The effect of new technology on social relationships was the topic of a panel discussion that was held on Sunday during the Sharjah International Book Fair 2015. The panel was moderated by Emirati writer Asma' Al Zarouni and included Dr. Mania Suwaid, writer and journalist and Osman Samiuddin, author and sports writer from The National newspaper. Dr. Suwaid emphasized the importance of acknowledging and accepting the changing media landscape. “I don’t reject or ignore, evolution is inevitable,” she said. “Today’s new person is old news in the future. This new person has introduced a new language, he uses emoticons to express his feelings, the way he recalls information is different for he doesn’t feel the need to crowd his mind with information that can be retrieved by his fingertips. His relationships have changed, he connects with his relatives through SMS and he has forgotten the value of visits. He communicates through a screen that transmits video and audio but not warmth and intimacy,” said Dr. Suwaid.
She said that it is a culture that is different from that of the ancestors but that is also decisively different from the culture of the future. “What is the future? What does it look like? Do we walk around with a virtual 3D friend? Would we hold hands but in reality be holding an illusion? Will the person of the future have an electronic chip inserted into his brain to store information and knowledge?” she asked. Our attitudes towards new technology is constantly changing, said Dr. Suwaid adding that not a very long time ago parents and educators reacted negatively towards the use of calculators at school. “They rejected it but today it is part of our life, part of the school supplies and we have forgotten its negative effects,” she said.Agreeing with her, Samiuddin said that he himself finds it difficult to strike a balance when it comes to the use of new technology. “I need it professionally but I’m aware of its social effects. My daughter recently got an iPad that her school uses for education.
I try to limit the time to 1 hour a day because I worry that she would be engrossed in the iPad instead of being out and playing,” he said. He said that though his use of social media is essential whether it is to be in touch with what’s happening in his home country, Pakistan, or to promote his book, he still feels that there’s a terrifying side to it. “The lack of accountability, the fact that anyone can say what they want because they are anonymous is scary. You can be reported and your account can be closed but that doesn’t mean that you can’t open a new account and continue your activity,” he said. Samiuddin stressed that this needs to be rectified and that there needs to be a way to stop online hatred incitement before it spreads even further.