Welcome to the world of casual relationship. This is my term for communication is partly involved.
People like to feel connected to their friends without the burden of giving them their full attention. For example, my daughter had a Skype video call open with his friend a few nights while they both do their homework. Most of the time they didn't say anything to each other and just do their own thing. However, they are still there for each other. Connected, but their focus on something else.
There are so may ways to get involved in this type of communication that casualness now. It started with bulletin boards and forums. Then we had a chat. Then came Facebook, Twitter, and texting. It's hard to imagine that the people who ever lived without these things.
As an aside, I believe the rise of casual communication is really disturbing event for humanity. Yes, it is high enough, and statements You may think I'm overstating it. But we had changed the way humans communicate, and it all takes place in the last 20 years.
Some argued that the advent of the telegraph, train, car, plane, phone, radio, TV or the Internet itself did not interfere with the activity. All this is a change in how we communicate.