How has the Internet affected society? Here is an overview of the many positive effects of the Internet. Read on…
Quick Fact
In the period between 2000 and 2009, the number of people using the Internet increased from 394 million to 1.858 billion, globally.
Internet, as we know, is a large network of networks, which communicate with each other by means of data packets. By definition, it is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the TCP/IP protocol to communicate. The Internet is regarded as the largest information base. And today, it has become an integral part of our lives. Its access methods have also evolved over time, starting from dial-up connections, slowly graduating to broadband, developing further into wireless access, and then to cellular technology. With the increasing and improving means of accessing the web, its use and popularity also grew. Owing to its easy availability, high access speeds, and the variety of services offered, Internet is the need of the day.
We depend on it in more ways than one. We access news websites to update ourselves about the current affairs, we rely on the communication platform it offers to communicate with the world. Be it using a social networking website to post what’s happening in our lives, or using an application like Skype or Viber to talk to our dear ones; web is the medium. Be it to access information or to entertain ourselves, Internet is our first choice. We use it to order food and we use it to shop
for clothes; we use it to read books and to play games. Right from money to medical help, everything is just a click away, thanks to the Internet. It has surely affected the society positively.
Positive Effects
The Internet can be looked at as the means to Access, Express, Impress, and do much more. It is a storehouse of information and perhaps the biggest knowledge base that is easily accessible to just anyone in the world. It gives everyone accessing it, a platform to share their views with the world. Right from personal information to huge employee databases, it can house any and everything. There is no restriction on the type of data that can be stored and accessed via the Internet; which is to say, the files can be of any type (text, audio, image, video, etc.) And the web is a big eCommerce hub; you can shop for just anything online.
The Internet is widely used to store and access information. Email accounts have such great storage capacities that they can store much more than just written communication. Then you have tools like Google Drive, which let you store gigabytes of information online. Cloud computing allows huge storage of data that can be accessed remotely. It relies of sharing resources, thus ensuring their optimum use.
Owing to the increasing volumes of useful information that the web hosts, it can be considered as a knowledge base. From craft ideas for kids, to spiritual guidance, there are several websites ready to help you for free. There are those which give DIY procedures, health tips, and investment advice, thus proving to be of help in daily living. You have a question? Search engines are here to answer. Type in a simple search query in one of them, and they will fetch you thousands of relevant results in microseconds. This increases the speed of information access, and makes it easy for anyone to find answers.
The Internet provides some of the most effective means of communication. Emails and instant messages have made online communication possible. Social networking and blogging websites, and discussion forums have proved to be the best platforms for expression. People in different parts of the world can collaborate over the Internet. They can exchange views, share information, and work together over the web. Professionals working at distant locations can collaborate their efforts, thanks to the Internet. It has brought the world closer, and made far-off places more reachable.
The web serves as the biggest source of entertainment these days. Songs, movies, and even episodes of TV series can be downloaded. Or they can be streamed and enjoyed online. Also, there are several online games that are a recreational means for many. Plus, there is entertaining content; gossip, controversies, stories, riddles, jokes, and more to browse through and be entertained. Some websites host fun activities like grooming a pet, painting pictures, solving puzzles, and so much more. There are portals offering you personality tests and quizzing you to let you know which cartoon character or celebrity you resemble. Fun!
The Internet has redefined business. Huge money transactions can be carried out online; that includes payment of bills, sale and purchase of commodities, and bank transactions. As consumers are turning to the Internet to buy goods, businesses are promoting themselves using the same medium. Fields like online marketing and internet advertising have boomed because of the growing use of the Internet. Products and services can be advertised more effectively over the web. Through tools like RSS feeds, newsletters, and online advertisements, the Internet has made it easier for the business to reach potential customers and also promote their brand.
When we talk of the positive effects of the Internet on different aspects of society, the education, health, and finance sectors are the first few things that come to mind. It was the development of the Internet that made online education and distance learning possible. Computer-aided education made learning fun. It brought interactivity in teaching methods and also helped teachers provide better education to the students. Thanks to the Internet, medical professionals can be reached faster, seeking opinions has become easier as medical reports and/or patient records can be sent over long distances in seconds. Similarly, financial advice is just a few clicks away, thanks to online services provided by professionals in the field. The most valuable gift that the Internet has given society is increased awareness. Due to the many web sources providing informational or educational content, a general awareness among people has increased.
Today, the Internet is a part of every sphere of life. It does have disadvantages, but its positive effects on society outweigh the negative ones, if it is used wisely. If exposed to the world wide web at the right age, children can benefit from it in several ways. If you know what to use it for, Internet is a good thing.