Digital Entertainment – A blessing or a threat?

Confused? Let me explain.

Digital media has been in front of our eyes for quite some time now. I am sure you are aware of what is digital media. If you are reading this article, you are reading on digital media, so I am guessing you know the fundamentals of it. Let’s dig further then, shall we?

Digital media can be in any form on any platform on the World Wide Web. A WhatsApp message, a web series on Netflix, a Skype call, a YouTube Video, an old Nintendo game (felt nostalgic, didn’t you?) that you play online: all these are forms of digital media. In fact, digital media is a link of content between you and the creator of the latter.

What are the 3 types of digital media?

1. Earned Media – Can you earn your living via digital media? Of course, you can! Don’t you like all the likes, comments, shares you get for your content? That’s something you have earned. More the likes and comments, more the people will come to your site. They will check out your products and services and the chain of positive word of mouth will keep rolling. What a beautiful thought!

2. Paid Media – For you to get your earned media, there is the initial investment you need to do, isn’t it? For example, you are playing your favorite game, and boom… an ad comes up. Yes... I can totally understand your irritation, but that’s how sites earn their cash. What if the ad is about a new updated gaming console? You would think about it, not the first time you view it, but later on? Ads help companies create awareness and get potential sales.

3. Owned Media – Anything that you own and control online, be it your social media handles, your posts, your images. The site you are currently reading this article on is considered as the author´s own media.

Example of the three combined. You have a WordPress account. The posts on it become your Owned media, the comments on the post become your Earned media and the ads you used to promote the site are your Paid Media.

The Impact

By having understood these types of media, you can fathom on how huge the scope of digital media is. Digital media has been growing since the

20th century and you can never guess what will be invented next in this industry.

Let me give you a task.

Ask anyone if they can live without digital media today.

Of course, the older generations may at least require the basic mobile phone to be in touch with their loved ones.

The current generation, in the majority, literally breathes on digital media. Statista states that there are three billion people in the world today who are using smartphones and they expect another 700 million new users in the coming years. Impressive… eh?

Let me give you some figures from World O Meters. The figure I am giving below will be way behind when you read this article as the figures are changing by every passing micro second.

Mobile phones sold today – 2,983,722 (while typing this, it has changed to 2,985,400)

Internet uses in the world today - 4,819,252,348

Blog posts written today – 3,334,256

Google searches today – 3,466,528,297

Emails sent today – a bumper amount of 120,768,632,541 (it was really difficult noting this one down, numbers increasing with the speed of light.

This can give you an idea of how much we all depend on digital technology. However, is this impact a blessing or a threat?

Advantages of Digital Technology

· Make the world a small place. Social medias gets families and friends connected,

· Increase in the number of careers. The opportunity for freelancers to earn cash by sitting at home and giving out their best work. This is just one of them. Others include, youtubers, staff working in digital media related offices. The list is endless.

· We love to have everything on the tip of our fingers quickly and easily. Before, it was not possible, now it’s the new ´normal´, providing you have internet.

· GPS being your tour guide and taking you places where previously you would have to pore over your road map or ask a 100 people on the way.

· Previously you had to wait for the 9 o´clock news. However, nowadays, news channels have made their own apps where news can be read any time of the day. Sometimes, Instagram gives you news faster than a news channel.

· Online shopping. Say goodbye to those waiting lines for fit-on, if you know your standard size. Amazon, Ebay, or even websites of clothing brands help you choose your size and get it delivered to you on your doorstep with refund policy in most cases.

· Portability. Having everything in one smartphone which can be carried anywhere. Imaging carrying your 55¨ TV wherever you go. Haha… fun

What´s so bad about it then?

· Social security – Older generations usually warn us when the credit card number is punched online. Also, due to the on-going COVID situation, as companies have to make their staff work remote based, cybersecurity has become one of the most important things required in order to protect confidential information.

· Even though technology connects people, they disconnect people from each other (even if they are living in the same house). Many families end up not having meals together, even if they do, all eyes are on their own mobile screens instead of the people seated around. Sad story, but yeah, it’s a fact.

· Let me see how many of you agree with me on this. With the advancement of technology, don’t you think your workload has increased as well. When at office, emails, calls, text messages and then back at home, it still continues where health is deprived.

· The human touch is lost. I am happy to say that still there are many people who would prefer to talk to someone instead of being handled by a robot/machine. However, I am scared, and I hope that if someone really needs a one to one attention, they do not have to be looked at by a machine.

Conclusion

How do you feel right now? Scared? Anxious? Hopeful? Don’t worry, Digital technology has its pros and cons, but in order to lead a happy life, we should always keep a balance in what we do and not go into extremes. Use your smartphone, however by being in limits. Speak to your close ones and give them time, you never know when they will need you the most.

How do you feel digital technology has affected you? Drop your answers in the comment section below.