The Internet is a global network system that has dramatically transformed trade and communication. The network of networks, the Internet connects computer systems across the globe, enabling them (and thus, their users) to interact efficiently. Although its popularity rose gradually, about half of the world’s population is now an Internet user, utilizing the Internet in everyday life.
The Internet pervades our daily lives, from reserving plane tickets to purchasing a pair of socks. And without it, the rise of some of the world’s largest corporations, such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon, would have been inconceivable.
However, as the saying goes, “With each blessing comes a curse”. And the Internet is the same. It has simplified our lives, yet whether intentionally or not, we have all turned into its slaves.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet
Advantages Disadvantages
1.Global connections through virtual communications 1 Loss of personal information
2.E-commerce 2 Spread of fake news
3.Online Education 3.Internet addiction and time wastage
4.Abundance of information 4.Physical and mental health issues
Advantages of Internet
1. Virtual Interview Calls
Consider the following scenario: you’re sitting in your home in a rural section of Kerala and you’re scheduled for a face-to-face interview in Ontario, Canada. Meanwhile, you contact the support staff to request an alternate type of communication for the interview calls, as you don’t have a passport to travel abroad. The support staff sends you an email informing you that they provide the facility of video conferencing. That’s all, you’re now allowed to proceed with the interview.
Though Skype, Google Meet, Cisco WebEx, and others deserve acknowledgment, everything began with the first spark for the advancement of ingenious efficient tools since the development of internet innovation. Yet, that doesn’t mean you don’t apply for a passport!
2. A Global Connector
The development of social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and other communication forums has paved the way for creating a global social network where anyone may reach out to resolve their concerns and remain associated with family groups and friends. Spending time with individuals they love is presently not reliant upon their physical proximity.
3. Online Services and Internet business
With the assistance of the internet, we can browse the whole inventory of any online store from the solace of our homes and reap the benefits of online shopping. Additionally, small businesses and individuals use the Internet to expand their reach into the worldwide market. Artists, craftspeople, and others living in remote places can now sell their pieces of art in the global market via the Internet. Not just has the internet proved to be a help for online shoppers, yet you can also access online services. Online booking is available for most essential services, because of which activities like booking a cab, ordering meals, or contacting a mechanic have gotten significantly easier.
4. Online Education
Have you at any point considered studying at prestigious universities such as MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, IIT, NIT, MIT (Madras Institute of Innovation), IISc, or IIM yet were unable to pursue the open door? Our best pal “The Internet” has enabled these prestigious universities to provide address lessons to other undergrads via YouTube (for example MIT courseware, CS50, and so forth ), NPTEL.
In today’s aggressive world, relying solely on traditional education may leave you lacking the critical abilities to contend with your peers. The Internet has enabled us to acquire new skills through online courses from industry professionals, as well as gather a wealth of knowledge about various technologies, recent developments, sports, art, and culture. The greatest way to illustrate the internet’s advantage is to imagine that you’re reading about the internet via the internet.
5. A Blessing In Disguise: Internet in Coronavirus
Coronavirus shattered the lives and prosperity of most individuals and reinforced geographical barriers. The Internet was a blessing in disguise, enabling individuals seeking help to find the right resources. Additionally, by posting videos on YouTube (on topics ranging from cooking to handicrafts to online business to art creation), Instagram, and LinkedIn, individuals had the option to discover their actual potential and use it to make a distinction in their communities.
6. Abundant Information
The Internet is brimming with essential information, be it on financial matters, government legislation and service, market information and monetary affairs, technological information, educational and academic issues, and groundbreaking ideas. It includes a great many topics, from scientific publications to topics geared toward kids.
Disadvantages of Internet
1. Loss of Personal Information
While using social networking websites or online banking services, consumers enter their personal information including email addresses, bank account numbers, Visa details, and phone numbers. This information can be easily accessed by a software master or a hacker, resulting in privacy exposure or even fraud. Viruses are designed by hackers to infiltrate computer systems and wreak havoc, further leading to privacy concerns. Online frauds have become increasingly normal lately, and it’s imperative to keep a beware of what we share on the world wide web.
2. Internet Addiction
Presumably the internet has made individuals its slave, reducing offline social abilities. This has prompted an adverse impact on individuals’ mental health. Elders and youngsters alike have been impacted. Cell phone apps like YouTube allow kids as youthful as two to see online videos. They are spending additional time before a computer screen, which has stifled their cerebral turn of events.
3. Time Wastage
On the Internet, forgetting about time is easy. Surfing could take much longer than you think, and you may not know it. This also leads to an increase in screen time, which has a negative impact on our memory, especially in youngsters. We aren’t using our brains as much as we used to because of the rise of the Internet. At the point when we were more youthful, we used to recollect phone numbers, addresses, and PINs in our heads, as well as perform simple math without the aid of our phones. However, we increasingly depend on the Internet for everything.
4. Obesity and Other Health Issues
Excessive consumption of the internet promotes a sedentary lifestyle, which in turn can lead to weight gain. Being constantly on the Internet, playing games, using streaming services, or social networking can lead to an unhealthy physique – like unfortunate eyesight, excessive weight gain, and so forth. In certain cases, the constant use of the internet and/or its misuse also increased mental health issues in teenagers and youthful adults.
5. Fake News
The spread of fake news is one of the biggest disadvantages of the internet. Since there are restricted to no controls in place on a communication gathering, website, or social media platform, fake news often goes viral – risking the prosperity of whole communities.
Coclusions
Each existing material has its own pros and cons, and so does the internet. Especially with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, the internet has made things past imagination come to reality. While it’s important to understand its significance in our lives, using it wisely is also essential. Our lives may be transformed assuming we use it accurately, yet on the off chance that we misuse it, it tends to be disastrous.
