Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet

ADVANTAGES OF INTERNET

COMMUNICATION:The Internet has made it easy for people to communicate with others because it is cheap and convenient. The only costs incurred are those paid to the Internet service provider. If you want to talk to someone who is in another part of the globe, you can just fire up Skype or any other communication app and hold a video chat.

INFORMATION AND RESOURCES:The Internet is swamped with information about anything and everything. There are multiple search engines that have made it easier for Internet users to find information.

ONLINE SERVICES AND E-COMMERCE:Today it is possible to carry out financial transactions online. We can transfer funds, pay taxes and utility bills or book movie tickets over the Internet in the comfort of your office or home.

ENTERTAINMENT:This is one of the major reasons why many people enjoy surfing the Internet – entertainment. You can watch movies, listen to music, read your favorite celebrity gossip columns and play games over the Internet. The Internet has become a mammoth amusement park that never closes.

                   

Disadvantages of Internet

SPAM MAIL:Spamming is the sending of unwanted and useless emails to random people. These emails obstruct the recipient needlessly. They are illegal and can cause frustration because they make it hard for people to access their email accounts. Bots are used to bombard your inbox with endless advertisements. This is quite perplexing as it always gets mixed up with important emails. Luckily, most email service providers have a security system in place to prevent spam emails from going to your inbox. All emails that are deemed suspicious get their email ID or IP address blocked or sent to the Spam folder.

VIRUS,TROJAN AND OTHER MALWARE:These are malicious programs that plague the Internet time and again. They attack a computer with the sole intent of causing harm. They can make the computer malfunction or even this can be very costly especially if you lose important data. Worse yet is the fact that you can easily fall victim to malicious software by clicking on a link on the Internet that appears genuine. Internet viruses can be categorized to three types - those that harm your executable boot files and system, those that affect a specific file by destroying it and those that keep changing things in your computer like Word files. You can protect yourself by installing a reliable anti-virus program on your computer before accessing the Internet.

LEAKAGE OF PRIVATE INFORMATION:The fact that the Internet has become a market place has also seen a rise in fraud cases. Credit/debit card details are particularly vulnerable. This calls for extreme caution when transacting online. Make sure to use a reliable payment processor instead of sending your details directly to an individual or business.

Addiction to Internet

Just like everything else, people also get addicted to the Internet. This may sound bizarre, but some people spend more than their fair amount of time on the Internet. This affects their social interactions a great deal. Internet addiction has been known to be a major cause of obesity and has, in some cases, led to some diseases like carpal tunnel syndrome. With some help, people addicted to the Internet can overcome this challenge.