From Hieroglyphics to GIFS: Communication Skills Have Not Changed, Just the Medium

I have always found communicating through coding languages like HTML, CSS, and Java to be challenging. But is communicating in code really so different from communicating online? In some ways, the thought process is similar, though the two are not the same.

As someone who grew up during social media’s rapid expansion, I understand how its use can make communication feel unnatural at times.

On Instagram, for example, every interaction is a choice about what you want to say. Liking a friend’s photo signals support. Sending a direct message allows you to reconnect with someone. You can also create and share your own content—posts, reels, threads, stories, and livestreams—which all represent different forms of expression.

Online communication often happens through keystrokes and taps on a screen. In that sense, it loosely resembles coding: each action requires selecting the right input to produce the intended message. Similarly, programming requires hitting the correct keys to build a functional line of code.

Still, communicating on social media mirrors some aspects of in-person interaction. Our actions have consequences online just as they do offline. Words and posts can hurt others, and online harassment becomes “cyberbullying.” Sharing false information can confuse the public or damage reputations, leading to accusations of defamation or dishonesty.

We also communicate online without using words at all. GIFs, memes, photos, TikTok videos, music, and graphic designs all serve as expressive tools.

There are countless ways to communicate online, and many Americans view this negatively. In fact, 64 percent of Americans believe social media has harmed their lives. Some fear that digital communication reduces us to robotic exchanges of ones and zeros, similar to computer science.

Yet in reality, communication has always taken many forms. Humans continually adapt language to meet our needs. We created sign language and subtitles for the deaf, and Braille for the blind. Morse code allowed communication across battle lines. If any forms resemble the binary nature of computer code, Braille and Morse code come closer than the Instagram posts I liked today.

In many ways, social media communication resembles some of the earliest forms of expression. Hieroglyphics, for example, relied on imagery and short phrases—much like today’s posts, emojis, and reaction icons. Visuals are central to all communication, whether it’s reading lips, signing with hands, or gesturing to emphasize a point. I rely on gestures constantly.

So perhaps social media is not worse than other forms of communication—just newer. Throughout history, societies have resisted unfamiliar languages and modes of expression. In the United States, freedom of speech protects all forms of communication, even those we dislike, such as profanity, hateful speech, or protest. Differences in opinion do not justify restricting someone else's right to communicate.

Attempts to limit expression are not new. During World War II, Jews were forbidden from speaking Hebrew or practicing their faith under threat of death. For centuries, people have tried to regulate speech out of fear. Today’s criticism of social media follows that same pattern. It is simply another medium—one that requires us to consider our words carefully, accept consequences for our actions, and rely on imagery to help convey meaning.