The prediction, in brief:

With millions of users pounding away on their keyboards, it may turn out that everybody is talking and nobody is really listening. By the same token, connecting with one and all in the electronic ether could leave people more disconnected than ever before, as the necessity of face-to-face contact diminishes. If a troubled or shy office worker easily finds solace and approval on the networks, will she be less inclined to seek out friends on the job?

Predictor: Hays, Laurie

Prediction, in context:

In a 1993 article for The Wall Street Journal, Laurie Hays writes about social questions raised by the Internet. She writes:”Consider a few of the possible consequences [of the Internet] on a more personal level. With millions of users pounding away on their keyboards, it may turn out that everybody is talking and nobody is really listening. By the same token, connecting with one and all in the electronic ether could leave people more disconnected than ever before, as the necessity of face-to-face contact diminishes. If a troubled or shy office worker easily finds solace and approval on the networks, will she be less inclined to seek out friends on the job?”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1993

Topic of prediction: Community/Culture

Subtopic: Social Withdrawal/Addiction

Name of publication: Wall Street Journal

Title, headline, chapter name: Technology (A Special Report): A New World – Personal Effects: Amid All the Talk About the Wonders of the Networks, Some Nagging Social Questions Arise

Quote Type: Partial quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?INT=0&SelLanguage=0&TS=1046812098&Did=000000028091201&Fmt=3&Deli=1&Mtd=1&Idx=42&Sid=1&RQT=309

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney