The internet is the managing technology of the IT Age just as the electrical device was of the Industrial Age. The internet is a global network of inter-linked networks that mainly provide wireless interactive communication. Though the internet was first deployed in 1969, it was only in the 1990s that it became available to the public.
From
there onwards, its use has diffused rapidly throughout the world with there
being around 7 billion users of wireless devices currently that employ internet
technology. With about 7.7 billion people in this world and with partial use
among those under 5 years of age, it’s almost safe to say that the entire
humanity is now connected to the internet.
Internet has also led to a
complete transformation in communication, availability of knowledge as well as
social communication. However, as with all major technological changes, there
are positive and negative effects of the internet on the society too.
|
The positive impacts of the internet include the
following: |
The negative impacts of the internet on society
include: |
|
•It provides effective
communication using emailing and instant messaging services to any part of
the world. •It improves business
interactions and transactions, saving on vital time. •Banking and shopping
online have made life less complicated. •You can access the
latest news from any part of the world without depending on the TV or
newspaper. •Education has received
a huge boost as uncountable books and journals are available online from
libraries across the world. This has made research easier. Students can now
opt for online courses using the internet. •Application for jobs
has also become easier as most vacancies are advertised online with online
applications becoming the norm. •Professionals can now
exchange information and materials online, thus enhancing research. |
•Easy availability of illegal or inappropriate
materials online that isn’t age-suitable. •Addiction to social networks can disrupt an
individual’s life, both personally and professionally. •Some miscreants use the internet to hack into
people’s accounts for spurious activities including stealing data or banking
information. •Yet others have been known to misuse the internet
for spreading hate and terrorism, two dangerously catastrophic scenarios. |
However, those indulging in misusing the internet are few and
far in-between. On a global scale, the internet has been the best thing to have
happened to human society in recent years!