The Internet is a wonderful invention and I am pretty sure that no-one will ever deny that. But then we have the other side of the medal; the negative one. I'll show you the four most negative aspects of the Internet as we know it today.

= Die-hard Internet users become less social =

Die-hard Internet users tend to communicate with their friends and family via the Internet more often. Some people prefer communication via the Internet rather than meeting friends in the local pub or visiting family to talk together with a cup of tea. There are simply so many ways on the Internet to stay in touch with friends and that's exactly what makes it attractive. We can hear each other with a microphone and speakers, we can see each other with a web-cam, and we don't even need to leave our chair and go outside. Going outside brings me to the next point: shopping. People become lazier because of the Internet. Many shops offer an on-line version of their shop. You can now choose which item(s) you need, and it'll be delivered in no time at all. The Internet makes us lazy and less social. But not as long as you you control your Internet use and stay responsible!

= Anonimity =

Another negative part of the Internet: anonymity. Anyone can say they're that bodybuilder guy or that mannequin chick, and there's no way to verify whether they're lying or not. Well, you could always ask for evidence, but not anyone thinks about that. Especially children, who tend to believe everything being said on the Internet. That makes them an easy target for people with perverse intentions. The Internet can be quite dangerous, so always watch out and be careful out there!

= I like that song, let me download it! =

That's the third negative part of the Internet; illegal downloading. Earlier, when the Internet was not invented yet, and there was a good song on the radio, the only way to own the song was recording it on tape or... simply visiting the nearest shop to buy it! Sadly, there's lots of people out there who don't bother spending their hard-earned money on music anymore. They simply download MP3's but they don't think about the consequences. They, in fact, are stealing music that musicians worked so hard for. Downloading music, videos, games or anything else that is for sale in shops can be compared to shoplifting! It's both stealing and it should be stopped.

= Viruses and hackers =

The last negative part on the Internet that I'll discuss is the danger that lies ahead on the World Wide Web. Virus writers are constantly looking for better ways to write malicious code and distribute it to as much computers as possible. Their reason? Stealing your passwords to rob your personal information and probably also your bank credentials, so they can rob your bank account and steal your hard-earned money. The same goes for hackers. If there was no Internet, viruses wouldn't be able to spread and hackers wouldn't be able to steal your credentials remotely. Well, they viruses would still spread via removable media such as floppy disks, but they wouldn't be able to spread as fast as they can at this moment.

= Conclusion =

As you can see, there are lots of negative effects, but it isn't as bad if you use the Internet responsibly and wisely. Do not trust unknown people on the Internet, secure your computer, take a walk every now and then and everything should be fine!

Learn more about this author, Kevin Sanchez.
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