How the Internet Has Changed World Culture Essays

How the Internet Has Changed World Culture Essays How the Internet Has Changed World Culture Essay How the Internet Has Changed World Culture Essay Name Instructor Course Date How the Internet Has Changed World Culture The advent of the internet was a mundane solution to a logistics problem experienced by scientists. They needed to share resources and a way to connect computers to share the resources among them presented a problem they were eager to tackle. Hence, the internet was invented to overcome this challenge. The current growth of the internet to its modern proportions was further facilitated by the World Wide Web. The web helped people access information on the internet. Since then the growth of the internet in terms of its uses has expanded exponentially, consequently influencing the world culture in numerous ways. The interconnectedness the internet offers has helped the innovation of new and varied ways of communication. This has ensured that the physical borders that existed have been sufficiently broken down. It started with email and extended to blogs and social networking platforms that have connected people. The exchange of ideologies has lead to the world being reduced to a global village. Information and opinions travel across continents faster, and the world is becoming more unified in certain aspects of life. This is exhibited by the revolutions that tool place in the Arabic world. The youth organized coups to oust dictatorial regimes via social media. The internet has changed the way people gather information. At the touch of a button, a barrage of information is available instantly. The control some institutions like governments used to have over the flow of information has been shattered by the free access to this information in the internet. Such institutions are increasingly coming under scrutiny by the public that pays for their upkeep. The release of ‘confidential’ communication by the United State government and their embassies was recently made public knowledge via WikiLeaks. This is representative of the openness that the internet has afforded the masses as far as information was concerned. Freedom of communication has its disadvantage when it comes to the persons that can access information. Unfortunately, the mechanisms put in place are inadequate to ensure content of an adult nature does not fall into minors’ hands. The proliferation of a pornographic nature has permeated our culture to the extent that sexually explicit material is the norm, not the exception. Nearly all aspects of life have been sexualized and the generation growing up now views the public display of sexual acts as acceptable rather than taboo. The sexually driven culture is evident from music to fashion to advertising. Failure to place adequate restrictions to access has led to cyber crime. Crime has evolved to cover the theft of valuable information from the internet since people’s lives are moving to become virtual. With the increased convenience offered by offering services online, institutions such as banks have moved their services to increase efficiency. The continued transactions and storage of valuable information in the internet has attracted criminals. Using clever means, the friends are able to access the information they need to steal and defraud their victims. The internet has undergone monumental changes since its conception in 1969. Unwittingly, our lives are becoming more encompassed by the web. Even simple tasks like shopping can be carried out from the convenience of the individual with respect to time and space. The internet’s possibilities are endless. The great strides today might look like the tiniest steps in a few years from now. Its further influence on world culture is a matter of future observation.