The rise of voice notes as a form of messaging is having an adverse effect on our “ability to have two-sided conversations,” a leading journalist has claimed.

On The Hard Shoulder today, Niamh O’Reilly said voice notes are only easy for the sender but can be a nuisance to the recipient.

Ms O’Reilly said she used to send voicenotes when they were first rolled out on apps like WhatsApp but has fallen out of love with them since.

“My problem with voice notes is that they tend to just be this unbridled, unchallenged, endless soliloquies from someone that just keeps going and going," she said.

“The first few times I got them, you feel there is an etiquette, and you reply with a voice note.

“But very soon I got off the point and I was talking about the toaster or the kettle or if I was out walking in the street I’d be saying, ‘I just passed a really cute dog, I’m going to get a coffee’.

“Before I knew it, I had wandered off the point and that is very easy to do when nobody is checking you in a two-sided conversation.”

Unusual

Ms O’Reilly said it is an unusual way to communicate with someone.

You’re losing something when you’re just talking to yourself and voice notes are just talking to yourself,” she said.

“You send it and there is a weird gap until someone sends it back.

“It’s this weird and delayed form of communication without a proper back and forth.”

Business idea

Comedian Jim Elliot, a big fan of voicenotes, said he has a business idea that can keep everyone happy.

“People are trying to get away from WhatsApp as it’s owned by Meta and these conglomerates are controlling all our lives,” he said.

“The first messaging app that comes up with a voice note functionality which has a button next to it that can transcribe – that is the game changer.

“The person who likes to express themselves a little bit flowingly will be able to do so and the person who actually wants to consume the voice message from a crowded bar where they can’t hear anything will be able to do so.”

Mr Elliot said voicenotes can be “jarring” at times but he loves the freedom of expression it brings to online communication.

You can listen back here:

Main image: A woman recording a voice note. Image: Yuri Arcurs / Alamy Stock Photo