Writer: Mubashir Mushtaque

Internet Influence on Kids

We know that in earlier ages, there were no such technologies that attract the people so much
towards them. But as time passed, the world became more advanced day by day; as a result,
many new things came, which got the attention of the people, including even kids—for example,
the advanced gadgets and the facility of the internet. The elder ones know very well about these
things and also know that how to manage the time between doing the work and usage of the
internet, but in the case of young ones, it is something complicated. Just because the internet is
having all the information of the world, anyone can type a word, and a whole chart comes in
front of him/her to give the knowledge about that thing, the kids are too much depending on it
and falling prey to it.

The internet is now reachable to every home because it is a cheap facility. It exists all over the
world. Thus, it has both negative and positive sides—no doubt where there are so many
advantages, so disadvantages also exist at the same time.

Causes:

As we discussed above that the leading and most common cause which influences the kids most
is the accuracy of internet surfing, it provides accurate information about the thing which you
want. All the information is kept in one place, which gives ease to the internet surfers. It creates
a door for the kids to achieve their goals efficiently, which they couldn't have accomplished on
their own without the internet.

The second reason is, no parental control or looks after. Parents usually ignore their kids in the
matter of too much usage of the internet. This becomes a hobby of the kids, and they don't leave
it easily. The internet, therefore, gives the children a false sense of freedom, which can easily get
into someone's head and make them almost addicted to the internet. Its utmost convenience is
another reason why the internet can easily influence any kid.

Getting used to and continuing to use the internet is very simple and can be achieved without
proper or previous instruction. So, it also gives children a sense of self-competence, which
further increases their power.

Advantages:

There are many positive effects of the internet if it is used in a reasonable manner. Kids can
enhance their knowledge while going through different sites. Online libraries are also present so
that kids can quench their curiosity if in case they are having doubts about anything. Also, a
study shows that kids having internet facilities are more successful than the ones having no
internet facility.

Social media is also an excellent platform for the new generation to keep in touch with the
modern world, which is advancing so rapidly day by day. They can show their talent in front of
the whole world while sitting at their home through different social websites like YouTube,
Facebook, etc.

There are so many games present, including some of the unique activities which help a lot in
enhancing hand and eye coordination of a kid. Through multiplayer games, a kid can learn the
concept of teamwork. As a result, a kid is trained and becomes a creative minded and intelligent
person; also, his imagination power is improved at the same time.

Moreover, via the internet, children can lay down their numerous hands-on libraries of books,
magazines, television shows, and movies otherwise inaccessible for them. Through this, the
children's knowledge base is expanded further, indirectly.
Disadvantages:

We have discussed the advantages of the internet above in detail, but on the other hand, internet
usage also has some of the adverse effects on kids.

We can see that many of the young ones use the internet in a negative sense. It is understood that
through the internet, many of the cyberbullying cases are reported, which results in cyber
violence. Many tv shows and movies have also shown this whole process of cyberbullying that
how people do this and harm other person life by affecting them mentally and psychologically.

We can see how, in the past, the games have also been the reason to affect a kid's health, even
leading them to death. For example, dangerous games like 'Blue Whale," which was the reason
due to which many of the kids committed suicide. This shows the dark side of the internet.

It is also seen that hoe the kids waste their daily time while chatting with their friends every time.
No doubt that one should be in touch with his/her friends, but too much chatting and wasting the
whole day is not fair, so there will be no wrong if we can say that through excessive usage of the
internet, too much valuable time is wasted by the kids.

Every people give his/her update on social media, like what they are eating? What are they
dressing? Where they are living/ etc. this ting also leads a kid to think about that he/she is
inferior to others that may give him/her a great depression, sensation of loneliness, or disturbing
mentally.

The internet also spread vulgarity on which the new generation gets attached and becomes
addicted to it. Which undoubtedly produces many of the adverse effects on a child's body.

Conclusion:
No good thing in an unchecked excess is left good. It can be said the same for the internet too.
No matter how great a boon it may be to humankind as a whole, we cannot deny the harms it has
caused and will continue to do to humanity as well. But we can not blame the internet at all.

Because, if this situation is handled effectively by the help of parental control, the harmful
effects of the internet on kids will also be reduced. Kids should be taught about the usage of how
to use the internet by not relying on it entirely. This will surely help the kids to come out of the
adverse effects that influence the kids most.

Parents should maintain a careful balance on the kids, and they must ensure that their kid is using
social media type platforms for a beneficial purpose like exchanging the ideas in a healthy
manner.