NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
The Internet has received a great deal of attention recently as consumers, analysts and even government officials see it as the coming way that Americans will not only do business, but also shop, communicate and receive entertainment. From a small, geographically dispersed group of users only a decade ago, the Internet has added millions of users in the past years. Internet users remain geographically dispersed, but their ranks are no longer limited to government employees or scholars. Like companies or organizations which experience such rapid growth, the growth of the Internet has not been without its difficulties. However, the Internet is not the creation of any one company or organization, but rather incorporates many different offerings from a broad variety of companies, groups, and individuals.
This paper will examine the Internet and focuses on the negative aspects of the Internet on both an individual and societal level, including increased isolation of individuals and increased economic costs to society. Included also is an evaluation of the supposed benefits of the Internet and whether those are benefits to society or whether these benefits may actually withhold negative effects. The Internet encompasses the World Wide Web (Web), file transfer protocol sites (FTPs), newsgroups (electronic bulletin boards) and gopher sites (often used for government sites and one of the first widely used ways of accessing the Internet) (Stoll 43). Taken as a whole, the "Internet" demonstrates the interconnectivity of computers, information services and electronic mail services.
From a single computer terminal or personal computer, individuals on the information superhighway are able to connect to a variety of other electronic resources for entertainment, information, or to conduct business; most of these connections take place over telephone lines (Allen 1). Today, most users do not consider connectivity costs which once prohibited heavy use of the Internet; such costs are typically instigated by companies or subsidized by the government through educational institutions (Stoll 19). Even in those situations where individuals pay for connecting to the Internet, there may be a flat-rate subsidized by advertising paid to the company providing the connection. The telephone system that connects the world was originally developed to enable people to talk with other people not in the same physical location. This service was offered by companies who saw the service as a way to generate revenue and make a profit. Facsimile machines made it possible for machines to communicate with machines, but the printed word was still the medium of choice.
The computer age also introduced the use of telephone lines to send bits of data, although voice and data generally traveled separately. Recently, fiber-optic technology has advanced to the point that it can now be economically implemented across wide geographic areas. More efficient at carrying the so-called "broadband" data that video images require, and more reliable for transmitting traditional data across phone lines, the proliferation of fiber-optic networks led to the merging of communications and computers (Allen 2). The potential to bring together large numbers of people through a single electronic connection has certainly captured the attention of business, which is one of the driving forces behind developing the Internet. Already, business has begun to reap the benefits of the so-called information superhighway through such technologies as electronic data interchange (EDI), bar coding, imaging and smart cards. These networks combine telecommunication facilities with electronic mail, and offer 24 hour a day service to worldwide participants.
There is generally a high degrees of fault tolerance within these networks, which may offer nonstop configuration of software along with low maintenance, as well (L isanti 13). Federal Express has one of the most extensive customer service sites on the World Wide Web. From the home page, users can choose to track packages anywhere in the world, find a local drop off point (and the last time for pickup) or download free software from FedEx designed to help their customers (and prospective customers) use FedEx now and in the future. The site uses bold graphics to guide users through actions with easily recognizable icons, and reinforces the image of the company as a state-of-the-art organization which is interested not only in getting packages delivered to their destinations on time, but also as a company which is dedicated to help its customers succeed ("Virtual Shopping" 31). The company's decision to offer free software and on-line package tracking may, at first, seem ironic since FedEx could certainly charge for these services.
However, the company already operates a toll-free information line which customers can call to track packages; the Internet merely offers customers another way to obtain the same information. In fact, FedEx may well be saving money because it may be able to hire fewer phone operators since customers can access the Internet and the appropriate FedEx database 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and have their questions answered without human intervention ("Virtual Shopping" 31). Certainly this downsizing has a negative effect on the former FedEx employees no longer needed because of the highly effective Web site. FedEx is an interesting company to consider when examining the use of the Internet because it is a company which has developed (some say created) demand for overnight delivery services.
FedEx built its business by convincing consumers (mainly business consumers) that it was no longer efficient to send a letter which might take a week to travel across the country. Instead, according to FedEx, there are certain documents which "absolutely, positively" have to be at their destination overnight ("Virtual Shopping" 31). Having helped to create this need, FedEx then found itself competing against facsimile machines, which decreased the amount of time to send a document from overnight to a few minutes. E-mail, Us egroups and the Web now make it possible to send documents (ideally) within a few seconds. FedEx continues to have a strong overnight delivery service, for bulkier documents, parcels and when originals have to be sent, but certainly the Internet poses a serious threat to its long-term success. However, FedEx takes full advantage of the new technology by enabling customers to check on the progress of any delivery at any hour of the day or night.
Negative Aspects at the Individual Level Negative aspects of the Internet appear at both the personal and the societal level. At the personal level, these negative impacts include loss of privacy, psychological dependence and increased isolation. The issue of confidentiality is perhaps the greatest issue with regard to the information superhighway. Since the Internet and its electronic mail access is one of the most commonly used features of the information superhighway, it is one area which receives a great deal of attention.
Ironically, one of the nation's premier on-line services, Prodigy, requires new employees to sign a waiver indicating that they recognize that Internet access is provided for business purposes only, and that mail messages may be read by other individuals within the organization (Gonzalez 152). In fact, many users of electronic mail assume that the mail messages are private, just as mail delivered by the United States Postal Service is private. However, American courts have ruled that employers can regularly screen electronic mail messages, and that information contained in those messages is not private and can be used as the basis for a variety of lawsuits (Martinez 74). Privacy issues extend well beyond companies reading employees' e-mail. Through the use of "cookies, " or pieces of software which are attached to machines, on-lines services and others can track who visits which Web sites.
Some companies require visitors to register on the site before they are permitted access; this information is used for direct marketing later on. It is possible for companies to track what types of marketing preferences a particular consumer has based on their Web visits and also the purchases made at particular sites (Rothschild 28). Internet addiction has gained media attention as the Internet itself has gained widespread acceptance in the United States. The problem is compared to alcoholism and gambling addiction in terms of the cost to individuals and their families, and even to employers as their employees "surf" the net on company time. While evidence is largely anecdotal, there is increased focus and some serious study being done to determine the level of psychological dependence which can develop among some Internet users (Stephen 26). While the issue of Internet addiction is a somewhat controversial one and an issue which has not yet been fully examined, there is increasing evidence that even casual Internet use can lead to increased isolation among users (Greene 78).
The paradox is that while the Internet provides connectivity to the world, that connectivity results in a lack of personal contact. Individuals who communicate through e-mail do so through the isolation of the computer, focused on typing (or speaking) their messages into a computer keyboard or terminal. The Internet is also an anonymous medium (although this is starting to change) so that a 50 -year old white male can take on the character of a 22? year old black female for one chat or e-mail session, then a completely different character for another.
His correspondents, on the other hand, have no real indication of the person with whom they are communicating. Body language and other visual clues are also lost on the Internet, as are speech intonation and additional clues which offer hints in non? Internet social interaction. Current estimates put the number American Internet connections at more than 116 million by 2002 (that includes multiple connections for one individual, such as those who have access both at home and at work). Researchers estimate that five to ten percent of these are at? risk for Internet addiction (Greene 78).
The issue of Internet addiction is controversial, with some research projects supporting the concept while other analysts consider Internet addiction to be overblown. What is generally accepted is that there are individuals who have difficulty disconnecting their on-line connection and who are willing to sacrifice their financial well-being, their personal relationships and their jobs in order to communicate on? line. Internet addiction is characterized by individuals spending more time on-line than they want to (by their admission), and allowing their work (scholastic or professional) to suffer. Students have been known to become addicted to multi-user dimension (MUD) games to the point that they are unwilling (or unable, according to addiction advocates) to disconnect from the computer. Employees have been fired from their jobs after spending too much time on the Internet for non?
job? related purposes; in at least one case, an employee was fired after approaching the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for help with her Internet addiction (the EAP did not recognize Internet addiction as a "real" disorder). The anonymity and lack of consequence associated with social interaction on the Internet makes it an attractive medium for individuals who have difficulty expressing themselves in personal relationships of a traditional nature. The anonymity allowed by the Internet allows individuals to assume different identities and play-act in newsgroups or in e-mail.
This is a difficult basis on which to form meaningful relationships. Even when users do not misrepresent their personal histories (such as gender or age), the Internet makes it possible to "say" things to someone else without worrying about social niceties. Through Usenet and e-mail, one individual can "flame" another (issue a vitriolic statement) and never read any of the responses. Certainly this is not the case in a face-to-face conversation (Dries 20). Negative Aspects at the Societal Level At the societal level, there are considerable negative impacts associated with the Internet. Although the Internet is promoted as a way to extend democracy to the disenfranchised world, there is evidence that it instead will work to extend the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots. ' Employees who lack technical skills will be laid off in favor of those who have the requisite education, increasing the number of marginally?
employed individuals. Misinformation will become more accessible and harder to distinguish as biased or simply inaccurate because it will have the issues of legitimate sources. The government, working in the "best interests" of children and citizens, will try to control the Internet and will most likely succeed only in eroding even more individual rights. Although the Internet is sometimes cited as the great equalizer and the backbone of true democracy, the reality is that access to the Internet is still remarkably limited. The total number of users on-line in the United States is estimated at 50 million (both at home and at their business). While that is an impressive number, it still represents far fewer than have televisions or telephones, and access tends to be along class lines.
Some Americans h...
Free research essays on topics related to: psychological dependence, negative impacts, fiber optic, negative aspects, internet addiction
Research essay sample on Psychological Dependence Fiber Optic
