Pros of Electronic Communication
Electronic communication was discovered in 1998. Electronic communication is used for the transfer of data, images, signals, signs, etc. through wire, electromagnetic, radio, photoelectronic or photo-optical system. With its growing popularity people have started communicating via email. Electronic communication is not only a new tool but also a new way of communication. This has led to a change in the culture. Below mentioned are advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication.
Pros of Electronic Communication
The benefits of electronic communication is that people across the world can share televised pictures, conversations, graphics, circuits and interactive softwares. The interaction between people residing in different geographical locations have increased and have become promiscuous. The conversations are more visual and textual. This is helpful mainly for hearing impaired people. With electronic communication, the recipient receives the message within a few seconds of the sender sending it. The recipient can read the message anytime, anywhere according to his convenience.
The speed of conversation has increased and this has resulted in faster processing of important matters related to business, finance, trade, etc. For example, you can instantly access the information present in your computer. As there are no restrictions about time and place, people can sit at home and do their office work if the required resources are available. This work arrangement is termed as telecommuting.
The communicated messages can be stored permanently or temporarily on disks or tapes for years or can even be printed and stored in files. The process of learning has become simple and efficient as the information can be archived and retrieved according to the requirement. Since the communication does not take place via hard copies, money spent for paper, printing and postal deliveries is saved. After the mail is delivered to the receiver, it is placed safely in the hard disk of the receiver’s computer. After the receiver retrieves the mail, it is his responsibility to keep it safely.
Cons of Electronic Communication
The main issue with electronic communication is security. Your computer can be hacked and affected with computer virus. This can have an adverse effect on the computer system and the network. The volume of transmitted data is large and the transmission is fast. Hence, it becomes difficult for employers and managers to absorb, process and understand it and provide proper feedbacks to their employees. The speed with which the messages are transmitted often changes the structure of the messages, which at times can be misinterpreted. Electronic data can be duplicated identically without any proof of duplication. These messages can also be modified. At times, people can intentionally send malicious programs like viruses, worms and Trojans through emails, which is difficult to detect.
Another disadvantage of electronic communication is email privacy issues. An email is sent in the form of data packets via computer network. These data packets have to pass through a number of routers (a computer device used for forwarding packets in the computer network) and computers before it reaches its destination. So, there are chances of an individual tampering the emails before it reaches its recipient. While the data packets are transferred from one computer system to another, they can be lost when one router transfers it to another. If the router is bombarded with more number of data packets than its carrying capacity, the receiver can experience a delay in receiving it. The ‘from message header’ of a message can be modified, which hampers the authenticity.
Almost all technologies in this world have their pros and cons. Similarly, there exist advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication as well. In-spite of its disadvantages, most of us depend on electronic communication for our everyday work as it has become an integral part of our lives.
