The Impact of The Internet

The Impact of The Internet
The Internet presents a true revolution in many areas of our life. It has changed the way we study, work , entertain or comunicate with family, friends, business partners and poeple we do not konw.It has made access to any type of information easier. Nowadays, we do not have to use the phone anymore to find out about departures of trains, opening hours or details about products or services. We do not depand on encyclopedias or dictionaries to find information. Internet search engines and online books and dictionaries are gradually replacing them.

1.  Why the Internet has grown
· The PC is becoming commonplace in many homes and there is a general acceptance that this is a way forward.
· Analogue phone lines are being replaced by faster digital lines (ISDN).
· Even faster high-speed digital connections will soon be delivered to households, offering a whole day connection to the Net.
· Many countries around the world are developing in communication technology via satellite, wireless and cable   to enhance worldwide Internet access.
· Access to the Internet and its services have already become available through the use of digital TVs and mobile phones.
· The use of the Internet by many business, organisations and the general public has led to a rapid increase in the number of sites.
Clearly all these developments are going to change the way we work, live and experience life.

2. The Internet and the way we work
Information technology has had an impact on the way we work for quite some time, but the Internet has now added electronic mail (email), teleworking and video conferencing to the workplace.

Teleworking
The ability to work from home by means of a PC or laptop and since some communications link are increasing, and there are a number of benefits to the employer:
· Office running costs and overheads (rates, electricity, heating etc.) can be reduced, which in turn may reduce the need for office space.
· Travel-related problems may be reduced.
· It may tempt better staff to come and work for the company.
However, employers need to be able to trust their staff and be prepared to have less direct control over them.

Benefits for the employee include:
· You can work from the comfort of your own home.
· There is no time wasted travelling and no travel costs.

- It enables you to work around the needs of your family and/or children, giving you greater flexibility.

· It is more convenient - you can plan the working day to suit you, which could help reduce stress levels.
Drawbacks include:
· There is less opportunity to meet up with people and share ideas therefore  teamwork is more difficult.
· There may be more temptation to spend time on non-work-related activities.

Video conferencing
Video conferencing means using computers to provide a video-link between two or more people. Instead of just talking to someone by telephone, you are able to see them as well.

Benefits include:
· Meetings can take place without leaving the office.
· Travel costs and the time taken to travel can be reduced significantly.
· Meetings can be called instantly worldwide with little notice.
· Delegates can still attend meetings even if they are physically unable to.

Drawbacks include:
- May not be as productive as a discussion around a table.

· Confidential documents may need to be viewed and signed in person.
· There will always be times when you need to be able to meet face to face with another person.

3. How the Internet is changing our lifestyle
· Home shopping
Home shopping options are many and varied and changing all the time. Most major supermarkets are now on-line, offering home delivery of goods and increasingly,  the major high street stores are also  competing for on-line trading. The Internet lends itself to shops selling goods which are easily portable, such as CDs and books.

The benefits of home shopping to the customer include:
· You can avoid long queues, save time and shop from the comfort of your own home.
· You do not have to travel into city centres or pay for car parking costs.
· You can shop around for the best prices and shop abroad for cheaper goods.
· It can offer the customer a wider range of shopping, 24 hours a day all year round
· People who are house-bound have the ability to shop and have goods delivered.
The possible drawbacks of home shopping include:
· Security worries about payment by credit card over the Internet.
· You do not get to see the goods before purchase which may be defective.
· You may worry that the the goods will never arrive!
· There may be concerns over retailers collecting details about the buying habits of customers.
Benefits to the company include:
· It opens the market to customers nationally and internationally.
· It enables smaller companies to compete with larger companies.
· There may be a possible reduction in staffing and/or shopping outlets, thereby reducing costs.
· You can offer 24 hour shopping at minimum cost.
 
Home banking
Most major banks now offer online banking and some are offering only Internet banking. Without the overheads of running and staffing the high street branches they can offer higher rates of interest to customers.

Services offered include:
· You can pay your bills from the comfort of your home or the workplace.
· It is possible to transfer money immediately to high interest accounts.
· You can check balances and daily transactions on line anytime.
· It is possible to set up direct debits and order stationery on line.
Benefits to the customer include:
· All services are from the comfort of your home or workplace, 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year
· Higher interest rates are available to Internet bankers.
· It is easy to shop around on line for the best interest rates and switch funds automatically.
Concerns include:
· Small branches are closing or having opening hours reduced.
· Reductions in staffing at the major banks.
· The move towards banking from your PC, digital TV or mobile phone will only increase these concerns.
· Some customers have worries about security because of possible credit card fraud.

4. Concerns about the Internet
The Internet and freedom of speech
· No-one owns the Internet so anybody can post anything on it.
· The Internet is a great source of information but it has also become the home of political propaganda, racism, pornography and other controversial or illegal material.
· Apart from physically restricting access the only control is through some form of  filtering software.
· Increasingly individuals and authorities are recommending some sort of control.
Arguments for control
· Increasingly individuals and authorities are recommending some sort of control.
· To prevent young children accessing unsuitable material.
· To make the Web more efficient - at present there is too much useless information.
· To ensure copyright laws are maintained.
Arguments against control
· The aim of the Internet is to be a free source of information.
· Unsuitable material is easily available in other ways.
· Control would cost money and users would have to pay.
· Control would be very difficult to enforce.

Internet crime
New technology brings with it new crimes and as a result some governments are setting up special units to deal with Internet crime. Concerns surround:
· the interception of credit card details and transactions online.
· hacking into personal, private files with criminal intent.
· fraudulent web sites taking credit card details from customers.
· the spreading of viruses thorugh the Internet.

Internet security
A number of steps are being taken to reassure the general public that the Internet is safe:
· Data is encoded before transmission using encryption techniques which scramble the data. The data is then decoded at the receiving end (decryption).
· The use of passwords and access level restrictions.
· The use of firewalls (servers that filter incoming messages to protect LANs from viruses and hacking).
· Tough penalties for offenders under the Computer Misuse Act.

5. The future
Increased speed of access combined with digital, satellite and wireless technologies will see Internet use and the resources on offer continue to expand. In the home digital TV offering Internet access will enable home viewers to shop, bank, play games and send email. At work digital phone lines will offer companies high-speed communication enabling business to be conducted quickly, efficiently and with reduced costs. Access to video conference links will become commonplace.

Wireless technology (WAP) will support mobile phones offering hand-held Internet access. Pocket-sized units will link email to weather, news, travel, entertainment listings and holiday information. As connection speeds improve, banking, shopping and video conferencing will take place on the move, in the car on the bus, train or plane.

On the road new systems will be able to pinpoint your car on an onboard computer which will provide access to road and traffic information. Car phones will link to the Internet allowing drivers to check their email.