By Sally Dasouki - Is Internet A Boon Or a Bane for the Youngsters?

By Sally Dasouki

The Internet is one of the most debated technological achievements of science. It is widely used by people from all walks of life. The young generation today uses it for a variety of purposes, from getting information for a school project to chatting with a friend. We find the Internet a great source of information, of entertainment. It is hugely beneficial to us; a boon in many ways. However, can there be a negative side to the Internet? Can it be a bane?

The question is relevant today. Access to the internet is becoming easier; more homes are connected to the net and still more will be, in the future. Cyber cafes are overflowing at all times of the day with youngsters. Are these developments something we can be happy about? Can it be that the young generation is spoiling itself by accessing the world wide web of information?

It should be admitted that the Internet can be a negative influence on a child in a lot of ways. There are a lot of sites that can give wrong information, that show pornography and violence. A young boy or girl who has unlimited access to the net can easily fall prey to these influences which can change his or her attitude to life itself.

Moreover, the Internet takes away valuable time for studies as well as for physical activities, making children inactive and unhealthy. Computer games are never a substitute for physical games. But the number of children spending all their free time in front of the computer is increasing.

Are these reasons enough to say that the internet is a bane, not a boon, to the young generation? I don’t think so. The advantages of the Internet are far too many for us. It is a wonderful source of information on anything under the sun. No library could ever offer us so much at such speed. It is a great communication tool – much cheaper and reliable than the telephone. Online businesses are flourishing now, and you can buy anything online nowadays. You can pay your telephone bill, and do your bank transactions. You can read books and articles. You can create your own blog and let your thoughts flow.

These are just a few of the numerous benefits of the internet.

So, how about the negative effects? Whatever potential for harm the Internet has can be tackled with parental supervision. Also, we ourselves should have discipline enough to use the Internet only to our advantage. We should also be aware of its negative influences, and use it only in positive ways. Technology is in itself neither positive nor negative. It is we human beings who make it negative or positive by the way we use it. Technology will control us or manipulate us only if we let it control or manipulate us.

So, is the Internet a boon or bane? In my opinion, it is definitely a boon for the young generation of the 21st century.