Living in the age of the Internet, nobody could fail to notice the drastic changes in the way of communication and their penetrating influence on our life. As the saying goes, every rose has its thorns and communication is no exception.

On the one hand, we must recognize the enormous benefits brought by technology, through which we can enjoy the real-time communication with families and friends in a distant place. This brings us great comfort and sense of happiness compared with ancient people who heard from a friend three months later after he/she had sent a letter. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that the easy access to the Internet and the wide popularity of smartphones are blamed for the root of less social communication among people. This can be best illustrated by the increasing number of hours spent on WeChat, QQ or some other social networking websites.

To reach a balanced view, we need to take both the benefits and potential harms of changes in the way of communication into account. But the top priority is that we could make wide use of virtual communication and keep a balance between face-to-face communication and communication online.