A discussion subtopic — how tools like cell phones, video calling and social media change the way people actually interact with each other.
Communication technologies to consider: cell phones, video calling, email, instant messaging, social media.
Analyse both the benefits and risks of how these technologies affect human interaction:
| Aspect | Benefit | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | Can instantly connect with people anywhere in the world | Can reduce face-to-face interaction and in-person social skills |
| Speed | Immediate communication in emergencies or urgent situations | Pressure to respond instantly can cause stress ('always-on' culture) |
| Community | Can build supportive online communities and maintain long-distance relationships | Can enable cyberbullying, misinformation, or harmful social comparison |
| Accessibility | Video calling allows visual, more personal connection despite distance | Screen time can displace physical activity and in-person socialising |
💡 Exam Tip
This is one of the most frequently repeated 'discuss' subtopics across the syllabus (10.2.9, 11.2.9, 12.2.9) — prepare one strong, well-structured answer covering multiple technologies and you can adapt it across all three grades' versions of this question.