Using the internet has advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, you have more knowledge than at any other time in history. On the other hand, there are sites that are violent or contain dangerous content and, in addition, people can be anonymous, which allows them to generate even more violence. In this article, I will detail a list of the most important advantages and disadvantages.
The Internet has perhaps been the most remarkable novelty in the field of communication in human history. If you’re one of those who spend hours and hours in front of a screen, you’ve certainly wondered what the advantages or disadvantages that revolve around its use might be.
The Internet has connected the world, it allows us to entertain, it has generated business and benefits for all, you can buy, inform and even find a partner. But it also has negative aspects that need to be taken into account.
Advantages of the Internet
1. Provide immediate information
One of the incredible uses that the internet offers us is the ease with which, through different search engines, we can access any information we want in a matter of seconds.
To read any news that interests us or find information on any relevant topic we need in any language or device and from anywhere in the world.
2. Generalize the content
This quick access to information and always available to all people who have access to the Internet resulted in a generalization of the content. That is, all information can be disseminated quickly, allowing awareness campaigns, among others.
3. Remove barriers and space
And who doesn’t study distance nowadays? Another of the incredible benefits that the Internet has brought is the increase and improvement of education. A few years ago, we had to attend classes if we wanted to study, for example, at the university.
This is not necessary today, because if a person does not have time to go to classes, he can study at home, adapting to the schedule that suits him best. On the other hand, you can also follow the face-to-face classes in real time if you wish.
4. Facilitates access to learning
Building on the previous point, the Internet has also facilitated our learning through the countless pages and educational resources it comprises. We can find everything we want and the field we need.
Therefore, nowadays, education systems are mainly using these benefits to support the teaching of their students and thus increase their motivation to learn the content.
On the other hand, platforms such as Wikipedia, Coursera, Babbel and Teachertube have been opened, among others, dedicated to transmitting knowledge to people of all ages.
5. Allows you to work online
As it removed barriers and space, it also changed the way we work, because it is no longer necessary to be next to our partner to carry out a project together.
This can be located anywhere in the world without causing any problems as we can work online with the same document or contact each other via instant messaging.
6. Increase communication
It positively increases communication with people who are related to us, both personally and professionally, as it allows us to maintain relationships with them through social networks, chats, forums, among other modalities.
Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin, among others, have become the main means we have today to communicate with other people or even to promote ourselves professionally around the world.
On the other hand, it also allows us to create communities of interest to share the knowledge we have about a specific field with other people.
7. Allows globalization
It also allowed us, taking all of the above into account, to explore other cultures and ideologies that might otherwise be impossible. Likewise, sharing knowledge and thoughts on global issues that affect us is also a near reality possible thanks to the Internet.
8. Offers other forms of entertainment
With the arrival of the internet in our lives, another way to spend time and have fun alone or in the company of other people was born. Just by having access to it, we can find countless free and paid games and platforms to have fun in our free time.
On the other hand, if what we want is to know the lives of our favorite famous people, we can also do it with just a click of the mouse and through digital magazines or news from the heart.
9. Create new jobs and research methods
This not only allows us to get in touch with our friends, but also to search and apply for job offers in existing communities and portals. As we all know, there are chats and social networks that help us find jobs.
In addition, with the arrival of the Internet, new jobs have been created that did not previously exist related to the virtual world and the network, a clear example we have on platforms such as Amazon, Ebay, Alibaba … Companies dedicated to online sales and purchases.
Derived from the complete boom of the above, it was necessary to train content that did not exist before so that people can carry out these new jobs related to new technologies.
10. New way to manage
Internet has also revolutionized the concept of shopping. We no longer need to go to the stores we like to shop at, they are all just a mouse click away. It has also changed the way we access movie ticket purchases or make our banking and travel arrangements.
Disadvantages of the Internet
11. Information privacy issues
If the appropriate measures are not taken, our personal information may suffer threats and be used by other people for not very suitable purposes, whether for cyberbullying, sexting, grooming…
We are all in danger if we are not aware that a person can use them for criminal purposes or even to supplant our identity.
12. Little veracity of the content
Due to the large amount of information existing on the internet, we may think that everything is adequate and true. However, this is not the case, so we need to know how to identify the prestigious pages or portals in order to separate the real information from the ones that are not.
There are also other recommended and reliable blogs or pages, a simple look at the page will help us to know.
13. Threats like viruses or spam
If the indicated protection programs are not used while browsing the Internet, we can infect our device or laptop. On the other hand, this also does not protect us and prevents us from being infected by a virus.
We have to learn to avoid visiting pages that are not completely safe. It can also be uncomfortable for a person who wants to visit a web portal to encounter unwanted advertising that causes slower browsing.
On the other hand, we may also get spam in our emails which are useless and clog up the computer system.
14. Create addiction
With the advent of the internet, new disorders such as cyberdidiction have developed. People who make excessive use of it that has a negative impact on their lives, causing a high degree of addiction and dependency.
Not only can you create it in those people who use it in an exaggerated way, but it can also have other consequences in its users, such as depression and other addictions such as gaming addiction, cyber diseases …
15. Encourages sedentary lifestyle
Many young people spend most of their time sitting in front of a laptop, playing with it, instead of playing sports or playing with friends on the street or in the park.
This has also triggered high rates of obesity, especially in the young population, who often spend more time in front of laptops.
16. Family communication worsens
The Internet has had a negative impact on the family, as there is currently less communication between its members due to excessive use of the devices that incorporate it.
17. Exposure to unwanted content
Another disadvantage that ordinary Internet users may encounter while browsing is exposure to inappropriate content and even pornography.
For children who use a laptop from an early age, there are parental control programs and recommendations. Although this is a little difficult to control because you look for the information you are looking for, you can easily and unintentionally find this prohibited content.
18. Problems distinguishing the real from the unreal
A very serious problem for many minors and regular internet users is the lack of ability to differentiate between the real and the virtual world. On some occasions, the virtual world, due to the incredible benefits it brings us, can become even more attractive than the real one.
In summary
As we could see earlier, the Internet is here to stay and occupy such a place in our lives that we cannot understand our society without it or without the devices that incorporate it.
This has changed the way we have to communicate with other people, find work, share information, make friends … Without the Internet, we are out of society, because now everything moves through the network to such an extent that if you don’t have a cell phone You are part of this world. All this use has advantages and disadvantages, and we need to be aware of all of them every time we are using it.
