Prompt: Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology. In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships that people make? Has this been a positive or negative development?

It is true that newly-invented technologies have been changing the way we communicate. In my view, technology has affected people's relationship in various ways and the effects can be either positive or negative. Ċ New technologies, especially in the fields of network and telecommunication, have considerable impacts on education industry, the way we collaborate and individual's social contact. Firstly, distance education provides accessibility of information no matter where we are. For example, online courses, such as TED and coursera, are capable to offer a cornucopia of lectures to satisfy one's curiosity about knowledge and information. Secondly, Skype and other office oriented software can deliver the feasibility for experts from different locations, or even countries, to brainstorm together and solve over-complicated problems. Finally, people tend to rely more on social network services than ever before to maintain personal relationships and make new friends. Ċ On the one hand, the effects can be positive. Teleworking enables employees to communicate more efficiently to improve productivity. Moreover, online studying systems can provide the accessibility to well-organized courses for students from rural area and the quality of education can be guaranteed. On the other hand, I believe social network services, such has Facebook and twitter can also have negative consequences. For example, people tend to stay inside in their own rooms rather than talking to each other face to face. Social network is one of the main reasons for the reduction of outdoor activities. Also, online information is not always authentic. For example, some people may deliberately distribute fault information online in order to gain illegal profit. Ċ In conclusion, new technologies certainly have had huge impacts on how we build connections and how we work together. However, the outcomes are not always good.