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-I can understand my sister's feelings because she always talks to me in person compared to my brother who talks to me everyday on Instagram and I can easily understand what he wants from his body language.

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-Do not understand other person's emotions.
-Talking without listening to each other in person.
-a person cannot build relationships on these platforms.
-it is only verbal communication

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Communications, Digital Government

Editor's Note: To help our community navigate these unprecedented times, we've refreshed some of our best content that educates, uplifts and unites the government workforce.
Digital technology was supposed to make communication between people easier, faster and better. Yet, for all its conveniences, significant barriers to effective digital communication exist, both internally between coworkers and externally with the people you need to reach with your organization's messages. These digital communication barriers can interfere with your ability to get our point across via email, chats, texts, messaging, discussion boards, apps, social media, websites and any online channels.

What are the top barriers you need to overcome to effectively communicate through digital channels?

1. Physical barriers

Physical barriers present different challenges for offline versus online communication. Technology has helped reduce and even overcome distance, allowing people to share information without needing to meet in real life. But, there's more to physical barriers than distance.

Physical barriers to digital communication include other environmental conditions like time, place and medium. Time is a barrier if you don't have enough hours in the day to respond to emails, update your website or create content for other channels, and if you share information when people are not listening. Place is a barrier if you try to communicate with people on a channel they don't already use, or where they aren't receptive to the information you're trying to share. Medium is a barrier if your digital communication tools fail to work as expected, such as if an algorithm hides your message or if the people you need to reach don't have access to adequate software, hardware or broadband internet.

2. Emotional barriers

Emotional or psychological barriers are perhaps the most common barriers to communication, digital or otherwise. It's not enough for your messages to reach people. People also need to be willing to listen and believe, and make good decisions. An individual's beliefs, attitudes and values have a strong influence on how they process information. People can easily misinterpret digital communication, which often does not include vocal inflections, tone of voice, facial expressions, body language or other types of visual or audio cues people rely on to understand emotional meaning.

Because people are emotional beings, you cannot eliminate emotions from communication. Nor should you, as emotions can help messages spread. But, before you hit send, publish, post or tweet, pause to evaluate the emotional motivations of what you're about to communicate. Check your current emotional state, consider whether your feelings inadvertently distorted your message, and review your content for anything out of place. Next, dial up your empathy, imagine the people you hope to communicate with and think about the emotional response you want to trigger and whether any part of your communication could be taken the wrong way.

3. Identity barriers

Identity barriers that exist in society can become part of or reinforced by digital communication efforts. These barriers can include gender, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, class, age, disability, veteran status or other personal, social or cultural identities. Identity barriers can lead to miscommunications and misunderstandings, as well as misrepresentations of people and their ideas. Even if you do not consciously construct identity barriers, they can invade your message and how you communicate. Who authors your online content, who runs your webinars, who you quote in articles, who you show in photos and videos, whose stories you tell, who collects and analyzes your data, where you share and who you follow and engage with online all can either reinforce or reduce these identity barriers.

To minimize identity barriers, take steps toward more inclusive digital communication. Solicit feedback on how your digital communication channels, content and approaches may be encouraging identity barriers. Ditch your assumptions and listen to people, subcultures and communities whose experiences are different than yours. Recruit and recognize a wider variety of people as digital creators, messengers and influencers. Make an effort to understand the norms, tone and channels that different groups of people use to communicate, and adjust your digital communications approaches to meet them where they are.

4. Semantic barriers

Semantic barriers are about the different interpretations of words and symbols used to communicate. It can be people who speak a different language or dialect, have limited language proficiency, don't have as much knowledge about an issue, or use words and symbols differently than you do. The potential for semantic ambiguity is especially strong in digital communications where trending hashtags, fast-flying memes and emojis can each convey complex and evolving ideas, foster solidarity through shared understanding, and yet exclude people who aren't hip to the meaning. The same goes for jargon, slang, acronyms and overly complex language, the use of which is likely to create a barrier between those who understand and those who don't.

Effective digital communication cannot happen if the sender and receiver don't have the same understanding of the intended message. Even when people speak the same language, an individual's context, culture or other factors can also change the meanings of words and symbols and create differences understanding.

5. Accessibility barriers

Accessibility barriers are often overlooked in the drive toward digital communication. Digital communication is effective only when people of all abilities can access and understand information. Making communication accessible to everyone is not a nice-to-have feature. Organizations that serve the public have an obligation to communicate effectively with people who have communication disabilities.

Photos, graphics, emoji, livestreaming, webinars, podcasts, PDFs, videos and other audio and visual formats are now important parts of how people and organizations communicate online. But, each of these content formats can prevent some people from accessing information. Overcoming accessibility barriers to digital communication takes more than captioning videos and adding descriptions to images, though both are important to do. Information should be accessible to people with visual, auditory, motor or cognitive disabilities, or other impairments that can affect communication and understanding.

6. Attention barriers

Attention barriers are when people miss out on what you have to say because they are distracted from giving your message their full focus. When you try to communicate with people while they're on their computer, tablet, smartphone or other devices, you're competing for their attention with both the online and real-world distractions. People may also be fatigued by information overload, with little attention span left. They may be confused if you give them too many details or options, or if they can't easily find the information that's relevant to their unique needs. They may want to pay attention to your message, but their boss is yelling, their child is crying or their phone is ringing.

It's difficult to break through the noise and overcome attention barriers to communication online. When communicating digitally, you may have no way of knowing if your audience is paying attention. This is why measuring the impact of your communications is so important-and so challenging.

7. Credibility barriers

Credibility barriers interfere with digital communications when people can't trust the message, the messenger, or both. On digital channels, it's easy to encounter messages out of context, assume the messenger is biased, or impose a different meaning than was intended in a 280-character tweet or hastily written email. People can manipulate their digital presence to appear as if they're an authority or influencer, even if they don't have the credentials or followers to back up the claim. People are also still fooled by Photoshopped images and duped by pranksters, while manipulated audio and video (a.k.a. deepfakes) is becoming a serious problem.

People rely on technology companies to verify accounts, ban spammers, block hackers, protect privacy and keep other people from pretending to be someone they're not - but lately these companies have shown they're not up to the task. People are increasingly questioning whether the information they get through digital channels can be trusted and are worrying about how safe it is to participate in online conversations. As people lose confidence in the abilities of tech companies to police their platforms and protect their users, those of us who rely on these channels to communicate will need to develop the trust of our audiences.

What barriers to digital communication do you deal with?

Do you or your organization face problems with digital communications? What barriers do you encounter, and what are you doing to solve the problem?
Lauren Girardin is a marketing and communications consultant, freelance writer, and trainer based in San Francisco. She helps organizations engage their communities and tell their stories. Her website is laurengirardin.com and you can connect with her on Twitter at @girardinl. This post was originally published Aug. 8, 2018.

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The 7 Barriers to Digital Communication - GovLoop

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Communications, Digital Government Editor's Note: To help our community navigate these unprecedented times, we've refreshed some of our best content that educates, uplifts and unites the government workforce. Digital technology was supposed to make communication between people easier, faster and better.

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The University of Texas Permian Basin | UTPB

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Consider the many forms of media a person engages with on a daily basis. Within the span of a few moments, one might receive an urgent email, hear a Billboard-topping song on the radio, and respond to a text message composed of nothing but emojis.

Media defines communication and can deliver messages through any number of channels, including text messaging, social media, and, more recently, video conferencing. For better or worse, media is altering our interactions and perceptions of the world around us. Join us as we explore media's effect on communication.

Video Conferencing

The unprecedented number of employees shifting to remote work in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated cloud-based video conferencing that allows teams to collaborate from the comfort and safety of their homes. Professionals working from home are likely all too familiar with one of the more popular video platforms, such as Zoom, Skype, or Microsoft Teams. Don't get us wrong - these platforms are incredible tools allowing professionals to collaborate with team members they may have never met before, but are they a substitute for in-person interactions?

Not according to The New York Times. They report that disruptions during video conferences such as blurring, jerkiness, and out-of-sync audio can lead to feelings of anxiety, isolation, and - the scourge of college students - burnout. Over time, the strain of making sense of chaos takes its toll. Humans are attuned to reading facial expressions, especially the minute muscle contractions that allow us to pick up on emotions. Communicating through video conferencing alters our perceptions, preventing us from engaging in facial mimicry and empathizing with others. The self-consciousness that can often arise during video calls can also distract from key communication signals, as we tend to spend more time staring at ourselves than anyone on the call.

Text Messaging

Texting has become the gold standard of communication, as text message chimes have become an overwhelming substitute for anxiety-inducing telephone rings. It's easy to see why. A single-word text can sometimes effortlessly convey a message. Imagine the sheer number of text conversations that have been punctuated with just an "lol."

Text messages could be doing more harm than good, however. Reducing interactions to a few choice words on a screen can lead to misunderstandings and curtailed conversations. Engaging in a text conversation doesn't require us to make eye contact or consider another person's thoughts and feelings. Essentially, texting is lazy. Writing a letter, sending an email, making a phone call, or meeting someone all require far more effort, and when communication demands little to no effort, relationships can suffer.

This isn't to say that texting isn't convenient or that it's somehow killing language. Research has shown that texting can improve children's phonological awareness and reading skills. However, consideration should be given to how we communicate with people outside of a string of text messages. Notifying someone you're late via text, though considerate, could come off as rude if you don't bring it up in conversation.

Emojis and Emoticons

Emojis and emoticons are visual forms of communication that have spread to our text messages, emails, and social media posts, which only makes sense: Images are a universal language. By referencing the intended emotion conveyed by a message, emojis and emoticons allow people to provide nuance to their communication that is normally lost outside of face-to-face interactions.

Emojis and emoticons are not without their drawbacks, however. They can carry different connotations across cultures, and like text messages, they can fail to convey a message's intended meaning. Not to worry, though. A confusing string of emojis won't lead to any serious consequences - that is, unless it's seen by an attorney. A review of American and European legal cases found that emojis are considered " the first step in non-verbal digital literacy with potential evidentiary legitimacy to humanize and give contour to interpersonal communications." This is further proof that media, regardless of the form it takes, has an incredible impact on how we interact with one another.

Social Media

The vast majority of Americans have adopted social media, with about 72% of U.S. adults using online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Grabbing our phones and scrolling through feeds has become a part of our daily routine. Uploading a picture or liking a post is a way to engage with our community and reach friends and family, regardless of their physical distance.

There's a prevailing concern that social media leads to social displacement: the idea that time spent online takes away from time spent socializing. A study on social media habits, however, found that participants spent the same amount of time socializing whether or not they abstained from social media. We tend to interact with our loved ones through many modalities, including the forms of media mentioned above. There are certainly reasons to be concerned about social media, not the least of which is lack of privacy, but it has yet to stop us from communicating.

Master the Many Forms of Media

Far more than a momentary distraction, the many forms of media that surround us are changing the way we perceive and interact with one another. Professionals who are able to communicate and collaborate across media platforms are invaluable in practically any industry, which is why The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

Our online BA in communication program takes an in-depth look at the theories of communication and how they can be applied in everyday life, especially in professional settings where success often hinges on effective messaging. Through its exploration of crisis, interpersonal, and oral communication, our program can prepare you for numerous positions associated with communication, such as public relations professional, social media manager, or media specialist. Thanks to our program's entirely online and asynchronous format, you can continue working in your current position while pursuing your degree. Join our online program to develop the knowledge and skills needed to navigate challenging workplace situations and facilitate workplace harmony.

Ready to become a UT Permian Basin Falcon? Apply now to our online BA in communication program to accelerate your career and become a more effective communicator.

Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/texting-really-ruining-personal-relationships-ncna1097461
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/emojis-forever-pringle-1.4577456
https://www.apa.org/members/content/social-media-research

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How Media Can Affect Communication | UT Permian Basin Online

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Media can deliver messages through text messaging, social media, and video conferencing, but how are these forms of media affecting our daily interactions?

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-Use online platforms for communication.
-Prefer online shopping instead of visiting the market
-Online learning instead of going to class

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- As phone makes communication easier but actually, it shortens communication.
-Use this device for entertainment rather than for profit.
-Using online social media

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Why the new generation lacks communication skills

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Why the new generation lacks communication skills