The Net’s Impact on Society

Catherine

Persuasive Writing – BU Summer Challenge
August 4, 2011

The Net’s Impact on Society

On the Net today a vast amount of the available information is accessible to everyone. The internet allows people to view materials unobtainable before the Net. With the ability to reach materials on the internet, has the information damaged the morals and mannerism of users? Although the internet possesses websites that potentially improve intelligence, many internet users choose to participate in illegal and immoral activities. Despite the positive influences of the Net and the potential it possesses to benefit users, it gives users the ability to indulge their inappropriate or illegal whims. Thus making the Net damaging for society. Although the internet possesses good materials and information, the widespread participation on the inappropriate websites has damaged the morals of the generation which grew up using the Net.

Due to the educational information present on the Net, people are able to access websites that allow them to gather positively influential material. Since people have the power to reach data that helps eliminate ignorance, one could infer that the internet makes those which use it brighter. Furthermore, with possible the connections between different countries around the world, Net users may acquire an increased global awareness. Through the news outlets online, such as The New York Times, CNN, and MSNBC, learning about global current events is effortless for internet users. Increasing global awareness and perspective among the youth as well as other Net users creates a smarter population, which suggests a more precocious and aware population. These attributes could aid the world by solving more issues through understanding problems and means necessary to prevent them; making the world a better place.

Information databases permit users to easily access research, increasing the amount of material people can augment their intelligence with. The Encyclopedia Britannica and The Oxford English Dictionary both place their information online, allowing web users to quickly and efficiently gain facts and research on the Net. This makes the process of researching and data gathering on websites a less complicated task then flipping through different volumes of research books. With the aid of search engines such as Google and Yahoo, research is further simplified because they provide lists of websites that contain facts and materials on various topics.

Through the use of online study websites, Net users are able to prepare for tests or complete word efficiently with these alternative studying methods. For example Quizlet, an online study program, permits users to create note cards and generates tests or study games with the material imputed. In addition another study program, Vitamin R allots people specific amounts of time to complete different activities or assignments simplifying time managements for the users. With these different sites on the Net which provide people with the means to better their education and increase their intelligence it would seem as though the generation that grew up the innovations of the internet would be less ignorant, more informed and more efficient.

While the Net enables users to improve their intellect, it also provides morally degrading and illegal activities which many users frequently indulge in. Online pornography, downloadable music, and assignments on the Net provide access to a various activities that would not have been easily reachable without the internet. People, specifically teenagers, often go online to websites like Chat Roulete where users are connected with strangers and participate in pornography and other vulgar behaviors. Without the means of the internet occurrences and actions such as this would be impossible. Large amounts of pornography available on the Net makes viewing this material easier and almost normal. Every second 28,258 people watch pornography on the internet, which proves that the pornography industry on the Net is in fact popular and thriving. Also each second 372 users enter topics related to adult material into search engines. These statistics illustrates the presence of the adult entertainment industry on the internet. Breaking the age barrier of who can view the adult material like online pornography allows young people to participate in an activity once considered unsuitable for their age; however is now possible and common.

In addition to viewing online pornography web users can also plagiarize by buying essays, homework assignments, or simply steal the work of another. Due to all the research and articles on the net plagiarizing has become a common occurrence in high schools since often times the assignment one craves is merely a few clicks rather than hours of work away. Statistics regarding plagiarism from (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/detecting-plagiarism-on-the-internet.html) reveal that the prevalence of this problem since around 54% of high school students admit plagiarizing material found on the Net (Charlie S). This disregard for stealing ones ideas and work illustrates a change in the morals of society because more than half of student in high school participate and thus find it acceptable to cheat this way. Illegally downloading or stealing music or other forms of entertainment from the Net goes hand in hand with the problem of plagiarizing from the Net. The widespread practice of these activities has become more common and almost acceptable for society to download and steal materials online. An estimation from The Recording Association of America, RIAA, states that merely 37% of music that US consumers acquire has been paid for (http://www.riaa.com/faq.php). These actions have become more common and the corruption of youth behaviors and morals seems to stem from the inappropriate activities such as these that they engage in on the Net. Harming the entertainment industry and damaging their ability to gain profits for their products and potentially hurts the economy and the industry’s ability to expand.

The Net provides society with the means to either improve their intelligence or to degrade and ignore their morals. Despite the fact that people can use the resources at their finger tips on the internet to watch the news or read articles regarding current world events, more often than not people elect to watch pornography or download entertainment material illegally. Inappropriate materials on the Net, which were once restricted to only adults, are now accessible to younger people and children allowing them to mature faster and corroding their morals or hesitation regarding the indulgence such impulses. While the internet can probably benefit society and help increase intelligence its impact on the morals and behavior of the youth using it illustrates that it can do more bad then good regarding the behavioral choices of the users.

My points here should be interesting for anyone who feels as though the activities that they participate in on the internet have had an impact on their morals or their intelligence. However, beyond this limited audience my points speak to anyone who cares about larger issues of internet and the activities of those that use it in manners that may be considered inappropriate. In addition to anyone that finds interest in the impact that the percent of the population damaged by the Net may have on the rest of the world as well as the future.

Work Cited

Bissette, David C. "Internet Pornography Statistics: 2003 ." Healthy Mind . N.p., 2004. Web. .

"For Students Doing Reports." RIAA - Recording Industry Association of America . RIAA - The Recording Industry Association of Ame, 2011. Web. .

Ropelato, Jerry. "Internet Pornography Statistics." Internet Filter Software Review . Net Nanny, n.d. Web. .

S, Charlie. "Detecting Plagiarism on the Internet." Buzzle.com . Google, n.d. Web. .