Facebook, Twitter, MySpace. We have all heard these big social networking names and most of us use them with a passionate addiction. In fact, chances are that if you do not already have an account for a social networking website, you face constant pressure by family members and peers to create one in order to be “connected” to the fast paced world around you. However, before getting addicted to the internet like everyone else, keep some things in mind, the most important one is that the internet is a dangerous mechanism which is affecting the global community in numerous harmful ways. In other words, there is more evil to the World Wide Web than there is good.
It might seem surprising and difficult to accept this fact, yet the evidence desperately screams for people to minimize their internet usage as people are changing, and it is not a good change. Many people fail to realize that the internet was invented by the military for spying and communication purposes back in the 1960s, so it comes as no surprise that the noble intentions have continued the trend of spying on citizens through the internet in the name of national security. The internet violates the right to privacy and tempts and manipulates people into taking away private barriers through posting pictures and personal information for the world to see (Bartlett, 2011).
Yes, it is true that the internet is a cost-efficient way to shop, learn and communicate; however, it is also a cheap method for criminals to commit thefts and easily get away with it. Greater internet use results in increased crime rates which involve hackers stealing financial information, social security numbers and even sending viruses which will destroy all computer files. The best part is that chances of tracking these hackers down are minimal as even amateurs may become hackers through basic internet knowledge. The most obvious problem with the internet is that the information is not reliable, even though people increasingly depend on it (Hough, 2010).
Shunning away from traditional library researching and confirmed data, people continue to access countless types of information online, which is either reliable, false, or a mixture of both; however, the line between is blurred and it is hard to tell which is which. To put it in simple terms: anyone can publish anything on the internet. A recent research conducted on internet reliability concluded that the internet contains “”¦litany of errors, misattributions, vague insinuations, subtle misquotes, and outright falsehoods” (Bartlett, 2011). This affects educational standards globally, decreasing the value of education as it can be easily accessed through countless unreliable sites which promote quick fixes and dishonorable methods for acquiring a degree. In fact, people can even print out falsely notarized diplomas and degrees from the internet! The corruptness of the internet does not only end here with morality and affects society’s well being in all aspects.
Take a look at the modern 10 year old. His life revolves around television and the internet, which have become his teachers, parents and peers. Everything he knows comes from these harmful sources, affecting his social skills, family dynamics and practicality. In fact, research shows that a growing number of children prefer playing games on the computer than hanging out with their friends, which should force people to question the future of this society. The truth is that the internet is damaging human relationships and encouraging dangerous, immoral and unhealthy habits such as obesity and low I.Q.s. In addition, according to research, children get exposed to harmful knowledge at an earlier age through internet use, which psychologically affects them for their entire lives. For instance, pedophiles and rapists have been linked to increased internet pornography in their past.
This is a simple debate, yet people are not ready to give up life’s comforts for the greater, long-term good. I will not go as far as to encourage abolishing the internet altogether as it is not practical. There are countless benefits of the World Wide Web as well such as reaching out to one another and closing international cultural gaps; however, a balance must be reached between good and evils of the innovation which is essential to improve society’s social, moral and humane dilemmas.