Usefulness of Internet Essay
Imagine you were anywhere in the world, despite your location you would have access to at least one form of media; newspaper, television, telephone or the internet. Access to vast numbers of media has been made possible by our obsession with new technology. Communication is easier and we can experience outside of our immediate social surroundings. One electronic medium’s use has expanded at a remarkable rate, which is the internet. The internet has changed how we think as a society and how we communicate.Thanks to the internet, society young and old are consumed by the convenience of the internet. On the “web” there is something for everyone.
The internet has no age limit. There are interactive games for preschoolers, for example Treehouse. For teens there are magazines that they can read online and social networking.
Middle aged and adults have cooking websites and travel websites available to them. An elderly couple could be looking at real estate online for that house in Florida they have always wanted. The internet is literally a world of information for everyone.All it takes is one quick search on Google and the world is at your fingertips.
The internet has changed everything; specifically it has replaced social interaction regarding political matters, personal ones in the business world. Given the broad range of opportunities the internet offers, it has a powerful impact on its users. The history of the internet, unlike other forms of media, is only beginning to be written. The internet is a product of an experiment called ARPANET, which created the first long-distance computer network and connected four sites in 1969.These sites happened to be four university campuses in the states; the University of California’s two campuses, the University of Utah and Stanford University.
Approximately a year after, there were ten sites added and over 2000 users using the ARPANET system. The setup of interconnectivity between countries was brought up at the International Conference on Computer Communications in Washington, DC in 1972. Many countries were interested in the idea of intercommunications between countries. ARPANET had to be replaced because of its weak connections and transmission errors.
The idea of the internet protocol was introduced by Bob Kahn in 1972. The internet protocol became the “internet”. The internet has been used as an outlet for political use, personal use, and businesses. There is a lot of political propaganda on the internet. An example of politics on the internet is terrorism. By the end of 1999, almost all of the thirty terrorist groups identified by the US, had a website. Some terrorists groups have such anonymity that it is hard to trace where the website originated.
These websites are open to the public and can influence others to become a part of their organization. They use the internet as a means to communicate their political goals and aspirations. Even political groups that are not terrorists, use the internet to show their point of view, their upcoming meetings, their events and how to get involved. The internet has been used as an outlet for personal use, businesses and politically. Personal use of the internet has almost diminished our need for face to face social interaction.Some feel that being disconnected from the internet is like being disconnected from the world. The internet is used for messaging, researching, dating, and online banking.
Instant messenger has replaced the telephone because it does not require you to call someone else, no long-distance and you can talk to multiple people at the same time. Various online databases and web pages have replaced the library method of researching. This method is preferred by students because they can access many databases at the comfort of their own homes.The reason they do not just go to the library and research books and other forms of media is because they are lazy. In the mind of a student, the internet is convenience. Online dating is a new trend. There are many companies, such as Lavalife and Adult Finder, which profit from a generation that has lost faith in the conventional approach and are looking for new methods to find real love.
With extensive compatibility tests and advanced technology, these sites have succeeded in attracting a mass amount of people into trying this alternative method.Instead of people going out to find someone, they log onto the internet. Online banking has also decreased social interaction in our society. You can check your balance; make transfers, and virtually any other task that would normally involve you talking to a teller. The convenience of online banking has raised the question if banks should be so accessible or if we should limit ourselves to ABM’s and online and telephone banking.
In conclusion, regarding personal use, the internet has impeded social interaction in society.This is shown through the use of instant messenger, research databases online, online dating and online banking. In a business perspective the internet has both positive and negative implications. Downloading is an example of how the internet is problematic.
People have the option to either buy music, or download music. This causes problems for artists in the music industry because their fan base could be very broad while their revenue is declining. If everyone who downloaded their music actually bought the CD or even bought the song from iTunes their sales would be high.The accessibility of free music makes the choice of buying music online or by any other method a moral one. A fan could either access the music for free without any financial dues or buy it because it is the right thing to do.
Of course there are many other ways musicians can get income, but the fact that their work is being downloaded freely completely abuses their artistic expression and violates copy write laws. In addition, movies and video games are becoming more and more accessible through the internet. Gamers have the choice to either purchase video games to play on the pc, or download them.More times than not, people rely on the ability to download and get free content, even though it is illegal.
Movies specifically have piracy laws. These laws are supposed to protect the film’s creators and actors from those who think they can ignore their rights as artists. Watching movies online is very convenient and in some cases priceless. All you have to do is look up free movies and a wide selection of newly released even movies still playing in theatres is at your fingertips. It is very tempting and there are no enforced laws about watching movies online.
Typically, taking advantage of the download industry is a social norm. Although there are negative sides to business on the internet, there are many successful business opportunities as well. An example would be special offers on the internet. Many chain stores, such as Wal-Mart and Future Shop, have a website.
These websites contain a lot of vital information for customers, such as sale events, coupons, and limited offers. A consumer can stay inside the convenience of their home and shop. They can compare different speciality stores until they find the product that is right for them.You can even shop overseas and have the merchandise delivered to your home. Literally, the shopping network is just a click away.
A downfall of buying online is credit card fraud. Some websites are not completely secure therefore allowing third parties to access your credit card information and use your credit card for unauthorized transactions. For you to be able to stop the fraudulent transactions, you must call your credit card provider. After you notify your provider, there will be more security measures placed on your card, making it harder for you to purchase with your credit card.Some websites, after buying their product once, add you unto an automatic billing list. This method bills you every month regardless of your consent.
They use fine print, in which no one really pays attention to, to bind you to their terms and conditions. In conclusion, the use of credit cards on the internet is the downfall of buying online. In conclusion, the internet is a phenomenon that is both useful yet dangerous. The internet can help us create our own political views against or for certain causes.
It can inform us about the world around us.We can abuse the copy write of businesses or we can shop online. We can be smart consumers and read the fine print or we can bypass the terms and conditions and be deceived. In this moving society, the internet is only going to get more popular, it is only going to contain more information, and therefore we are going to have to be more hazardous.
We, as a society, have to figure out if we are going to let the internet overcome our need for social interaction. So the next time you enter your internet explorer, just think for a second, is this information what I need or is the internet information overload.
