A World Connected!

A World Connected:

Since the advent of the internet in the eighties the role and function of the internet has changed drastically from the early prototypes meant for sharing and packaging data to the social connectivity tool it has become today.

With the commercialising and publicising of the use of the internet many new opportunities for businesses and the average person have arisen, as have technical and moral issues.

We use it for virtually every aspect of our lives including online shopping, social networking, business transactions, promoting your company and even reading the newspaper in the morning is made easier with the development of the internet. The internet has also given people a new way to instigate criminal activities such as cyber bullying, theft, web based stalking and the organisation of crime.

It all depends on what we do with this resource that determines its detriment or benefit to society. Here are some examples of how it can be both a good and bad thing in our modern world.

Pros:

• Information- it provides a multitude of information to people all over the globe which they would not normally have access to

• Communication tool – provides us with a way of connecting with others for business and personal reasons all around the globe instantly and easily, such as international trading and social networking. 

• Jobs – a number of online based and internet provision jobs have become available with this new market

• Access – we have opened the doors of possibility, with access to video conferences between doctors and specialists to treat patients faster and with more effective communication. We have access to services such as banking and shopping for those who would not be able to physically do these things otherwise, to online education and more.

• Makes life easier and more efficient with emails, and online banking etc

• It can even give opportunities to those who are embarrassed or shy, and people with conditions such as massive obesity and agoraphobia to seek help and support.

• Society- with this development we have expanded our exposure to and understanding of a wider range of people from all over the world that we didn’t have the ability to communicate with previously, this has changed our views of the world we live in and can hopefully open new doors to creating social justices.

Cons:

• Technological progress – it is still slow technology for the common user, and quite expensive to run in an average household. Also computer viruses are an issue, as are scams that take your credit or bank card details under false pretenses to steal your money

• Information – can be incorrect as anybody can post anything online and call it fact. Information can also be misunderstood or use incorrectly.

• Over exposure – there is such a vast amount of information that we can become overloaded. There is also inappropriate information readily at hand such as child pornography, due to these reasons we must monitor minors using the internet

• Provides yet another procrastinating, time wasting opportunity

• Unwanted connections – predators, stalkers and con artists

• Laziness – with easy access to delivered food, music, movies, clothes, paying bills and more we have become lazy, even in our efforts of communication, why write a letter when we can send an instantly received email?

• Crime – theft, gambling, fraud, cyber bulling, trolling, harassment and more

*** Can you imagine a web-less world? How bored would we be? ***

See I just spent the last half hour looking up bored animal and baby photos, total waste of time, totally worth it!