The Internet Liability or Asset?

Today, adults and children alike are guilty of mindlessly surfing the web, each day hungering for new information to absorb. The appeal of the internet is its conveniencethe endless amount of instant services that are available to a person, with just the mere click of a buttonand it is this very idea of convenience that blinds people from the damages and consequences of using it. One might compare this behaviour to those of people dependent on drugs, who remain ignorant of the consequences that would result from being under their influence; it is as if society is addicted to technology, especially the internet, and is blindly relying upon it to provide it with information. The internet is hazardous because of its too-simple approach to accessing information, its influence in the increasing expansion of automatic technology, and its capability to wrongly justify the escalating amounts of ignorance in our generation. Why does it seem that the lives of individuals growing up in the present are easier than those of the people that grew up way back when? The truth is that the teenagers of today have been brought up in an era where technology has essentially been working towards one common goal that is, to make things as simple as possible. Somewhere along the way to this conclusion came a bright person who, in the best hopes of the future, questioned why the only means of gaining any information was by making a trip to the library. However, without the innovation of the internet back then, there was no possibility of previewing the contents of a book without first

consulting an individual who had already read the book, often making it difficult to find relevant information for each topic of study. The innovation of the internet on the other hand, allows the students of today to skip over all unnecessary steps where one could easily and automatically use an internet search engine to find information, and with minimal hassle. Because accessing information has become so simple, the ability to post information has become equally as hassle-free, and can sometimes be used for purposes which are not educational. Inappropriate information, such as pornography or other pictures and information that are not intended for young people, can be easily sought and accessed. Often times, this substance is found unintentionally throughout the web within unavoidable pop-ups and advertisements. Moreover, while the internet has also provided students with the ability to find information easily, it has made the answers to homework and projects accessible as well. The internet can give students the ability to study and do well in school, but on the other hand, can also be a tempting resource by which they can be persuaded to plagiarize their assignments the copy-and-pasting method can be very tempting to a student in doubt. Even worse, the internet often turns out to be a too-easily accessed distraction, especially to any person who has trouble focusing on the tasksat-hand. The internet is the sole provider of too much information in an excessively easy way, which proves that it is detrimental to our civilization because it encourages our dependence on its existence.

While the internet itself is a relatively new technology, its invention has fuelled the development of many other forms of automated technology; however, one might question how the innovation of such automated technologies can be justified if they are also responsible for the losses of employment in our economy? During the general global economic crisis that exists today, the jobs of many people are being replaced by machines and robots, and the increasing amounts of research and development in this field prove that scientists are currently working to replace even more jobs. It seems that many companies are already embracing these ideas, where even the beloved McDonalds fast-food chain has been found to be researching an automated burger-cooking process that threatens to make patty flippers obsolete. (Glasner, 2. The employers responsible for replacing their workers believe that the substitution of robots can be justified because they work with more convenience and flexibility than human employees; in other words, they believe that the robots are easier to maintain as because of their lack of needs and requirements (lunch breaks, regular breaks, working conditions, etc.), and their ability to continuously work efficiently from beginning to end. Automated technology enthusiasts always fail to mention however, the proneness of machines to malfunction and breakdown without the use of human supervision. With the increasing amounts of automated technology, it would be lying to say that humans are taking charge, because it is a fact that the population of the technical devices already greatly outnumbers that of the human race. Because of the direct influence of the

internet in the development of automated technology, our economy is potentially at risk, where soon any work reserved for humans could soon be surrendered completely to the machines as a result of our ignorance and laziness. While the simplicity of the internet teaches students to use the resource to cheat their way through school, it also provides adults the ability to complete tasks within their homes because of the internets ability to provide such convenient services. Where everything from buying clothes and movies, to accessing credit accounts, or even staying in contact with old friends can be done in front of a laptop screen, the number of reasons to leave the house (let alone move from the computer room at all) gradually begins to decrease. The internet and the increasing means of automated technologies are responsible for the increasing amounts of laziness shown in people today, and are a cause at blame for the lack of commitment and initiative that citizens are willing to take within our society. Instead of going to the park with some friends or taking a walk for some fresh air with neighbours, it has been seen that many teenagers would rather stay in front of the computer, where all of the hassles of organizing when to hang out and figuring out how to get there disappear just as quickly as the individual can type. This contributes to the likelihood of obesity as it was seen that, approximately 15.3% of children (aged 611) and 15.5% of adolescents (aged 1219) were overweight in 2000. (Obesity) With the innovation of the internet, one might question whether there are reasons are there to go out

into public at all when the inconveniences of reality are eliminated by the internet? Still, even adults find themselves less willing to do various miscellaneous tasks, such as sending Christmas cards, and instead resort to using the internet to send impersonalized, uncreative e-cards because of the convenience. Adolescents are more prone to use the internet in their spare time to illegally download films and music for free. The praise of adults and teenagers alike now move to support the expediency of the internet and its lack of apparent flaws when using it. Nevertheless, day by day, the defects become increasingly obvious. However, the sad part is that even with the availability to access information, society remains relatively unconcerned about world issues, and it can be observed that young people have very limited knowledge about citizens outside their own country. People are more worried about their own lives, self-absorbed in their own existence, and are even less willing to learn about the rest of the globe than before the innovation of the internet. As a result of this, not only is the health of our society constantly deteriorating, but also the eagerness of our community to work determinedly and independently, and the tendency of people to remain unconcerned about the world around them. As the admiration for the internet continually increases, people are unaware of the fact that it is the sole cause of societys desire for an uncomplicated means of accessing information, the growing amounts of development in mechanical technology, and the tendency of people to remain uninformed and unworried about the rest of the world. While

numerous people have argued that the internet provides both an easier method of accessing data and a more globally linked population, the truth is that our common desire to make life as easy as possible has resulted in a devastatingly helpless society. While the main focus of people is to advertise the potentials of the internet in the now, they fail to realize the impending disasters that may occur in the future. The experience of the human race with the internet can be compared to that of an experience with; it has become almost impossible to live without it, because people are now addicted to it. Like an experience with marijuana, there is only a matter of time before the high will inevitably come crashing downhow will it be avoided? By properly educating people about the risks and direct effects of the internet, citizens will more easily understand the importance of the internet, and will be more encouraged to use it properly and more safely.