth
Shaneil A. Guidry
School of Psychology, Liberty University
When thinking of communication today, it looks much different than just a decade ago.
Digital technology has revolutionized the way individuals communicate with one another. From
telegraphs to telephones and emails to direct messaging, digital technology has found
innovative ways to stretch an individual's reach throughout every corner of the globe. The
revolutionization of communication continues with the development of various styles of
communication. However, it has also contributed to how one communicates verbally and writes
or even constructs text on mobile devices: digital writing.
Advancements in technology have never slowed down nor, for that matter, paused at
any time. Societies worldwide compete to stay ahead by unveiling new concepts or innovations
that would change the world as we know it. Such unveilings and innovations were released
when those within the industry thought it would be best to blow the minds of their fellow man.
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This approach enabled the industry to remain in control of how society would maneuver and
when. However, COVID-19 had a different agenda, and society was unprepared for "the who"
behind the massive change in how societies would now communicate.
This article will focus on how today's youths are becoming the primary influencers in
how societies now communicate and how they have stepped into the role of teachers of a new
language, social interaction, and communication skills. Unbeknownst to societal youth, they
recently have become the orchestrators of how society now interacts with one another. It is not
new for societies to be presented with jargon representing youth during a particular era. Youth
have been known to develop terminology that they and their peers could relate to, leaving
adults somewhat confused when hearing them speak. Turner et al.(2014) state that digital
natives speak a language that cannot be understood entirely through a traditional or cognitive
view of literacy.
Words and phrases like groovy from the 50s, jive turkey from the 70s, totally rad from
the 80s, and da boom from the 90s remained within the inner circle of the youth and rarely
heard from those that preceded their age group. Even today's youth develop terminology only
spoken within their inner circles. The usage of slang has always been a part of society's culture.
Zhou and Fan (2013) identified slang as a form of informal speaking in everyday speech.
However, the difference between previous decades and younger generations today is a
pandemic that hit the world and welcomed an informal language into a formal world that would
not have been considered welcoming. Hearing vernacular being used outside its usual circle and
entering unfamiliar territory was a sign that society's communication had shifted.
Researchers have gathered data from diverse studies that will illustrate how language
and vocabulary are viewed and how the effects of newly introduced styles of digital
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communication have encouraged the need to update dictionaries, thesaurus, auto-correct
features, and, in some cases, stripping the meaning of old vocabulary entirely. According to
Tugberk and
Huseyin (2016), in 2010, digital technology vocabulary such as "unfriend" was inducted into the
Oxford Dictionary; this was just the beginning. The need to include digital communication
vocabulary was due to its widespread usage across social media platforms like Facebook,
Myspace, and other heavily utilized platforms identified during the pandemic.
Researchers are aware of the growth of vocabulary within regions across the globe due
to the advancement of digital technology and its communication platforms. In addition,
researchers have also recognized that some languages, no matter where in the world, have
taken on new universal meanings despite one's dialect or culture. As digital technology changes
how individuals communicate with one another, digital communication demands digital literacy.
For many researchers, the initiator behind this crucial communication change was a global
pandemic crisis, COVID-19. The pandemic took the digital world by storm and did not pace
itself. Hallin et al. (2024) vocalized within their research that COVID-19 had a direct hand in
communication adjustments and that digital technology was there to facilitate them.
Digital technology has changed the face of communication, which can be seen as
societal advancement or robbery of social and communication skills. Regardless of whether the
change is viewed as an advancement or a forced change, COVID-19 determined how quickly the
change was going to be put into action. Ghosh et al. (2023) declared that it was COVID-19 that
fasttracked the advancement of digital technology and encouraged societies to make the
necessary adjustments if they wanted to see their way clear and if they wanted to contain this
global outbreak.
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With such a strain on societies during the COVID-19 pandemic, societies had no choice
but to rely on digital technology to salvage communication or find themselves in complete
isolation. Face-to-face meetings became impossible due to the possibility of being exposed to a
deadly virus and spreading that virus to the ones they loved. With the lack of in-person contact,
companies were forced to close offices, students could not attend school, and social businesses
(i.e., markets, restaurants, bars, concerts, etc.) were going under. The world as individuals knew
it became dormant.
Having such an unexpected change imposed upon society, society was completely
isolated. A world that had become so conditioned by its routine way of living fell into a
paralyzed state by this new norm of isolation. The realization of digital technology being one's
only way of communication was starting to set in, yet the world was unaware of just how
dependent it would become on this medium and its sub-mediums. Furthermore, society had no
idea just how impacted its youth would become at the time and how it would profoundly affect
the very foundation of language.
As the pandemic's quarantine forced schools to close their doors, youth found the
interaction with their peers to be no more. Hanging out at the mall with friends was now a
distant memory, and receiving an invitation to parties or other outdoor activities became non-
existent in the world of limited to no in-person communication. Outings that were once taken
for granted became more and more desirable now that they were no longer an option.
However, that way of life became an afterthought as COVID-19 continued to dictate how in-
person communication and interaction would occur.
Around the world, precautions have been put in place to ensure the safety of each
country's citizens. Offices were shut down, and work from home became the standard. Schools
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began to develop programs to conduct school online via virtual classrooms, virtual play dates
were constructed, party invitations resurfaced through digital invites (virtual gatherings), and
this was just the beginning of how communication would be forever changed. Magee et al.
(2024) uncovered within their research that youth school-related activities both in and outside
of school had transitioned to online platforms such as Zoom and Google Jamboard within the
first year of the pandemic, and this sudden change impacted societal youth. Immediately, youth
and parents were thrust into digital environments with no opt-in or opt-out choice. Parents and
children made these mandatory adjustments.
Stress began to soar within the homes as parents became full-time teachers, friends,
healthcare providers, chefs, etc. With adults trying to manage their emotions and daily routines
during an impossible time, parents were tasked with helping their youth navigate these
unchartered waters. These new responsibilities assisted in cultivating digital technology and
digital device utilization. Benner and Mistry (2020) stated in their article that parents were taxed
by the new roles that they stepped into, and having limited resources to deal with their
children's socioemotional and cognitive needs was something they needed to prepare for. With
face-to-face interaction being restricted and confined within the home, researchers discovered
this confinement was especially hard on youth.
Studies have shown that there was an increase in negative emotions and mental illness.
Zhang et al. (2021) conveyed that the data collected from their research identified that more
than one-third of society's youth displayed signs of loneliness, anxiety, and depression very
early on in the pandemic despite being quarantined with parents/caregivers and other family
members. The interactions with family members did not replace the need for youth to interact
with their peers their age. Youth and parents alike were unequipped to deal with the new
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emotions their children were feeling. While speaking with them about how they felt could only
offer a small amount of relief. How could parents cater to the social development needs when
in isolation?
Adolescents and youth find life again through social media platforms. Through digital
communications, they could express that emotion and create outlets on social media platforms.
To youth, social media platforms became the virtual soundboard they have been missing while
in isolation from their peers. Social media have become ubiquitous in teens' daily lives (Zhang et
al., 2023). The dependence on digital devices increased and became the primary tool to educate
and keep in touch with the outside world that was now forbidden to embark upon.
Societies' traditional understanding of communication has been dismantled across the
globe due to the heavy impact of COVID-19 on how people once communicated. The older
generations approached their new communication style much differently than society's youth
during the pandemic's mandated in-person restrictions. For those who experienced a life that
was never engulfed in digital technology and now digital communication, those generations
could shift and adjust to a time once remembered. However, societal youth adjusted and found
their communication outlet in social platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
for the duration of the pandemic.
Youth begin to see the world change right before their eyes. Comprehending such a
change is tough at an age when one is trying to cognitively understand their body, emotions,
and thoughts. Despite being thrust into this new way of life, youth saw their parents adjust to
the new digital technology offered by way of COVID-19, and it had become clear that there was
no way of bypassing digital technology advancements if one wanted to experience a sense of
normalcy. Supermarket trips turned into ordering groceries online, family visits became
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FaceTime conversations via mobile devices, and being quarantined both in and outside the
home increased online texting. Digital technology and digital communication have become
second nature and an addition to the new norm. Each day was no longer approached as
business as usual, and the world as society knew it was transforming in a way in which the old
way of communicating was becoming unrecognizable.
By mid-2022, COVID-19 was no longer entirely affecting societies' way of life, but it had
permanently affected how societies would communicate moving forward. Many adults found
themselves back in the office, and schools had opened their doors; humankind was no longer
restrained. The ability to come and go as one pleased and in-person interaction was up to an
individual's choice. While many were excited to get back to communicating like they once did,
digital communication remained a constant for society's youth. Researchers identified that this
new digital communication heavily impacted the youth's language, social environment, and
communication skills during that confinement.
Digital communication is now fully accepted by society's youth and has become the
preferred communication style of younger generations. According to research conducted by
Barqawi et al. (2023), American teenagers' utilization of social media platforms during the
pandemic increased to 97%. Within the overall 97% static, TikTok increased to 67%, and
Instagram reached 62%, which became the new and primary communication outlet for youth.
Barqawi et al. (2023) found it necessary to underline their research data as it was essential to
clarify and remind readers why social media became so popular among youth. Barqawi et al.
(2023) described social media as a specific internet-based tool enabling individuals to gather
and communicate virtually. Social media utilization continues to rise in statistics due to societal
youth relying strongly on this specific communication medium.
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The pandemic brought to light that digital literacy and communication had become just
as important as other sections of a school's curriculum, which carried on even after the
pandemic (Alakrash & Razak, 2021). Despite a little over a year of pandemic isolation in some
regions, researchers identified that digital technology played a significant role in how youth
observe the world around them and how they communicate in that world. While adults found
themselves utilizing digital technology and digital communication to keep up with society's new
adjustments, their offspring had confirmed that digital technology and digital communication
are a way of life and not an option but a necessity for survival. Nevertheless, the question
researchers sought was, "Why is digital communication the preferred way of communicating by
youth when they are no longer restricted?"
Researchers have identified that the COVID-19 pandemic was the primary reason for the
rapid advancements and growth within digital communication. However, researchers have also
identified that the continuous momentum behind digital communication is society's youth.
Societal youth have made digital communication their primary way of communicating. Youth
have found this type of communication to be a safe way to convey their thoughts, inject their
opinions, express their emotions, and, most importantly, a way to interject their voice into the
world all by way of digital communication. Because of their commitment to this communication
style, society's youth has unconsciously forced the rest of society to learn and improve their
digital literacy and communication.
The rapid growth in digital technology and digital communication has not and will not
slow down, and innovations will continue to peak. However, COVID-19 has forced the closure of
a chapter regarding technology as we once knew it and started a new chapter on technology,
specifically digital technology advancement. Today's youth are at the center of this new chapter
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and are co-writers regarding future communication models. Hilbert (2020) conveyed that
technology is not a new topic, as it connects back to even the Stone Age, but digital technology
is what researchers consider to be humanity's socioeconomic evolution.
As the digital native population grows, they remain at the helm of digital technology
evolution. With this evolutional growth, societies globally are seeing their languages and
vocabulary growing. Dialects passed down from generation to generation are becoming an
ancient language. A new people (digital natives) have introduced a new language that signifies a
new culture has emerged. According to Hedt (2013), a digital native is an individual who has
grown up engulfed in the world of technology, and the individual cognitive development is
being continuously shaped by technology.
Since the pandemic, the digital natives have continued to usher in language changes and
have developed new vocabulary accepted knowingly and unknowingly; their perspective on
digital communication has a global effect even after the pandemic. From acronyms to emojis,
society is observing less and less of the alphabet being utilized to construct complete sentences.
Abbreviated sentences, whether written or spoken, this COVID-19-inspired youth-encrypted
digital communication style was becoming the new dialect. Youth can summarize their day in
just four letters, and their counterpart can decipher precisely what is being conveyed without
second thought.
Today's youth have a hand in orchestrating society's digital communication blueprint;
their form of communication is not only found within social platforms and environments
frequented by societal youth but has reached farther than their inner circles. The digital natives'
influence on digital communication (language and vocabulary) has been influential enough that
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it is now welcomed into environments such as corporate meeting rooms, TED talks, movies,
commercials, and, as mentioned at the start of the article, dictionaries and thesaurus.
The digital natives are continuously using the advancement of digital technology to
cultivate digital communication, which is changing digital language and digital writing across the
globe. Parents, teachers, and other youth workers are learning that today's youth have adopted
a new first language (digital language). Not only have youth adopted digital language, but they
are also showing more fluency in digital language than in English or the language of their native
country. According to research conducted by Turner et al. (2014), data shows that this form of
communication, or "digitalk," while popular, has a monumental impact on a child's ability to
formulate grammatically acceptable conversations properly.
The development of today's youth's cognitive, social, and language skills has not been
disrupted by COVID-19 fast-tracking digital technology advancement, but some researchers
argue that such skills have been impaired. Some studies highlight parents, teachers, and other
youth workers' concern for today's youth. Not all adults subscribe to the communication shift
presented by today's youth. Researchers Turner et al. (2014) collected data that concluded that
many adults outside the youth digital communities find this new way of communicating
degrading, carefree, and lax (2014). In short, everything about it is wrong.
Researchers have shown through countless studies that a child goes through various
developmental stages, which are nurtured by interactions, perceptions, and encounters. With
COVID-19 preventing the traditional ways that children develop critical cognitive, social, and
language skills, the brain has had to alter its way of developing various skills when presented
with a new form of interaction (digital communication). Digital communication, digital writing,
and digital literacy are the components that have and are building today's youth's social
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structure. As digital technology continues to close chapters on how things were, the
components will be vital to the future of digital natives within the Digital Age.
Society's youth are becoming digital literacy teachers as they find themselves at the
forefront of digital communication advancement. Even though many digital natives are still
navigating their developmental stages, helping parents, teachers, and other youth workers
adapt to the Digital Age has fallen on them. However, while the digital natives are pioneering
the Digital Age, they still need guidance to help navigate the areas within their lives that digital
components cannot handle. The Word of God constantly reminds parents/guardians to train
their children and be examples that their children can follow (Prov. 22:6; Tit. 2:7). The world will
be forever changing, but God's word will remain the same. Believers must be just as influential
no matter how impactful the digital world becomes.
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