There’s no denying that the internet has made our lives easier. We can now access information instantly and communicate with people all around the world. The number of opportunities the internet has opened for us cannot be counted.
However, with the good comes the bad. The increasing use of internet technology in our daily lives has definitely had a negative impact on our lives too. There’s a range of social issues that only came about due to the internet.
Here are five social issues the internet have created:
- Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is essentially bullying behavior that occurs in the digital space. Cyberbullying is an increasingly common occurrence because the internet offers anonymity. When people are offered the chance to be anonymous, they are more likely to be aggressive and hurtful towards others because they themselves bear no consequences.
Cyberbullying causes people to feel unhappy, insecure, and scared. Persistent cyberbullying can cause people to isolate themselves and may lead to more serious mental health problems, such as depression.
Various websites on the internet have tried to curb cyberbullying attempts by prohibiting harmful content and allowing users to report hateful comments. However, these attempts have not provided a long-term solution. Given how easy it is to access various websites and make online accounts, cyberbullying continues to persist.
2. Internet Addiction
Internet addiction is a relatively new internet issue, but it is an alarming one. An internet addiction occurs when an individual spends an alarmingly high amount of time on the internet, citing a receiving a feeling of satisfaction from doing so.
Internet addiction can cause people to retract from their social and professional lives if it goes too far. While internet addiction is not clinically recognized yet, it is a social issue that must be addressed. If you need to choose social issues essay topics, then internet addiction can be a good one. You can write a well-researched essay on the problems such an addiction can pose for an individual and society at large.
3. Gambling Addictions
One troubling internet issue is electronic gambling. The definition of electronic gambling is an activity where two or more people meet online and exchange bets. When gambling online, people use their own money and thus risk a real financial loss. If betting large amounts, people can end up losing their life savings or assets.
Electronic gambling poses two problems. Firstly, it makes it more difficult for current gambling addicts to recover. It’s relatively easier to stop an addict from heading to a casino than preventing one from accessing the internet.
More importantly, electronic gambling has led to an increase in the number of gambling addictions. The ease of access to online gambling makes it easy to fall prey to this harmful habit, especially among young adults.
4. Identity Theft
The internet has made many things convenient, but it’s not necessarily a safe place. We store a tremendous amount of information on the internet, which provides con men and scammers with numerous opportunities.
Identity theft is a common fraudulent activity that happens on the internet. Identity theft occurs when a third party obtains your personal or financial information and then poses as you for various transactions.
Recently, identity theft has been made easy, given the amount of information we store online. Hackers can get into our personal accounts, such as your e-mail accounts, and access sensitive information.
Once your identity is stolen, your credit cards or debit cards can be used by others in online transactions. Identity theft was a rare occurrence in the past. Still, the increasing use of the internet means that it’s more prevalent today.
5. Social Isolation
Increasing use of the internet has led to many social issues, such as increased social isolation. In the past few decades, socialization was given a lot of importance. People spent time with their family, bonded with co-workers after work, and hung out with their friends. This in-person socialization leads to cohesion within these groups.
However, now you find people engrossed in their phones and laptops most of the time. Activities such as sitting on a dining table chatting with your family have been replaced with eating meals in front of a screen while streaming a movie.
Thus, the advent of the internet has brought about a breakdown in communication. With people not talking to each other as much, they may find themselves to feel more lonely and be more isolated than before.