Internet: Boon or Bane?

“Money can’t buy happiness, but it pays for the internet,

which is pretty much the same thing”

Image courtesy of noomhh at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

After reading the above lines, you must ha
ve figured out what I am trying to say. The internet indeed plays an important role in our lives. While surfing it may be a pastime for some, it is a source of live hood for the for a website owner. Because of its convenience and speed in searching and displaying of data, the number of internet subscribers is growing day by day.

  The internet has changed the old saying ‘the world is too small’ to ‘global village’. From shopping at cheap prices at the comfort of our homes to staying in touch with our distant relatives and friends: thanks to the internet, it can be done in a couple of seconds. From learning how to make a dish to a dish to paying your phone bills: all can be done with the help of the internet. One way in which internet helps the students is because of the availability of e-learning sites they can take tuitions at the comfort of their homes and that at a very cheap price.

  The internet, in a way, affects politics and governance too. Issues which earlier used to remain buried due to the fear of political backlash have now been raised by the activists using social networking sites. Nowadays, websites providing information and transparency to the candidates contesting in the elections have started to emerge as popular websites. The activists participating in the Arab Revolution demonstrated the real power of the internet. They used social media to plan their campaigns.

 No matter how much beneficial the internet may not be, we must not forget that every coin has two sides. Though the digital world has made our lives convenient and comfortable, it has also attracted many wicked minds who try to make it difficult for others. According to reports, 90% of the world’s total emails are spam. With crimes like hacking, cyber bullying, cyber stalking, identity theft and phishing at rise, the netizen has a fear that his account in various sites will be hacked.

  Excessive use of the internet can cause one to suffer from internet addiction disorder (IAD). IAD makes a person become irritable, fatigue, suffer from lack of sleep and can decrease the job or school performance. It can cause significant problems in relationships with family members, friends and relatives. It is often said to lead to the feelings of anxiety and depression. Recent researches suggest that IAD causes symptoms similar to drug addiction. What is more provoking is that it can change the brain in the same way as cocaine does.

   However beneficial or harmful the internet may not be, Mark Zuckerberg got it right when he said

“When give everybody a voice and give people power,

the system usually ends up into a really good place”

 Suggested reading

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