ABSTRACT
The year 2020 was characterized by a shift to mediated communication: as government mandates or personal concerns for safety left many unable or unwilling to meet in person, technology became a lifeline to connect friends, family, and co-workers. A society which often criticized the role of mediated communication now became dependent on it. In this chapter, the author describes her own experiences with a shift toward mediated communication in the midst of both personal tumult and global fear. These experiences are framed through a discussion of several foundational media choice theories which offer competing explanations for how humans select appropriate channels for communication needs.
