The internet refers basically to the worldwide interconnection of computer networks that use a standard protocol called internet protocol suite. The internet serves several billion people worldwide and has become the most preferred mode of communication between people from different parts of the world. This has led to it rampant usage and as much as it has noticeable benefits, its limitations cannot be overlooked either. Internet addiction in teenagers or to say adolescents has been estimated to be 12% in China, 19.4% in Korea and 8% in Greece approximately (Lin).
• Cybersex addiction: This refers to uncontrollable use of the internet pornography, Adult sex chat rooms, or the fantasy role-play sites that will, therefore, affect real life intimate relationships.
• Information over-load: Irresistible internet usage for instance database searching, or web surfing leads to lower work productivity due to overreliance on the internet and also leads to less social interaction with friends and other family members.
• Computer addiction: over usage of the internet leads to addiction and excessive playing of online computer games and even obsessive computer programming.
• Net compulsions: overwhelming internet usage leads to compulsive the online gaming and even leads to compulsive use of the online auction sites for instance eBay, which often results, in job-related and financial problems.
The use of the internet is also tied to some health concerns one of them being depression. Heavy use of the internet results in various mental problems on individuals. Studies have shown that over usage of the internet by teenagers disrupts the brains’ nerve wiring causing a level of brain damage normally seen in individuals who abuse heavy substances. Being constantly hooked on behavior, such as the internet can be physically damaging as addiction to alcohol and drugs, the scientists believe (Lin).
Unhealthy use of the internet to the extent that it impairs personal relationships with family members is very tragic and when denied access to the internet or their computers, they experience distress that leads to depression and some withdrawal symptoms that include obsessive thoughts, tremors and even involuntary typing movements of fingers among others. Research on internet addiction has mainly focused on psychological assessments (Pacansky-Brock).
For instance, a new study conducted in China using a magnetic resonance imaging in which scans were done on 17 adolescents who are internet addicted. The IAD-diagnosed individuals were compared, and the scientists found extensive disruption to the brains’ white matter nerve fibers that are involved in various functions of the body that include emotions, self-control and even decision making. It showed the differences between the normal brains and the brains of internet addicted individuals indicating clear neuro-imaging links between the internet addiction and other common addictions such as of alcohol, cannabis and cocaine. This has of late internet addiction being branded and classified as ‘impulse control disorder (George Louis Carlo).
Excessive internet usage leads to a change in the lifestyle-related issues which could have a massive impact on the normal growth curve and development of the internet addicts, mainly adolescents. All time internet usage results definitely in irregular eating and dietary habits and extended time spent on the internet. This, therefore, calls for nutrition education that target internet users to ensure proper management of eating with the internet hence ensuring proper growth and development. It also leads to physical inactivity by the users as they at all-time surf without exercising and also promotes increased use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco ultimately (Committee on Identification of Research Needs Relating to Potential Biological or Adverse Health Effects of Wireless Communications Devices).
Internet usage also leads to internet frauds. Access to the internet by using internet services and software accessible to defrauders may hamper your information and take advantage of it. They can steal your personal information and use it for malicious purposes leading to financial losses. A very common form of internet fraud is the spread of malicious security software. This fraud can occur in emails, on the various websites, and the various chat rooms not forgetting the messaging boards.
The internet is used in very many fraudulent transactions or to pass information on the proceeds of the fraud to various financial institutions and any other person connected to the scheme involved. In case of any business transactions, the criminals use fraudulent means to pay for it for instance use of fake credit cards or even stolen ones leading to losses on the other party. The internet has also been extensively used to forge postal money orders and then used to commit online fraud. Another form of online fraud includes the online automotive fraud where individual posts a nonexistent car for sale with information lifted from other sites and when interested buyers send a deposit cheques or wire transfer of the money they later realize they have been scammed and conned. This is a really bad crime (Coles).
Online bullying is another bad effect that occurs from extensive use of the internet. It refers to when an individual or groups of people use the internet, email or any other form of internet technology to threaten, distress or humiliate other parties and as it happens causes harm to people anytime. They can use fake accounts that are non-existent and even hide their numbers or block them that they cannot be tracked. It is a very serious crime as it scares people a lot and upset a lot more. There are various forms of internet bullying and they include the use of the emails. They can send you computer viruses through the email that damages your computer and even send you abusive messages or even nasty very abusive emails continuously. They can also use the instant messaging to target individuals where the send threatening information or even abusive messages while even going to the extent of asking you to join them. They can hack someone else account without the persons’ authorization and use it to send awful abusive messages. Internet bullying also occurs in social networking sites where individuals write nasty abusive or uncouth comments and even jokes on someone’s’ profile or on their status updates in Facebook and tweeter. That form of bullying is very bad and upsets many internet users.
Mobile phones also promote bullying through sending of abusive texts, messages, videos and other multimedia that upsets people and causes physical attacks to their beings. This form of the internet has become very rampant (Coles).
With all this effects that arise from the use of the internet, I can conclusively state that it is very advisable to limit the use of the internet and be very careful, to avoid any unwanted results.
Works Cited
Coles, Bobby. "Negative effects of the Internet." Helium 2012.
Committee on Identification of Research Needs Relating to Potential Biological or Adverse Health Effects of Wireless Communications Devices, Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council. "Identification of Research Needs Relating to Potential Biological or Adverse Health Effects of Wireless Communication." 2008.
George Louis Carlo, Martin Schram. Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age. Basic Books, 2002.
Lin, James C. Advances in Electromagnetic Fields in Living Systems: Volume 5, Health Effects of Cell Phone Radiation. Springer, 2009.
Pacansky-Brock, Michelle. Best Practices for Teaching With Emerging Technologies. Routledge, 2012.
Walton, Alice G. " Internet Addiction: The New Mental Health Disorder." 2012.
