Digital communication has grown exponentially over the past couple of years, bringing forward numerous new opportunities, as well as some challenges. It’s affected how we speak, listen, connect with others, do our work, and learn. Information is more accessible than ever, reaching people who were once isolated and hard to reach. You can connect with someone from another country, thanks to the emergence of platforms like Zoom. There are numerous opportunities to be unique and make a name for yourself, as evidenced by increased participation from more people involved, which is evident on social media, in education, and with a plethora of information available to everyone.
The growth of online learning, accessibility to health information
A clear example of an opportunity brought forward from digital communication was during the pandemic in 2020. School was entirely moved online, and platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams rose. Students were able to communicate with their teachers and classmates digitally and see their faces. Although it wasn’t an actual face-to-face interaction, it was a new way of learning that is still being used today in 2025, with many schools using technology as a way to learn and complete assignments. According to an article from Brookings, “Over 70% of teachers in our survey report that students are now assigned their own personal device,” (Jacob, Stanojevich, 2024). These students have personal devices that they can bring home to do their homework, study for tests, and complete projects. Another opportunity because of digital communication is the access we have to health information. We can find reliable health resources, communicate with healthcare providers, and even look up what over-the-counter medicine to take based on our symptoms.
The spread of misinformation, data leaks
But digital communication has also brought challenges and issues. Misinformation is prevalent, particularly on social media. An article from this past summer by U.S. PIRG highlights an example of the misinformation spread during the Texas floods. Anastasia Micich references videos of a flooded ranch and gym, as well as pedestrians fleeing a flood, but many of these videos weren’t from Texas. She writes that “when tragedy strikes some social media accounts flock to post whatever footage they can find of similar events. They’ll cut out identifiable landmarks or add sounds like warning sirens, screams or emergency-response vehicles to keep you fixated and horrified so you stay engaged and unable to look away. They turn concern and grief into clicks, and then they profit from those clicks,” (Micich, 2025). She’s right — accounts purposely spread misinformation just for the sake of profit and views. Another challenge is the risk of privacy and surveillance. People are concerned that their data and information are accessible on the internet and vulnerable to hackers and scammers. Their information can be harvested and monetized, a persistent issue that remains unresolved.
