Is the internet really as wonderful as we think it is?

The internet has many great qualities, but they say every rose has its thorn. To me, the internet is like a smaller world where everyone comes together without actually having to physically interact with each other. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can keep us updated on our distant friends’ activities while we sit in front of our monitor or lie in our bed looking at our phones. While the internet opens doors to easier communication and thousands of free resources, it also has a dark side.

There are websites such as Chatroulette and Omegle which allow anyone around the world to talk to complete strangers. These are mostly used for sexual interactions with a random partner in conversation, either through webcam or just conversation. There are also millions of pornography websites which can be easily accesses by people of any age, including young boys and girls. According to Jerry Ropelato from TopTenReviews.com, 28,258 people are viewing porn on the internet every second. Right now, thousands of businesses are coming up with new pornographic videos, photos and other types of media which will at some point reach the eyes of millions of viewers all around the world. Michael Arrington from techcrunch.com says approximately 89 cents are spent on porn every second. Moreover, Forbes states that the internet pornography business is valued at $1 billion. What does this say about how users are taking advantage of the internet?

Not only are people indulging in internet pornography, but some are actually on social networks pretending to be someone else in order to rape children and teenagers. Children are always eager to start using social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. When they do, they believe having more friends on Facebook means being more popular. This leads to children adding strangers to their friends list, where some of them are guaranteed to be pedophiles. What pedophiles usually do is create a false account and start talking to children and gain information from them and build a false identity based on what they think kids want to hear. If a girl is thirteen years old, a man’s false identity may be a thirteen year old girl as well. He will start off talking to her as if he wanted to be her best friend, when his intentions are of great gravity. This is a big issue on the internet. We tend to think “this is not going to happen to me, I know how to take care of myself” but life is about expecting the unexpected.

This brings us to another issue: these social networks contain a large amount of personal information which constantly exposes users to danger. Facebook, for example, is valued at approximately $75 billion. (Blodget) It might seem outrageous for a company which allows us to upload out pictures, update our status and play a few games online, but this is exactly the reason why it is in high demand. Many companies such as Google have offered great amounts of money to buy the company. Why? They want our information. We log into Facebook every other day and congratulate people on their birthdays and check what their current workplace is. All this information is highly valuable to companies outside this network. If they were to possess this type of information, they could use it in a variety of different ways to manipulate us, spam us, or who knows what else. Therefore, if we put aside the pedophiles, the crooks, the hackers, etc., we still face some issues. The real question about the internet is: Who can we trust, and with what type of information?

The internet was an amazing discovery, and up to this day it continues to surprise us. It is indisputably the best way to maintain communications with someone who lives far away, especially for those who have family or friends in distant locations. It is a wonderful resource, where anyone can find any information they need. However, there is always a downside. The internet opens doors to insecurities and leaks in our personal information which can lead to easier ways for pedophiles and other types of dangerous people to find us. We just need to learn to be careful and control what we post on the internet. Schools, parents and friends will all try to talk us into being aware of the dangers of the internet, but even the people who are most careful could be a victim. So is the internet as wonderful as we think it is?