The Evolution of Social Media Friendships and the Crossing of Boundaries
The transformation of digital friendships from the early years of social media to the present day is examined, along with the establishment of virtual bonds and how the perception of intimacy has changed over time.
The process of change from the period when social media first entered our lives to the present day reveals the nature of digital friendships and the problems of crossing intimacy boundaries that come with them.
A Digital Journey That Began with Curiosity
It all started with curiosity and a search for sweet nostalgia. During the early days when Facebook first arrived in our country, most of us were completely unfamiliar with this process and opened accounts with the help of friends who knew English.
New Connections on a Global Scale
While searching for old friends, we came to know people we had never met before. Social media broadened our horizons by enabling us to communicate with people living in geographies miles away whose cultures we did not know at all.
The Sense of One-Sided Acquaintance
Over time, we realized that the digital friends we followed for hours in front of the screen and watched what they ate at what time of the day started to feel like our closest friends.
Crossing Boundaries and the Dose of Intimacy
Caught up in the false closeness they saw on the screen, people began to cross the line in comments and messages. They tended to give advice and hold people they did not know in real life accountable.
Realities of the Digital World
We forget that there is a real human being of flesh and bone behind the screen. Constantly watching someone's life through stories does not mean we are childhood friends with them.