The internet is a tool that has made everyday life easier for nearly the past 50 years. The millennial generation is a generation composed of young adults that are very familiar with the capabilities of the internet. A journal article on the internet states that “about 78% of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 use the internet, while 30% to 40% fall into the internet savvy category” (Horn 343). Another journal article discusses how “the internet is revolutionizing our society just like the automobile did” (Petersohn 34). Throughout the use of the internet one can connect and communicate with those near and far, access information deemed hard to talk about, use mass media and news platforms to be aware of what is going on around them and it allows one to immerse themselves into different cultures and points of view. It is also very useful to those with smartphones with internet capabilities. As well as the informational aspect of the internet, the economy and education benefit greatly from its creation. Not limited to just those categories, social media plays a significant, if not the most important, role in the rise of internet advancements. In a Ted Talk, Andrew Blum discusses how “the internet has changed everything, from shopping to dating to revolutions” (Blum). Although there are negative aspects to the internet, the positives greatly outweigh them, which in turn makes the internet extremely beneficial to society. 

One of the major benefits of the use of the internet is that it allows for communication and connection with those close and far away. Often times families and friends are split apart due to divorce, jobs, and the economy. In the past, when family members or friends were to move away, staying in touch was much harder. These moves can put a strain on relationships, but with the use of the internet, it is just a Facetime or Skype call away. Skype and Facetime allow you to not only speak to those you are calling but also see the person live on the other end of the conversation. Often times people say that when we “connect to our devices, we are disconnecting from those around us,” (Ebay) but is that necessarily true? We not only use the internet, Skype and Facetime to connect with those we may know from online but those from our personal lives as well. A common misconception is that millennials always have their noses in their phones but in reality these millennials could just be contacting someone whom they wish to meet with in person to get together. An article written by Forbes says that the use of social media, Wi-Fi, the internet and apps like Facetime allow people to not worry so much about their friends or family living in different states or even different countries (Agrawal). Social media makes the world feel a little smaller and everyone a little more connected. 

A major benefit that comes from the internet is the plethora of information one can access just by the click of a button. The internet has made everyone an expert. With the invention of the internet, one can find news reports, facts, health information, and much more just by simply typing into a search engine. Not only does the internet offer up information in quick fashion but it also gives various opinions and sources so one is not limited to just one site or idea. 

One of the main reasons easily accessible information is important, is because for teenagers it allows access to topics they may find hard discuss. For example, teenagers can research information on sexual health and drugs that they may not find easy to speak on. Rather than going around uneducated about these issues the internet allows them to find the information they may not feel comfortable talking about with their peers and adults in their lives. One poll says that “1 in 6 teens use the internet to research information on sexual health, drugs and depression” (13 Reasons Why the Internet is Good for You). While it may not seem like 1 in 6 is a large percentage, in the big scheme of things it adds up and it is better to be receiving help than doing nothing at all for oneself.  

Often times the internet is used outside of schools and on phones, laptops and from the comfort of the users own home but when used at school there can be restrictions. The use of the internet is filtered on school campuses for various reasons. One student that was interviewed said, “a lot of time when you use the internet at school, you’ll get on a site-even for educational purposes-and you’ll be blocked out…” (Horn 407). While this may be hindering to research some students wish to complete, it is easily solved by just completing said research at home or in a different setting where access to the internet is possible. There are limitations on the internet in specific settings as a way to ensure the internet is being used in an appropriate manner. People tend to take advantage of resources and by placing these restrictions there is a reassurance that they will be used correctly. If these restrictions were not in place, then the use of the internet in school settings for example, would be much less productive because there would be no limitations as to what kind of research could be completed. 

With the use of internet comes the use of social media. Social media can vary from Twitter to Facebook to Instagram to news outlets and much more. Often times it is said that social media makes the user isolated and less active in the real world. While that can be true for some people in extreme cases, others handle the use of phones, social media, and the internet completely fine. Some researchers have found that the use of social media has actually made kids more peer based. They also say that it “helps with their participation in modern society” (Khaama Press). 

One of the major counterarguments that comes up during this discussion is that the use of social media can encourage and create an outlet for cyberbullying. With the advancements in technology and the internet there are rising rates in cyberbullying. People tend to be bolder and more opinionated when they are not in face-to-face contact with the person they may be bullying. While the idea of cyberbullying being on the rise may be true, there are many other aspects that show why the internet and social media can actually be beneficial to those dealing with cyberbullying or other struggles and may help those going through these problems.  

Often times people of different cultures or lifestyles are judged or bullied for the way they live their lives. The internet gives people an opportunity to be immersed into different cultures and viewpoints that may not have been possible before. With the right of free speech, people are able to post nearly anything in which they want to the internet. This means that people from different cultures or heritages are able to show where they come from and have others see it from their perspective. Through this, people are able to become more accepting of diversity and differing lifestyles as they get an inside view and see why people are the way that they are, rather than just judging at first glance. 

 Social media gives people an outlet and a place to express themselves and their opinions. Social media allows for more voices to be heard. It gives the victims of bullying an outlet to find others possibly going through the same issues as them and gives them other people to talk to. Without the use of the internet, these connections would not be possible. The support found through others on the internet is a form of support that could possibly not be found at home or through their friends and family near them. 

There are also arguments against social media saying that it makes people feel depressed and have less self-worth. Yet, a CNN article entitled “The Upside for Selfies: Social Media isn’t all bad for kids” says that in a recent survey 28% of kids said social networking made them feel more outgoing, and 29% said it made them feel less shy. These statistics are compared to the 5% that said it made them feel less outgoing and the 3% that said it makes them feel more shy. In another survey taken by CNN, 52% of teens said social media has made their relationships with their friends better versus the 4% who said it has done the opposite. (Wallace). In relation to these statistics about relationships, Khamma Press brings to attention the fact that kids are “creating longer term friendships by being in touch online even when friends are no longer physically meeting” (Khamma Press). Not only do these statistics bring to light the fact that social media can be beneficial, it can “help to build self-confidence as well” (Wallace). Wallace says this is because of the discussions she has had with her peers. Their children’s friends leave comments giving compliments to their children and those in and of themselves are confidence boosters. Khaama Press says that “social networks actually make kids more relationship-oriented, compassionate and emphatic” (Khamma Press). It is so incredibly easy to write something nice to someone about their picture, status or post and takes nearly no time out of one’s day either. This proves that if used the right way social media can be not only a confidence booster for oneself but also a way to do something nice for others. 

 When discussing the internet, the economy can come into play. The internet itself contributes to the United States GDP and also helps to create more jobs. GDP is Gross Domestic Product, which is just the total value of the goods produced and services provided in a country during one year. In an article entitled “Benefits for Busineses Using the Internet,” it states that “setting up your business on the internet can be a lucrative way to attract customers, expand your market, and increase sales” (Burns-Millyard). By turning to the use of the internet and websites, companies can increase their sales tremendously because they are not limited to just customers in their area. Customers from all over are capable of purchasing from these companies that they may previously not have had the opportunity to. Websites like Yelp also allow customers to review and reflect back on their visit or trip, whether it was a restaurant or vacation. These reviews allow businesses and companies to receive feedback on how they are doing and what they may need to improve on. The positive and negative reviews can be very beneficial to businesses. Without the internet and its websites, the broad selection of businesses would not be a possibility and customers would be limited to only those close to them without having to travel great lengths. The internet enhances convenience for its users greatly. 

Another aspect of the internet that relates to businesses is that it improves efficiency for these businesses. The internet can help with “finance management, inventory control and human resources, allowing [one] to lower costs while also reducing the time and labor force needed to the run the business” (Burns-Millyard). Before the internet, sales were only able to occur when the store was open and when customers were coming in to purchase their items. With the use of the internet customers are able to receive twenty four hour a day support and service, which in turn will improve sales.  

Mass media and news platforms contribute to society significantly. Before society was introduced to the internet, people were required to listen to radio broadcasts, turn their televisions on to the news, or read a newspaper to be aware of the happenings around them. Now with the advancements in technology and the internet, it is much easier to be connected to the news. Many news platforms such as CNN and Fox News have websites and even Twitter accounts in which they can post urgent news to let civilians know of dangers around them. These are incredibly important because they help to ensure the safety of the people. 

Smartphones can come into play with the internet because many smartphones have apps of these news platforms. One can set their phone settings to receive notifications so they are alerted immediately when something significant happens near them or far away. From personal experience, in Columbia, there is a Twitter account entitled Drinking Ticket. Drinking Ticket tweets out information that may be useful to student’s safety such as accidents, robberies or floodings in certain areas. These alerts are tweeted out but often times people set their phones to give them notifications that way they are more in the know as quickly as possible. 

Another example in which the internet and social media contribute to society during times of distress is by its ability to reach such a broad audience so quickly. When things like terrorist attacks happen, the faces of these terrorists are plastered all over every social media site, news outlet and website, not including television and radio broadcasts as well. People are talking about it on Facebook, retweeting information on Twitter and posting photos to Instagram. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are just a few of the social media sites that can contribute greatly to the spread of knowledge through these times of distress. Back before this was possible, it took much more time to inform the public of the situations at hand but with the use of the internet people know quickly and efficiently.

The world of social media and the internet has made the ability to be up-to-date and informed that much easier. By just the click of a button one can be connected to a variety of news sources. One article by the Elite Daily argues that “sure, we may not walk around with a newspaper in hand, but we walk around with handheld devices that provide us with access to thousands of news outlets worldwide” (Varner). These outlets allow us to be in the know and their “efficiency is second to none” (Varner). A main argument is that we as millennials aren’t contacting with the real world enough but is that necessarily true? If millennials and those using their smartphones, social media and the internet are reading up on what is happening and staying more informed than ever before, how can that be construed as negative?

Lastly, education has changed tremendously since the invention of the internet. Education and the information the internet provides go hand in hand. Before the internet it was much harder for people who had to work to support themselves to receive a degree or even complete high school. Now that the internet is as advanced as it is, people can have online lectures where they learn at their own pace, view the lectures when it is convenient for them as a way to work them into their schedule. Since online classes have increased, the graduation rates have increased as well because more people are able to participate in the learning process. This makes the education process less biased towards who will succeed and who will fail because there are so many more opportunities for people and knowledge available for those who are interested in using it. 

Like most things in life, the internet has its benefits and its downfalls. The negatives of the internet are limited while the positives seem to be nearly endless. The internet allows users to access basically anything imaginable which broadens knowledge on an incredible amount of different topics. The internet also allows users to communicate and connect with those near and far away. This can be good for families that have had to split up and or move. This communication and connection can also be very valuable for those going through problems in their personal lives. A counterargument of social media is that it creates an outlet for cyberbullying. This is true but there are many reasons that the internet can be helpful to those going through these issues. The internet allows for people to connect to each other and create a sense of unity when they realize they are going through similar situations. All of these positives revolve around social aspects of the internet but there is much more to it than that. The internet improves businesses and the economy. It creates more of a community of buyers and sellers and allows efficiency to increase greatly. The internet also brings into play education and how the knowledge available has increased productivity and graduation rates. The internet may have aspects of it that are not so positive but if it is used in the right, productive way, then the internet can be a great tool for society. 
