Together With Me: How Digital Media Changes Social Relationships

Qiu Zeqi

(Cover)

Digital connectivity has granted everyone the opportunity to connect with the world, forever changing the nature of social interactions. Theoretically, utilizing digital media, one can establish connections with any other individual across the globe. Despite this, human social relationships can still be categorized into four types: familial, friendship, work, and lifestyle relationships. Naturally, each category of relationship possesses an exceptionally complex set of dimensions. Simplifying complexity and reconstructing relationships: the essence of digital socialization involves selecting four typical scenarios within each category of relationship, presenting these scenarios through case studies, and within these scenarios, elucidating the inherent reconstruction of social relationships. This exploration delves into the societal relationships brought about by digital socialization—a shift from individual-centered social interactions within society to a model where individuals gather and form relationships.