A few years ago, people did not know about the internet. However, today it has gained
popularity for being the most influential tool in the world today. The internet is everywhere in
the society today because it is accessible almost through any device from computers to
smartphones to even televisions. Its popularity is due to its reliability and the fact that it has
multiple sites that provide information to different people. While the internet has many benefits,
it has both advantages and disadvantages.
The internet is good because it helps people to stay in touch. Social media platforms like
Facebook and Twitter govern today's communication because they enable people to interact with
real and virtual friends. Another benefit of the internet is its ability to ease everyday transactions.
Today almost every operation is automated, and individuals can pay water and electricity bills
through the internet (Kiesler, 2014). Similarly, the organizations can also market and sell their
products over the internet. The internet also plays a critical role in spreading vital information.
Information flows very fast across social media platforms and at the same time, it reaches a large
number of people (Reddy, 2014). The internet provides users with multiple sites that offer them
the information that they need. It is possible to find anything on the web including health,
business, dietary and entrepreneurship among others.
One of the disadvantages of the internet is the fact that it is addictive. Those that spend
too much time on the internet become unproductive because it glues them to their computers and
smartphones. Exposure of children to pornography is a significant problem related to the internet
(Jewkes & Yar, 2013). Sometimes when there is nobody to guide the children, they may be
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driven by curiosity to access these sites that corrupt their minds. Sharing information on the
internet may not always be safe as some people may hack accounts and obtain private
information. This may cost companies considerable amounts of money in a bid to correct the
errors.
The internet poses both positive and negative impacts in the society. The positive effects
include improving the connectivity of the world so that people are informed and also managing
new and existing relationships. Similarly, the internet has negative impacts like reduced social
interactions and wasting time on irrelevant activities. However, the society can reap maximum
benefits from the internet by setting regulations to control the operations of both organizations
and individuals.
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References
Jewkes, Y., & Yar, M. (Eds.). (2013). Handbook of Internet crime. Routledge.
Kiesler, S. (2014). Culture of the Internet. Psychology Press.
Reddy, A. S. (2014). Reaping the benefits of the Internet of Things. Cognizant Reports, May.