The Effect Of the Internet

THE EFFECT OF THE INTERNET ON SOCIETY

People are now relying far to much on online communications to speak with one another and face-to-face conversations are becoming a thing of the past

Due to lack of real conversation between people compared to the past the younger genertion now on average find it harder when applying for a job or making friends.

Several studies completed in Catalonia displayed the social effects of the Internet. "The Internet is an extension of life," says Castells. Fifty percent of the subjects were adult Internet users, and fifty percent were non-users. The study compared the effects of Internet use on people's lives. The study drew the conclusion that people would not change their lives to use the Internet. Rather, they would include it for work, study, social needs, shopping, music, etc. Those under the age of 30 were found to be multi-taskers - juggling Internet use with activities such as cell phone use, music, and television. "The Internet does not isolate users, nor does it depress or alienate," according to Castells. "The more you use the Internet, the more social you are offline. The Internet adds, rather than subtracts, sociability."

SUPER FUN FACT Online computer use is widespread and growing. Current estimates indicate that 149 million people are online worldwide, and that number is increasing at the rate of 12% a month

In 1998, Kraut et al. showed a correlation between Internet use and declines in social relationships and isolation, Greater use of the Internet was also associated with small, but statistically significant declines in social involvement as measured by communication with the family and the size of people’s local social networks, and with increases in loneliness, a psychological state associated with social involvement.