INTERNET

Internet

Is a vast computer network linking smaller computer networks worldwide (usually preceded by the). The Internet includes commercial, educational, governmental, and other networks, all of which use the same set of communications protocols. While the uppercase form Internet is preferred in formal writing, the lowercase form internet is often used in informal writing such as text messages and in technology-related publications

Introduced in the 1960s, the Internet became widely accessible by the 1990s. Over the years, many Internet-related words entered mainstream usage, but given the pace of change, some terms gradually fell out of favor.

Negative Effects of the Internet

1. Children, young adults and even adults get addicted to games online

Online games can be addictive to children, young adults and even adults. This can rob away precious time which otherwise should have been used for something more productive

2. Pornography is rampant

Anybody can easily upload pornographic material for commercial purposes or just for fun. The young minds of children will be corrupted through their exposure to things which are reserved for adults. Many well-known personalities are also victimized by opportunistic and malicious people who want to discredit others using their personal encounters.

3. Loss of the human touch

People absorbed in their activities online tend to forget that there are real people in their surroundings who need their attention or have socialization needs. Social networking gives more importance to virtual friends than real ones.

4. Criminal elements use information to advance their malicious intents

Unsuspecting internet users can fall victim to criminal elements who meddle with their emails or do something nasty with their credit card information. Phishing or fooling other people into believing that criminal-owned websites are legitimate led to millions of money lost to misleading business transactions.

5. Abandonment of family

People become insensitive as they are absorbed by the hidden hand of the internet into its lair.

Considering that the effects of the internet to people can be both positive and negative, there is a need to manage this technology for man’s overall benefit. Of foremost concern is the need to make sure that internet security is well in place to prevent the negative effects of the internet to innocent people.

        By Shayo Issah