The rise of the Digital Era: How has the coronavirus pandemic forced change in the online space?

Claire Small
Authored by Claire Small
Posted Friday, February 19, 2021 - 8:42pm

With the world-changing as a result of the pandemic and more time being spent inside than ever before, the use of digital devices has increased tenfold. But with several industries thriving as some suffer, how else has the pandemic forced change towards the continued use of the digital era in the not too distant future.

Lockdown Saw A Rise In Video Calling Apps

When the first lockdown was announced in March of 2020 the population of the UK were overnight forced to stay in their homes and limit their time outside. As a result, the increased use of house party, Zoom and Google Hang Out not only for working but for communicating with friends and family.

Since then, 45% of the British population have gone on to work efficiently from home and using video calls and communication apps to maintain the daily operations of their business in the absence of a physical office.

The Increase In Online Shopping

With many of us now spending more time at home than ever before, there has been a major shift in online shopping in the absence of physical shops being open. With companies such as Amazon seeing 40% higher sales as a result of the pandemic this is a trend that we are likely to see continue for the next 10 years as a result of the pandemic.

Despite the number of people browsing and shopping online increasing, it is important to note that the amount of spending is not increasing. As many people experience a limited income or even a loss of a job at this time, the use of online shopping is often leading to abandoned baskets and those shopping throughout sales.

The Increased Use Of Online Entertainment Services

Another element of our lives that has changed as a result of the pandemic is the release of online entertainment and the use of streaming services. With convention centres closed as well as cinemas being closed, the gaming and film industry has faced the challenge of showcasing their products to audiences in a new and creative way. With many looking for the latest entertainment at the push of a button Netflix witnesses another 2.2 million new paid subscribers from July 2020 to September of that same year.

This increase in the audience is also evident within the gaming industry as there have been several people taking to gaming either on PC or on consoles throughout the course of lockdown. With Xbox, Nintendo and PlayStation all witnessing shortages as a result of increased supply and demand, the gaming industry has expanded substantially. In addition to the increase in the number of people using consoles for entertainment, there have also been a huge increase in the number of people using websites to enjoy the traditional online games and play table games and slots online in platforms like VegasSlots.co.uk.

The Evolution Of Online Learning

As many have worked from home throughout the course of the pandemic, there has also been an increase in the number of people using online video calling applications to conduct at-home learning in the absence of schools being open. With many parents having to home school for the first time, these applications and the use of online file-sharing tools have made schooling easier for everyone. This is something that has only been improved by the expansion of government funding for those that have been unable to gain access to computers or other forms of technology to facilitate learning from home throughout the lockdown to help to work from home as a result. With many of us working and teaching from home, this is a trend that we are set to see expand in the future.

With this in mind, there are several ways that the pandemic has forced change n our lives towards the digital era as a result. With this continuing to change in 2021 and for the next five years minimum following the pandemic, how else do you think this will change over time?

 

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