Lisa Davies: The rise of technology has reduced the amount of deaf people socialising in person (BSL)

Deaf people have fought for better access and improved technology over many years so they can be seen and treated as equals. In a very short space of time – less than 25 years – there are computers, mobile phones, and iPads/tablets that deaf people can now use.

To add to this, broadband gave birth to the World Wide Web, which we now call the internet, and this could connect you to anyone or anywhere in the world – what a very exciting time that was!

Before long, a deaf person could also use a mobile phone – an invention that was made for hearing people to enable them to take their telephones everywhere with them so they could still make calls – to send emails, FaceTime someone or even a recorded video on WhatsApp.

Apps would enable you to connect to others on social media via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linkedin, Instagram and now TikTok. You could also use any of these platforms to upload a video – very handy for deaf people whose first language isn’t English and rely on visual communication.

Connecting online became even more important when the COVID pandemic forced people to stay at home which is when many of us learned about Teams and Zoom. British Sign Language interpreters could also be used remotely!

Access for deaf people has never been better but at what cost? Gone are the days when you would go to a local Deaf Club and deaf people of various ages were everywhere – from babies to older people. You would be lucky to find a free seat or even standing space in the building and you would still be there hours later signing or talking because you would be trying to catch up with everyone.

Today, you go to a local event for deaf people, and there are just a handful – many are of the older generation who just can’t get their heads round all “that online stuff”. There hasn’t been a decrease in the number of deaf people in the UK population – in fact, the opposite. There are now more deaf people than ever before but where are they?

It’s much harder now to find deaf centres or clubs to socialise in because everyone is choosing to connect “online”. This has had an impact on local deaf centres and clubs all over the UK which have been in decline now for some years.

At a time when deaf people have more access than ever before, they have also become very isolated. What is more worrying is the sharp increase in the number of deaf people with mental health. These people are lacking that human connection and social interaction – the facial expressions, that hug and clear clarification that you get when you see someone in person to explain things properly. You don’t get any of that online.

You may be able to see other friends online but it’s not like being with them in person and when you see some of them enjoying themselves elsewhere without you, you wonder why you weren’t invited and you can be led to believe they don’t like you when none of it is true.

There is such a thing as information overload – when you have access at your fingertips 24/7and there is conflicting information plastered all over the screens. You see so many lovely pictures and videos, but they do not reveal the full picture or story.

For many deaf people just 20 years ago – when there was only a vibrating alarm to wake them up, a TV that came with a remote so they could switch on the subtitles and a minicom that they could only use with another deaf person, there was no internet either and social media wasn’t even a word.

The only way to find out or really understand what was going on was to go to your local deaf centre or Deaf Club and ask or check with other deaf people there or hearing people who could sign.

By going there, they were able to mix with a rich variety of deaf people including babies, very young children, teenagers, young adults, families, and older people. They could relate to others through shared experiences and there was empathy, hugs, laughter, and lots of “deaf” stories.

People today, not just deaf people, have no manners or respect because they have grown up online, so they have not had the chance to learn or pick up social interaction skills. This means that what is natural to them can appear rude to other people, especially the older generation. This can lead to misunderstandings unfortunately!

If you are always “online”, consider switching off your devices including your phone for a set amount of time. When you have something to tell a friend, ask yourself if it would be better to tell this friend in person rather than over text or FaceTime.

When there is a deaf event, ask yourself if it would be better for you to go in person rather than find out from someone else which will be their version of the event anyway. What they didn’t like, you may enjoy and get to meet new people. Don’t feel that you must share everything on social media too.

Go on, give yourself a break – your mental health will thank you for it!

Lisa was born deaf in a hearing family. She has worked as a Marketing and Multimedia Specialist for a national deaf charity for more than 20 years. She lives in the West Midlands with her Deaf partner along with 3 cats and 2 dogs.