18 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS - TECHNOLOGY - 2025

Using the internet has both advantages and disadvantages. For one thing, you have more knowledge than at any other time in history. On the other, there are violent web pages or with dangerous content and in addition, people can be anonymous, which allows to generate even more violence. In this article I will detail a list of the most important advantages and disadvantages.

The Internet has been perhaps the most outstanding novelty in the field of communication in the history of mankind. If you are one of those who spends hours and hours in front of the screen, surely you have ever wondered what the advantages or disadvantages that revolve around its use may be.

The Internet has connected the world, it allows us to entertain ourselves, it has generated business and benefits for all, you can buy, inform yourself and even find a partner. But it also has negative aspects that must be taken into account.

Internet advantages

1. Give immediate information

One of the incredible uses that the internet offers us is the ease with which through its different search engines we can have access to any information we want in a matter of seconds.

Either to read some news that interests us or to find information on a relevant topic that we need in any language or device and from anywhere in the world.

2. Generalize the contents

This quick access to information and always available to all people with internet access has led to a generalization of the content. In other words, all the information can be disseminated quickly, thus allowing awareness-raising campaigns to be carried out, among others.

3. Eliminate barriers and space

And who does not study at a distance today? Another of the incredible benefits that the Internet has brought with it has been the increase and improvement of teaching. A few years ago we had to attend class if we wanted to study, for example at university.

This is not necessary today, because if a person does not have time to go to class, they can study from home adapting to the schedule that best suits them. On the other hand, you can also follow the face-to-face classes in real time if you wish.

4. Facilitates access to learning

Based on the previous point, the Internet has also facilitated learning through the endless pages and educational resources that it is composed of. We can find everything we want and from the field we need.

For this reason, at present, most educational systems are using these benefits to support the teaching of their students and thus increase their motivation in learning the contents.

On the other hand, platforms such as Wikipedia, Coursera, Babbel and Teachertube have also been opened among others, which have been dedicated to imparting knowledge to people of all ages.

5. Allows online work

Since it has eliminated barriers and space, it has also modified the way we work, since it is no longer necessary to be next to our partner to carry out a project together.

This can be located anywhere in the world without being a problem since we can work online with the same document or be in contact through instant messaging.

6. Increase communication

It positively increases communication with people who are related to us both personally and professionally, since it allows us to maintain relationships with them through social networks, chats, forums, among other modalities.

Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin, among others, have become the main means we have today to communicate with other people or even to promote ourselves professionally throughout the world.

On the other hand, it also allows us to create communities of interest to share the knowledge we have about a specific field with other people.

7. Enables globalization

It has also allowed us, taking into account all the above, to explore other cultures and ideologies that might otherwise have been impossible for us. Likewise, sharing knowledge and thoughts on global issues that affect us is also a close reality that is possible thanks to the internet.

8. Offer other forms of entertainment

With the arrival of the internet in our lives, another way of spending time and entertainment was born, either alone or in the company of other people. Just by having access to it, we can find endless games and platforms both free and paid to have fun in our free time.

On the other hand, if what we want is to be aware of the life of our favorite celebrities, we can also do it with just a click of our mouse and through digital magazines or news from the heart.

9. Create new jobs and search forms

It not only allows us to be in contact with our friends but also to search and request job offers through the communities and portals that exist for it. As we all know, there are chats and social networks that help us find jobs.

In addition, with the arrival of the Internet, new jobs that previously did not exist related to the virtual world and the Internet have been created, a clear example is in platforms such as Amazon, Ebay, Alibaba… Companies dedicated to online sales and purchases.

Derived from the full height of the above, it has been necessary to train in content that did not exist before so that people can carry out these new jobs related to new technologies.

10. New way of managing ourselves

The Internet has also revolutionized the concept of shopping. We no longer need to go to the stores that we like to buy, we have them all just one click of our mouse. The way of accessing to buy movie tickets or carry out our banking and travel arrangements has also changed.

Disadvantages of the internet

11. Information privacy issues

If the appropriate measures are not taken, our personal information may suffer threats and be used by other people for not very suitable purposes, be it to do us cyberbullying, sexting, grooming…

We are all in danger if we are not aware that a person can use them for criminal purposes or even to impersonate our identity.

12. Little veracity of the contents

Due to the large amount of information that exists on the Internet, we can think that everything is adequate and truthful. However, this is not the case, so we have to know how to identify those pages or portals that are prestigious in order to separate the real information from the one that is not.

There are also other recommended and reliable blogs or pages, a simple look around the page will help us to know.

13. Threats such as viruses or spam

If the indicated protection programs are not used when we are browsing the Internet, we can infect our device or laptop. On the other hand, this also does not protect us and prevents it from being infected with a virus.

We have to learn to avoid visiting those pages that are not completely safe. Likewise, it can be uncomfortable for a person who wants to visit a web portal, find unwanted advertising that causes slower browsing.

On the other hand, we can also receive spam to our emails, they are useless and obstruct the computer system.

14. Create addiction

With the advent of the internet, new disorders such as cyber addiction have developed. People who make an excessive use of it that has a negative impact on their life causing a high degree of dependence and addiction.

Not only can it create it in those people who use it in an exaggerated way but there may also be other consequences in its users such as depression and other addictions such as dependence on games, cyber dizziness…

15. Encourages sedentary lifestyle

Many young people spend most of their time sitting in front of a laptop playing with them instead of going out to play sports or play with their friends on the street or in the park.

This has also triggered high rates of obesity, especially in the youth population, which is the one that usually spends more time in front of laptops.

16. Family communication worsens

The Internet has had a negative impact on the family, since there is currently less communication between its members due to the excessive use of the devices that incorporate it.

17. Exposure to unwanted content

Another disadvantage that regular internet users can find while browsing is exposure to inappropriate content and even pornography.

For those minors who use the laptop from a very early age there are parental control programs and recommendations. Although this is something difficult to control, as you look for the information you are looking for, you can find this prohibited content easily and unintentionally.

18. Problems distinguishing the real from the unreal

A very serious problem for many minors and regular Internet users is the lack of ability to know how to differentiate between the real and the virtual world. In some occasions, the virtual world due to the incredible benefits it brings us can become even more attractive than the real one.

In summary

As we have seen previously, the internet is here to stay and occupy a place in our lives so much so that we cannot understand our society without it or without the devices that incorporate it.

This has changed the way we communicate with other people, look for work, share information, make friends… Without internet we are left out of society, because now everything moves through the network to such an extent that if you don't have a mobile you are part of this world. All this use has advantages as well as disadvantages and we have to be aware of all of them every time we are using it.

References

1. García, CMA (2007). New technologies applied to education. McGraw-Hill.
2. Arturo Serrano, Evelio Martinez; «La Brecha Digital: Myths and Realities», Mexico, 2003, Editorial UABC, 175 pages, ISBN 970-9051-89-X.