Internet language is no longer restricted to online spaces. What once seemed limited to memes, short videos and tweets has become part of everyday communication, including academic, professional and social environments.
Expressions born on social media now appear in casual conversations, classrooms, work meetings, and even corporate emails. Terms like “POV”, “random”, and “cringe” are no longer just temporary internet trends, they have become part of an entire generation’s vocabulary.
In a scenario shaped by fast information and constant digital consumption, platforms such as TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram have accelerated linguistic changes to go far beyond screens, directly influencing the way people write, speak, and interact.
Recently, a video went viral after showing a young employee using internet slang during conversations on Microsoft Teams at work. The video gained attention precisely because, although exaggerated, the situation no longer feels unrealistic for many young adults in professional environments.
From social media to real life
According to speech therapist Dr. Caroline Macedo Rezende, media has always influenced language, but this impact has intensified in recent years with the rise of the internet and social media: “I believe the media has always had a strong influence not only on language, but on many other aspects of society as well. However, in recent years this influence has grown significantly because of how accessible the internet has become.”, she explained.
The specialist also highlighted that online communication created its own language, marked by abbreviations, emojis, and references that spread rapidly across digital spaces. “On social media, people feel freer to communicate in different ways, with fewer ‘rules’”, said the speech therapist, emphasizing how digital environments encourage more informal and spontaneous interactions.
The internet speaks English
For English teacher Gabriella Carboniello, globalization and the dominance of American digital platforms accelerated this transformation, making English naturally present in the internet culture. “English as a global lingua franca has characteristics of linguistic economy, using short words to convey complex concepts”, Gabriella explained while debating why English expressions became so common in digital communication.
Words like “deadline”, “feedback”, “call”, and “mood” became increasingly popular because digital communication prioritizes speed, practically, and immediate understanding.
Gabriella also believes social media completely changed the traditional logic behind how language evolves. “We used to wait for dictionaries and schools to tell us how to speak, but now, a random meme or TikTok trend sets the standard overnight”, she said, arguing that internet users themselves now influence language trends more than formal institutions.
How social media is reshaping language
This shift also created a visible generational division while older generations often see internet slang as a sign that language is declining, younger audiences interpret these changes as a natural part of digital identity and online belonging. “Young people actually find it funny when adults are totally clueless about what a word means. It becomes a massive inside joke” Gabriella added.
The influence of social media, however, goes far beyond vocabulary. According to Dr. Caroline, digital communication also impacts behavior, identity, and the way people present themselves socially: “Sometimes we see shy people in real life who become completely different online”, Caroline noted, explaining how internet environments often encourage different forms of self-expression.
At the same time, specialists point out concerns regarding writing abilities and attention spans, especially among teenagers constantly exposed to short and immediate content. “Nowdays I notice a great difficulty when it comes to writing skills, both among teenagers and even parents. That is worrying”, said the speech therapist.
Even so, both specialists agree that language naturally adapts according to social and cultural changes. Memes, abbreviations, emojis, and viral expressions are not necessarily destroying communication – they are reshaping it according to the habits of a generation raised in digital environments.
Gabriella believes this adaptability reflects something fundamentally human. “Humans evolve language to serve us, rather than forcing ourselves to fit rigid linguistic rules”, she stated about how internet slang also creates belonging and identity among young people online.
The future of communication in the AI era
Another growing discussion involves the relationship between artificial intelligence, social media and critical thinking. As digital tools become increasingly integrated into daily life, communication itself also becomes more automated.
The speech therapist warned that the convenience of instant responses may eventually reduce reflection, personal expression and creativity. “People no longer want to think about an answer. They just want to type information into a chatbot and let it create responses, and sometimes even opinions, for them”, she explained.
Although technology offers accessibility , she believes there is also a risk of losing part of the human perspective in communication: “These texts are often technically correct, but they lack opinion, emotion, and a human perspective. They feel soulless”, she concluded.
In the future, communication will likely become even more hybrid, combining traditional language with visual elements, internet slang, emojis, and digital references.
Ultimately, the way people speak has always evolved alongside society itself. In a generation shaped by algorithms, memes, short videos, and instant communication, perhaps the biggest transformation is not simply the creation of new words, but the speed at which they become part of everyday life.
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The article below was edited by Eloá Costa.
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