Negative & Positive Uses of the Internet
In 2007, rock band Radiohead released its album "In Rainbows" on the Internet, asking customers to pay whatever they thought the album was worth -- something that would have been virtually impossible before the age of online music distribution. Nevertheless, approximately 240,000 people chose to download the album illegally, according to Forbes.com. Many similar situations occur each day in the Internet age; while the Internet gives us greater access to information, people and media than ever before, some choose to use it for activities that are harmful or illegal.
Other People Are Reading
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Accessing Information
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There are more documents on the Internet than any one person could read in a lifetime. Before the Internet, the library was the best place to conduct research. Your local library could order books that it did not have in stock, but it might be weeks before you would receive the book. On the Internet, you can access content instantly. At no time in history have ordinary people had access to the volumes of information that anyone with a computer can access today. However, the negative side of this is that some of information that you find online may be false, because anyone may publish anything they like online. When conducting research, it is imperative to check all facts.
Meeting People
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Forums, social networks and chat rooms give us the ability to meet people from all over the world -- something that could previously only be accomplished through travel or finding pen pals. It is not uncommon for one person to have hundreds of online friends. Although you may not always meet your online friends in person, everyone that you communicate with can teach you or enrich your life in some way. The negative aspect of this is that some people use the Internet as a means to communicate for unsavory purposes such as cyber-bullying or preying on children.
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Discovering New Media
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Many artists, photographers, filmmakers, musicians and programmers release their work online for free in hopes that others will discover, use and enjoy what they have done. Before the Internet, a person would only have access to the media that was available locally in record stores, on television or on the radio. The negative aspect of this is that the Internet also gives us the ability to download copyright-protected works without paying for it, which damages artists and publishers.
Sending Data
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The Internet gives us the ability to send data anywhere at an extremely high rate of speed using technologies such as email, file transfers and instant messaging. Although fax machines facilitated quick document transfers before the Internet, a fax is still significantly slower than an IM or email. The negative aspect of this is that people sometimes feel pressured to remain available at all times in case employers or co-workers should need to contact them. This can make personal time feel less enjoyable.
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References
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