Invention of Internet has done more harm than good- change my mind?

12gauge dave

Would like to hear peoples opinions on this.

yerwanthere123

The internet has been a fantastic, life changing resource. It's social media that's the problem.

Leg End Reject

If anyone could be bothered to change your mind they'd need to know why you hold that opinion in the first place.

It's amusing that you're asking online though. :pac:

mr_fegelien

I don't think it has.

The internet empowers people. It makes smart people smarter and people who are already dumb, dumber.

biko

What's your own opinion OP?
What makes you think it's bad/good?

Notmything

Well it's given you the opportunity to ask your question.

dan1895

Leg End Reject wrote: »

If anyone could be bothered to change your mind they'd need to know why you hold that opinion in the first place.

It's amusing that you're asking online though. :pac:

Reminds me of this

Tell me how

The internet has facilitated vastly faster and greater amounts of; knowledge generation, knowledge sharing, collaboration, support, entertainment, awareness on virtually every activity which humans partake in worldwide.

It has also facilitated illegal activity, abuse, fraud, bullying on many occasions. But, virtually everyone who uses or has used the internet experiences some or all of the first list most of the time, while some experienced the latter some of the time and therefore I think it has done more good than harm.

That being said, one incident of the latter can be much more impactful than 100's of the former and so continuous efforts should go in to trying to find ways to ensure that these do not happen or that people are educated from a young age so that if they experience them, they know how to deal with them in a way which is best advised for their health and safety.

Signore Fancy Pants

If it wasnt for the internet, the porno bush would still be a thing.

I can't find it now, but I saw a quote once along the lines of..(I'm definitely paraphrasing..)

The internet promised to bring us all knowledge, all it's done is given voice to the stupid..

Seems pretty accurate..

McGinniesta

pornhub.

ShatterAlan

12gauge dave wrote: »

Would like to hear peoples opinions on this.

Well you could probably answer your own question if you were to simply list the pros and cons.

s8n

Technology, especially the Internet has been the great enabler of this century. Not sure how thats a bad thing ??

growleaves

I think it's bad overall yes. (Not wholly bad though.) In fact I think the invention of computers and especially smartphones is bad, and the internet has replaced too much of real life with virtuality. Not totally down to technology but the mass media, bureaucracy at every level of life, aided by the internet forms a vast Unreality Machine overlaid on real life.

Distraction also interferes with real thinking imo. I was de-addicted to social media a while back. I used to put my laptop in a cupboard and leave it there most of the time. I need it now for work and, though I shouldn't do it, I take out my phone to pass the time (like right now).

Not trying to stoke controversy by saying all this, I've thought about it a lot and I'm sure everyone must have moments where their own lived experience and intuition runs counter to what they are absorbing through virtual media.

lickalot

Its great except for the likes of facebook, instagram, snapchat and all that ****e.

Hector Savage

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

The internet has been a fantastic, life changing resource. It's social media that's the problem.

This 100%, social media is a cancer, in particular tiktok, instagram, facebook ....

Mrs OBumble

I first did pandemic planning back before most people even knew the internet was a thing.

Pandemic response 2020's style gas been a lot easier, mainly due to the internet.

Kylta

I think most of the world depends on it for a variety of different things. I say a lot of it is educational and helpful. I think the downside of it is the negativity of social media.

andekwarhola

The internet is a hugely positive advance for humankind.

It's the fact that everybody is able to easily use it is the main problem.

Church on Tuesday

I think Gattuso summed it up best.

Pauliedragon

The internet is the modern day version of teenage masturbation. You play with it too often even though you know you are are spending too much time on it but you keep going back to it anyway. First thing in the morning and last thing at night. It's constant internet.

badabing106

Every person that uses the Internet buys alot of ****e on the Internet that they would not dream of buying in the real world

Stuff they don't need or want, but it felt good buying at the time at 3am in the morning

Is that good or bad? Probably good for economy-(not always local economy) , culture, mental well being?

There are alot of vices on Internet like gambling, or any other addiction you can think of

Water John

Whilst he didn't invent the internet but the World Wide Web, Tim Brenners Lee has reservations about much of its use.
Then like money you can't blame the thing itself but the use and misuse of it by people.

Citygirl1

If it wasn't for the internet, and web based applications, we would not be coping as well with the Covid lockdown. I, and a portion of the entire working population world wide, have been able to work from home, seamlessly, for the last 4 months, due to the advances in wfh technology, and the fact that most of our applications are now web based.

Use of the internet allows people to feel more connected with others who have similar interests. eg. I really enjoy period films. Using the web has allowed me to view many such films (free, via Youtube), which I would never have found via an old style "Blockbuster". It's also allowed me to read discussion boards with others of a similar interest, and help me realise, I am not a nerd.

Using the internet has allowed me to informally research medical and legal issues, over the last few years. Though this has pros and cons. It's important to stick to legitimate sites, and discussion boards. But, does help the reader to under further medical information given.

The problem with the internet is that it gives users access, potentially, to huge amounts of information and resources of a very evil nature. The key point is, that adults have a choice as to whether they choose to visit such sites. The thing that scares me is that children and teenagers also now have equal access to view very harmful information, or simply misleading pornography websites, with their smartphones. This factor alone, makes me glad that I grew up in the days before the internet and smartphones. Also, that I do not have any teenagers to supervise!

badabing106

Citygirl1 wrote: »

If

The problem with the internet is that it gives users access, potentially, to huge amounts of information and resources of a very evil nature. The key point is, that adults have a choice as to whether they choose to visit such sites. The thing that scares me is that children and teenagers also now have equal access to view very harmful information, or even misleading pornography websites, with their smartphones. This factor alone, makes me glad that I grew up in the days before the internet and smartphones. Also, that I do not have any teenagers to supervise!

Do they always have a choice about visiting these evil sites? Are the sites evil or are the people that visits them evil.?Some times you can be googling gardening tools and be led in another direction alltogether

A long time ago if you wanted to troll someone or send a poison pen letter you had to have the wherewithal to find their address, go buy a stamp, remember to post it. Now, a nice man from Vodafone installs your broadband for you, you sign up to twitter and can spread whatever vitriol you feel like spreading at that moment.



So thats bad.



However, the huge amounts of information you can read, Instant information, meet like minded people(both pros and cons depending on the interest)


Social media, and peoples reliance on it is a curse though.

Citygirl1

badabing106 wrote: »

Do they always have a choice about visiting these evil sites? Are the sites evil or are the people that visits them evil.?Some times you can be googling gardening tools and be led in another direction alltogether

I think, for the worst of sites, it's the people that visit them are evil. It really struck me how, for the likes of Graham Dywer, the internet enabled him to expand on the worst of his interests, and meet people he could take advantage of.

On a more day to day basis, the internet, can give teenagers a very misleading view of the world, particularly re pornography. etc.

That said, I do genuinely believe, as outlined in my previous post, that the advent of the internet has been a huge benefit to society, and me as a person.

Back in my early twenties, before the internet really became a big thing, all my friends seemed to be only interested in nights out and drinking, which really wasn't my thing. Being online, among other experiences, has hugely helped me broaden my horizons.....

Greyfox

That's like saying the wheel has done more harm than good just because some things that have wheels have killed people. the internet is the human races greatest achievement, it's positives outweigh the negatives by 1,000 to 1

begbysback

Changing your mind is pretty easy, all you have to do is realize that the internet is actually a group of interconnected devices. That’s all, just a bunch of hardware.

You might need to start a similar thread on the www, about the www

Citygirl1

Greyfox wrote: »

That's like saying the wheel has done more harm than good just because some things that have wheels have killed people. the internet is the human races greatest achievement, it's positives outweigh the negatives by 1,000 to 1

I totally agree. I think my last post focused on the negatives, which merit serious discussion.

However, I overall feel that the evolution of the internet has been one of the most significant single developments in society, in the last 30=40 years. For me alone, it has enabled me to broaden my mind, and given me access to information on every topic under the sun. It has also contributed significantly to my leisure time, whether listening to music from the 80s, watching movies etc.

jimbobaloobob

The internet has placed so much information at our finger tips. More than we could ever use but also increased the level of ramming, this is leading to less attention span for individuals and more than likely contributes to less concrete knowledge and possible anxiety.

_Brian

Misuse of the internet and social media is definitely a problem.

But these are great resources too when used in a positive way.

Same of course can be said of tv and print media.

Humans are resourceful creatures and while some will find new exciting ways to use something on a positive manner, there are always those who seem to focus on using anything in a negative way.

Don't you hate when teachers assign summer work.

nthclare

I find it handy for the weather and checking the swells on magic seaweed.com.

mr_edge_to_you

Hector Savage wrote: »

This 100%, social media is a cancer, in particular tiktok, instagram, facebook ....

I’m always fascinated with the term “social media”. I think it’s anti-social.

ArchXStanton

At the beginning it was a vast library, seems the last few years it's been weaponised with advertisements

Biker79

The issue is free social media. If it's free, then you are the product. ' You ' meaning your attention.

Your attention has value in order to sell on to advertisers, so there is an incentive to maximise attention while on a free site.

Stoking conflict is one way of maximising that attention. The public face of the internet has become a large theatre of low-level conflict, especially Twitter. In recent months, this has spilt out into real life. The root of Antifa/ BLM aggression is irrational ideas promulgated through social media, imho.

Aside from that, the internet is an amazing tool, with virtually unlimited potential to anyone who manages to use it properly.

s7ryf3925pivug

The Internet is the vast network of computer networks that hosts the Worldwide Web.

It probably helped bring down the Soviet Union. Especially since the Americans classed 256 bit encryption as a weapon at that time and restricted who could use it.

It is currently used to propagate as much nonsense and misinformation as knowledge, but that is a social problem not a technological one.

It accelerates research and development vastly because of its massive utility for knowledge management.

It facilitates virtual alternatives to physical activities, greatly reducing the need to travel and meet people face to face. These are hugely beneficial on terms of mitigating climate change and the spread of disease.

bnt

The Internet in general has been a massive boon, in my opinion. However, Social Media - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. - has caused huge problems that are only going to get worse. Echo chambers, FOMO*, bullying, fake news, targeted marketing, the general fakeness and over-emphasis on superficial appearences. I stuck a couple of toes in, a few years ago, but soon noped out and have been the happier for that. I think the OP is equating Social Media with the Internet.

* Fear Of Missing Out

McGinniesta

Like most technology, it can be of extraordinary benefit when used correctly but the downsides are rather unpleasant.

I Am Nobody

It's great for ordering parts,learning new skills and languages,and even for movies and albums.It is the social media side of it that is fcuked.

lickalot

Smartphones have done more harm than good.

Galwayguy35

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

If it wasnt for the internet, the porno bush would still be a thing.

And The Sunday People would be still be hand shandy material, young fellas these days don't know how good they have it.

Strumms

Hector Savage wrote: »

This 100%, social media is a cancer, in particular tiktok, instagram, facebook ....

I disagree. Social media isnt a cancer. The use of some people of it is and can be though... cant blame social media.. its a human controlled, created and compiled.

Quantum Erasure

lickalot wrote: »

Smartphones have done more harm than good.

the internet was grand until they started letting people use it...

Capt'n Midnight

andekwarhola wrote: »

It's the fact that everybody is able to easily use it is the main problem.

Once upon a time some people avoided the interwebs in September to avoid uncultured newbies. Sadly this is no longer possible.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/S/September-that-never-ended.html

One of the seasonal rhythms of the Usenet used to be the annual September influx of clueless newbies who, lacking any sense of netiquette, made a general nuisance of themselves. This coincided with people starting college, getting their first internet accounts, and plunging in without bothering to learn what was acceptable. These relatively small drafts of newbies could be assimilated within a few months. But in September 1993, AOL users became able to post to Usenet, nearly overwhelming the old-timers' capacity to acculturate them

partyguinness

The internet has made society lazy both intellectually and physically.

partyguinness

partyguinness wrote: »

The internet has made society lazy.

Some of us were lazy before the internet..

Bobblehats

McGinniesta wrote: »

Like most technology, it can be of extraordinary benefit when used correctly but the downsides are rather unpleasant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uozYtvVsq7Y

partyguinness

I can see that I set up my personal Hotmail email address in May 1999 just before heading off on my J1. To be fair I had been meaning to get an email address since the previous summer of 1998 but just never got around to it.

I recall raving to my mother of how useful this whole email thing was and how we can keep in touch that way rather than dependning on telephone calls.