GLOBAL IMPACT OF THE INTERNET.

In 1969, the Defence Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded the first operational packet switching network called Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). By 1973, ARPANET was to be connected with mobile networks using synchronous satellites (SATNET) and mobile packet radio (PRNET). This led to the creation of the internet (Peter Magnusson). The internet is one of the greatest inventions in mdodern times. From interlinking 4 Super computing centres for military research, the internet has now interlinked millions of computers worldwide. As at 31st December 2011, the estimated global internet users was 2,267,233,742 (Miniwatts marketting Group, 2012). Some basic uses of the internet are for information sharing, social networking, communication, transfer of files, entertainment, financial transactions and online education, e.t.c. The internet can be used negatively or positively. In positive cases, social networking sites like facebook and yahoo has helped reconnect lost friends and has made it easier to make new friends irrespective of you geographical location. Communication over the net has reduced files of phone calls because buisness organisations and individuals can now make cheaper calls and video conferencing online. Distance barriers have also been broken in communication through the internet. On January 2010, Engineer T.J Creamer sent a tweet from space. This tweet was sent from a space station 250miles above earth and it travelled at a speed of 17,300mps (Alex Pasternack). Internet banking has also reduced Queues in banks and has made the transfer of funds easier and faster. Online education has made it easier and cheaper for students in differents countries to get quality education at the comfort of their homes. The internet has also been used negatively. The internet has aided fraudsters in identity theft and other forms of scam. Stalkers and criminals have also used the internet to locate their victims. Computer viruses are now used as wepons and are sent through the internet. An example being the worm that breached irans nuclear plant in 2010. The arab uprising was fuelled by internet social networks. Copyrite laws are being broken dayly with the illegal sales and sharing of music and videos over download sites. Children are easily exposed to adult films and games which ends up affecting them physcologically. Negatively or postively, the internet has impacted the world and has turned the world into a global village. Stiffer security measures should be taken to monitor the internet traffic so as to reduce the negative impacts
References: Mystery Surrounds Cyber Missile That Crippled Iran's Nuclear Weapons Ambitions Written By Ed Barnes Published November 26, 2010 FoxNews.com First Major Use of the Internet in Space: A Tweet Alex Pasternack. Jan 22, 2010 INTERNET USAGE STATISTICS The Internet Big Picture World Internet Users and Population Stats Miniwatts Marketting Group, 2012