by Dawn Gosen, M.A.

Created on: January 16, 2011

Can The Internet Have a Dark Side? The Negative Side of the Internet:

As an educator and a parent, I would have to say "yes", the Internet has a negative side. It took some time, but both adults and children have learned how to manipulate this wonderful source of information and use it to inflict harm on others. Here are some of the misuses of the Internet.

Cyber Bullying

Let's start with the hot topic of Cyber Bullying. This is a true tragedy. It use to be that a child who was bullied at school could go home and escape from the horrors of the day. Now children who are bullied at school must deal with continued bullying at home. Students who bully often send nasty emails, set up I hate sites, and gather troops to bully others. Fortunately, many schools are now able to take action on the bullies and state laws are being developed to help with Cyber Bullying.

Predators

The Internet has also made it possible for a multitude of predators to find easy targets and audiences to inflict tragedy upon. The elderly, children, and the average person have become victims of identity theft and other crimes. The knowledge of hackers and the lack of protection have made getting private information an easy task for some. Children are the easiest targets. Many are so trusting and indeed of attention. They will often give away information without even knowing what the true consequences may be. It is important to monitor the Internet and set up safe guards for children.

Fads

Some of the most ridiculous stuff I have seen has been the continuous acts of self-injury to get hits. Many teens will tape themselves doing dangerous stunts to post on the Internet. The hope in doing this is to make money on hits to the site and to gain a group of followers. This is dangerous and can lead to lifelong injuries and problems. Other trends that spread include inappropriate ways for dealing with feelings such as new ways to abuse substances and self-injury.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Internet has brought many people joy and knowledge. It has allowed us to connect easily with others and gather information easily. However, we must be careful and watch our children even more carefully. The Internet grew so fast and we are still catching up in regards to learning what it is really capable of.

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