Essay Sample on Impact of Internet Technology on People

Introduction

Technology is a double-edged weapon in modern society, which can be used differently for both advantageous and evil ways (Richtel). It is undeniable that the changes in the world are linked to technological advancement, particularly with the rise of the internet. According to Johnstone, technology has evolved to become deeply rooted in the society where the conveniences of the internet are no longer a luxury but a necessity. The technological breakthroughs regarding mobile internet devices have provided enormous convenience to people when communicating with each other. However, according to Dennis-Tiwary, smartphones have destroyed millennials and led to increased cases of teenage suicide and anxiety in the United States. In my opinion, while the internet has brought convenience to our lives, it has also caused many problems along with its high rates of usage. Therefore, this easy will aim at evaluating the various impacts of internet technology on people ranging from its contribution to radicalization, impacts on personal relationships, health effects and security issues while also analyzing advantages such as those of efficiency in reading and shopping on the users.

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According to Alan Greenblatt's article Impact of the Internet on Thinking, the issue of whether internet (World Wide Web) is altering how people think and their perception about the world, in general, is discussed. Greenblatt states that the internet is evolving into a broader web which is the only source of all aspects of life today. Besides, the article discusses the issue and illustrates how handheld devices such as smartphones, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have become a significant part of people's daily life. As a result, Greenblatt endorses the view that the internet has not only shortened our attention span but worsened the attention span of many people.

In addition to the internet, smartphones and computers have had a negative impact on people, especially the younger generation. This is because high rates of internet usage have been linked to depression, anxiety, and suicidal impulses an issue that prompted Apple to introduce a new software aimed at restricting the time users spent on their electronic devices (Dennis-Tiwary). The move was welcomed by most parents who were concerned about their teenagers' addition to their mobile screens (Dennis-Tiwary). As a result of the excessive use of smartphones, such teenagers suffered depression and anxiety due to the many things they were exposed to on the internet which lead to a public mental health problem. However, smartphones and the internet do not necessarily lead to such disorders as some teenagers have coped with anxiety by use of smartphones and the internet to escape into a world that makes sense. The outcome from the use of the internet becomes more harmful because of the addictive nature of digital media that people have adopted (Dennis-Tiwary). Further, internet technology is capable of affecting personal relationships negatively by leading to severe miscommunications as well as unhappiness (Przybylski and Weinstein 238). This is because most people spend most of their time browsing the web instead to conversing with other people who they are with. As a result, the other partners feels neglected and ignored which result to unhappiness and thus affects the personal relationships shared among people (Dennis-Tiwary). Therefore, it is evident that excessive use of the internet through smartphones and computers can lead to mental health problems as well as affect how people and especially the younger generation co-exist.

Moreover, the internet has created an opportunity for the spread of radicalization and hate speech due to the anonymity and privacy offered by the various social media platforms (Bruni). This is because wrongful use of the internet spreads enmity and terrorism beliefs since people can easily access all manner of information which leads to misinformation. For instance, Bruni notes that Dylan Roof used the internet to research on white supremacy and ended up using his evil mentality to promote violence by fatally shooting nine black parishioners in Charleston, S.C in June 2015. Likewise, in Bruni's example, Robert Bowers used Gab, a social media site, to foster his anti-Semitic, xenophobic and racist attitude which led to him murdering eleven American Jews. These two examples depict how people misuse the freedom of speech and expression on the web by spreading hate and negative energy. As a result, hateful information spreading online anonymously can result in crimes or even death in real life thus showing how overusing internet has affected the way people relate, interact and treat others in real life.

Lastly, too much information on the internet could cause security problems within society. Greenblatt points out that the internet contains an infinite supply of information and knowledge that enables users to learn virtually anything that interests them. Through the use of search engines such as Google, Baidu, and Yahoo users are directed to tons of web pages that contain informative materials that could be easily misused (Greenblatt). However, such information can be advantageous since the rise of online databases has begun to replace traditional library buildings because it is cheap and straightforwardness to purchase or rent books as well as read them online. On the other hand, online shopping and e-commerce, in general, have boomed and shoppers can now make purchases from the comfort of their homes using their computers and smartphones and have those products shipped to their homes directly. Unfortunately, for every positive impact of the internet, there is a downside in our daily lives. For instance, the use of email to communicate has put users at risk of being attacked by cybercriminals who use spam and malware to breach the users' privacy and security. Additionally, online shoppers are also at the risk of identity theft because hackers with malicious intentions could steal their data and use it elsewhere without their consent (Johnstone). Therefore, although the internet has improved life, internet technology is vulnerable to cause attacks to people irrespective of the security features installed on their devices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the internet can enrich human lives by fostering better connectivity among people, access to knowledge, and entertainment. However, instead of enhancing human life, internet technology has further evolved to be a destructive force that has brought harm to the same people by causing mental health issues, the spread of hate, and creation of security problems. As a result, the adverse effects of technology overwhelmingly outweigh the positive ones in modern society, since internet technology has resulted in adverse problems ranging from radicalization to causing mental health issues among young people. Therefore, internet usage should be limited to specific age groups and time of usage, as well as people, learn how to reap the benefits from the technology while avoiding being controlled by the internet to the extent of suffering from the various adverse effects that accompany it.

Works Cited

Bruni, Frank. "Opinion | The Internet Will Be the Death of Us." Breaking News, World News & Multimedia - The New York Times, 2 Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/10/30/opinion/internet-violence-hate-prejudice.html.

Dennis-Tiwary, Tracy A. "Opinion | Taking Away the Phones Won't Solve Our Teenagers? Problems." Breaking News, World News & Multimedia - The New York Times, 17 July 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/07/14/opinion/sunday/smartphone-addiction-teenagers-stress.html?module=inline.

Greenblatt, Alan. "Impact of the Internet on Thinking." CQ Researcher by CQ Press, 24 Sept. 2010, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2010092400.

Johnstone, Doug. "How is the Internet Changing the Way You Think? Edited by John Brockman." The Independent, 11 Feb. 2012, www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/how-is-the-internet-changing-the-way-you-think-edited-by-john-brockman-6774178.html.

Przybylski, Andrew K., and Netta Weinstein. "Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality." Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, vol. 30, no. 3, 2013, pp. 237-246.

Richtel, Matt. "Does Technology Affect Happiness?" Bits Blog, 25 Jan. 2012, bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/does-technology-affect-happiness/.