Running head: WHAT SOCIAL ISSUES HAS THE INTERNET CREATED?

What Social Issues has the Internet Created?

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What social issues has the Internet created?

The Internet is a broad network of interlinked computers that can transfer communication

signals at the speed of light. The computers involved in the internet web connect through data

cables that stretch thousands of miles across the globe. People can access the Internet using

internet-enabled devices such as smartphones, laptops, and desktop computers. Presently, the

world has approximately 4.72 billion internet users. Advances in technology have given rise to

affordable internet-enabled devices over the past few years (Tyler, 2002). As such, most people

across the globe connect to the Internet for different reasons daily. Using the Internet leads to

good and bad effects. Today, societies experience internet-related social issues such as privacy

breaches, cyberbullying, weakening of family bonds, declined moral values, and increased terror

activities (Anderson, 2001).

According to Tyler (2002), computer hacking is currently on the rise, which puts personal

details at a greater risk. Cybercriminals can breach the security of personal computers through

the Internet and steal user's details. The stolen information is most times used for illegal

activities. Moreover, cyberbullying is a rampant vice in most societies today. User's get

victimized by evil internet criminals when they go online (Tyler, 2002).

As more people gain access to mobile internet devices, family members no longer spend

time together for social interactions such as watching television and visiting cinema halls. People

can individually access the news and entertainment they desire using their smart devices (Tyler,

2002). Therefore, family bonds are weaker today than they were before the invention of the

Internet. Additionally, some websites contain sexually explicit materials that damage the morals

of young people. The Internet also serves as a fertile tool that terror organizations use to recruit

new members and coordinate attacks. Therefore, the Internet makes society unsafe when used for
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terror activities. Radical content is also spread to innocent people through the Internet (Kraut et

al., 2002).

The social issues related to the Internet are presented above, including the breach of

privacy, cyberbullying, weakening of family bonds, declined moral values, and increased terror

activities. To reduce the negative effects of the Internet, people need to use internet security

software. Parents should also monitor the sites their children visit at all times.
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References

Anderson, K. J. (2001). Internet use among college students: An exploratory study. Journal of

American College Health, 50(1), 21-26.

Kraut, R., Kiesler, S., Boneva, B., Cummings, J., Helgeson, V., & Crawford, A. (2002). Internet

paradox revisited. Journal of social issues, 58(1), 49-74.

Tyler, T. R. (2002). Is the Internet changing social life? It seems the more things change, the

more they stay the same. Journal of social issues, 58(1), 195-205.