The Good, Bad, and Ugly Aspects of the Internet

The Good: Research

https://www.tigweb.org/youth-media/panorama/article.html?ContentID=6336


When a student is given an assignment where research is required, their first instinct is to open the Google search engine and type in key words pertaining to their topic. Before the digital age, these students would have to seek information from library books and magazines. One can argue that written sources provide more credible information than the Internet, but when you consider the time consumption that comes with a library visit, the Internet has become a wonderful convenience. Through extensive research via the Internet, people can quickly and effectively retrieve limitless information. Curious about how many days it would take you to walk from one end of the United States to the other? Looking for a restaurant location nearest you? Google it. The expediency of having numerous webpages at our fingertips has been life changing. 


The Bad: Pornography

http://www.protectkids.com/dangers/childaccess.htm


When considering the benefits of the Internet, it is important to remember that not all webpages are created equal. With the convenience of research that I had previously mentioned, it is likely for someone to come across inappropriate material. There exist countless pornographic sites, hate sites, and blogs where people share racist or distasteful opinions. It is often difficult to distinguish a decent website from an offensive one prior to clicking the link. Key words typed into search engines can also commonly be misinterpreted, leading to the unintentional viewing of harmful material. These misleading tendencies are poisoning to the mind, particularly with young children who are incapable of suppressing their curiosity when it comes to the Internet.  


The Ugly: Cyber Bullying

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/cyberbullying.html


With the many disadvantages that the Internet introduces, I would say that cyber bullying is by far the ugliest aspect. The Internet has taken bullying to a whole new level. It is easier for children to say hurtful things when hiding behind a computer screen, and even more so with the option to remain completely anonymous. Without constant Internet monitoring on children by their parents, the problem is not easily detected. In some instances, adults engage themselves in cyber bullying, which then is considered cyber stalking and involves legal consequences. Cyber bullying has resulted in depression, and in more severe cases, suicide. The Internet has brought so many advantages to the world, and knowing that it is being misused for the harassment of children is unsettling. 

Thoughts On Prepaid Cellphone Privacy

Pertaining to my last post on attempts at preventing the inevitable, it has been proposed that prepaid cellphone usage should be banned to avoid criminal anonymity. There are people who are not criminals who benefit from prepaid cellphones who do not deserve to lose this privilege. For example, prepaid cellphones are inexpensive. Someone who can not afford an unlimited calling plan might use one as an alternative. My first cellphone was prepaid, because my parents felt that at a young age it was necessary to monitor my minutes rather than including me on their plan. My grandmother owns a prepaid cellphone because she is inept when it comes to technology and wanted something simple. Whatever the reason, prepaid cellphones are used by many people and the government can find other effective ways to trace criminals.

Thoughts On Location Tracking

I think that planting any kind of location device on humans is morally repugnant. It doesn't matter if it is an infant, a teen, or an elderly person, it is a complete violation of privacy. Yes, it would help in preventing kidnappings and things of that nature, but we can't rely on technology to solve all of our problems. Parents are expected to be responsible enough to keep a close eye on their young children. Teenagers desperately seek freedom and a location device would prevent them from having any type of relationship with their parents. As far as the elderly, I would think that they would consider it humiliating to need to be watched over at such a mature stage in their lives. I don't believe that tracking devices for humans should even be available as an option let alone a requirement. We need to accept the fact that bad things happen in this world. Unfortunately, children get kidnapped, teenagers lie to their parents, and the elderly find themselves in helpless situations. A complete invasion of privacy is not a logical approach in preventing the inevitable.

Introduction

My name is Jessica Murdock, I am a freshman at UNH. I recently transferred into the course, "Living in a Networked World: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", and so far I am very pleased with my decision. I find the content to be interesting and informative. Seeing as how the world today is centered around technology, this class will be essential in expanding my knowledge of the internet, and understanding how to use it safely.