Running Head: INCREASED INTERNET USAGE EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 1

Nadia Yassawy
IT103-A01
June 11, 2014
Increased Internet Usage Effects on Society














INCREASED INTERNET USAGE EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 2

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Introduction
The evolution of technology and the widespread use of cell phones and technology to
stay connected, has caused modern day Americans to lose a sense of connection to the things or
comments that are viewed online. When an individual can pose as an insignificant identity
without a face attached to their comments a number of possibilities arise when it comes to the
abuse of that kind of power. Young adults are becoming less focused on making important
family relations and more focused on online relationships that often lead to higher levels of
depression and loneliness (Patterson 1998). These relationships have led to the inevitable arise of
internet bullying also known as cyber bullying. Types of cyber bulling include the use of
cellphones and social media to harass another individual. Most common forms of bullying take
place in email messages, social networking sites, chat rooms, text messages, and phone calls. On
the other side of this effect on society, the widespread internet use has led to a sense of
connectivity throughout the globe and has allowed for closer economic and foreign relations in
developing and developed countries (Keats et al, 2007). To further study the relationship
between increased internet usage and the effects on society the different forms of the internet,
internet and identity, cyber bullying, the evolution of the digital age, the effects on teenagers, the
security of the internet today, and the globalization effects of internet usage will be discussed.
Different forms of Internet
The internet today has found itself in many different forms that had not existed twenty
years prior. The internet that had been completely unheard of being accessible in a cellular
device now incorporates GPRS internet connectivity in many hand held smart phones (Ravi et al,
2005). With the evolution of the tablet, internet capabilities are diverging from the traditional
computer and modem use to the more modern Wi-Fi with hand held devices being able to
INCREASED INTERNET USAGE EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 4

wirelessly connect to the internet. These different options for internet accessibilities allow for an
Individual in todays society to take their pick of the device that fits best into their budget, size,
and functionality categories.
Internet and Identity
Internet use among todays teen has increased to the point where Imagined communities
have developed in which MySpace, Facebook and other social media sites have increased
significantly in their popularity (Acquisti, 2006). Anonymous comments many individuals leave
on the internet is as if their identity is protected through the use of a username unrelated to their
actual identity. What many people do not realize is the fact that each computer is encrypted with
an IP address which allows the internet to keep track of what they are doing online and if there
are serious threats online, the use of a documented IP address can prove useful for identification.
The other way individuals view themselves brings feelings of being unknown allows for bashing
and bullying of views similar to the individuals own and can lead to cyber bullying. Websites
like Google+ incorporating the use of real world identity on the internet and was supposed to be
well received but has ended up doing very poorly with many individuals feeling as if they are
over sharing too much information with the public.
Cyber bulling
Cyber bullying has also developed in to an issue with the rise of internet usage and
identity on the internet. Cyber bullying includes flaming, harassment, messages, impersonation,
trickery, exclusion, and cyber stalking. Other forms of cyber bullying include the concept of
being bullied through the internet through the use of written harassment by another individual. A
fairly new concept developed to address the growing issue of bullying through the internet.
Cyber bullying has led to the suicides of teens across the globe with one of them being Tyler
INCREASED INTERNET USAGE EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 5

Clementi who was harassed by his fellow peers until mentally he couldnt take it anymore and
decided to take his own life (Hu, 2010). Tyler who happened to be gay was talking to another
man online until the individuals around him found out and began harassing him (Hu, 2010).
Cyber bullying can take form anonymously or through social media sites in which an individual
is aware of the other individuals identity.
Evolution of the Digital age
Back in 2004 the most popular cell phone was a simple flip phone with three inch
antennae in which the only functions were calling, text messaging, a few games in which one had
to play the trials or run the risk of running up their phone bill, and very few other functions. With
2004 being only around ten years ago, the fact that the modern day cell phone has lost its old
counterpart for a more versatile tool is understated. The statistics of 74% of Americans 18 or
older being connected to the internet amounts to more than 200,000,000 Americans using the
internet with 60% of those have broadband connections available at their home with is more than
160,000,000 Americans (Rainie 2010). The statistics also report those with higher educational
attainment have higher internet usage rates than those who have less than a high school degree.
39% of those with less than high school were connected to the internet with 94% of those
connected had finished college (Rainie 2010). The modern day cell phone, or smart phone in
many developed countries, has become a tool many people have come to heavily depend on.
Effects on teenagers
Growing depression and suicide rates due to opinions expressed on the internet and
growing capabilities of open expression of views. Worldwide children have caused other
children mental harm through harassment in the form of internet and cell phone technology(Hu,
2010). Many of the most aggressive harassers come from those who have been bullied by others
INCREASED INTERNET USAGE EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 6

and feel the most pain and retaliate to their peers (Brahme et al 2014). Stalking behaviors cause
isolation, fear, hopelessness, depression, and adjustment problems which is a cause for the
awareness of this issue. A recent study has found that moderate to severe depression was found
in those with pathological Internet use (Young, 2009). The internet acts as a sort of drug for
some individuals with addictive personalities who admit to being addicted to the internet. If these
individuals did not have a reason prior to the study to see a psychiatrist, with the Internet those
who admit to being addicted are pushed to be diagnosed with a psychiatric condition (Young,
2009).
Security of Internet Usage
With the increased use of social media sites to connect people and the use of the internet
as means of communication for many individuals, privacy and security concerns have arisen
(Acquisti, 2006). With the formation of how high school students and college students view
themselves on the internet, many dont realize how whatever they post is public if they choose to
do so. In a few incidents students who have posted pictures of themselves partying have been
written up as their pictures conflict with the schools policy for alcohol usage (Acquisti, 2006).
This may have happened as teenagers are bringing more of their lives for public viewing and
caring less as to what the consequences are. Another incident is a student at Norwich University
who is majoring in criminal justice, but happened to admit to shoplifting on his MySpace page
(Acquisti, 2006). With public profiles such as this more employers are asking for their future
employees for their Facebook page so they can the exactly what kind of person they are hiring
whether the individual is a reckless partyer or if they think before they post.
Globalization through internet usage & Conclusion
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The internet connects billions of people around the world to one another and social
media/ entertainment sites such as YouTube and Facebook have rose to international popularity.
Great way to connect those around the globe, but can cause loneliness in many users of the
internet. The internet is still however a very powerful tool which should not be misused and as
more schools are pushing for security and privacy among adolescents with internet access, more
individuals are learning to be safer on the internet. Even with the many privacy laws that exist
today cyber stalking and other forms of bullying are causing the real form of the Internet to take
place. The globalization portion of the internet does allow for News to be read quicker and
allows for individuals who feel strongly about a certain issue to congregate together and raise
awareness. An example in which Facebook users pushed for the awareness of the invisible
children campaign was when the viral video KONY 2012 was declared the fastest growing viral
video with 100 million people pledging to stop Joseph Kony (Waldorf, 2012). This social
experiment proved that with the internet individuals can join together and raise awareness of
issues that used to be blind to the public eye. Due to the security of the Internet however a more
monitoring a system in which children and teenagers are more carefully integrated into the raw
world of the internet there may still be hope for the future.

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Bibliography:
Brahme, A., Mundhe, S. D., & Joshi, S. (2014). CYBERBULLYING AN EMERGING
ANXIETY IN EDUCATION AND SOCIETY : AN EFFECTIVE INTERNET USAGE
MANAGEMENT MODEL. International Journal of Management, IT and Engineering, 4(2),
151-158. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1509208960?accountid=14541
-This article includes the information posted about cyberbullying and the effects that it
has created in society. A few points of how to address these issues are also covered in the
article.
Froeschle, J. G., Mavorga, M., Castillo, Y., & Hargrave, T. Strategies to Prevent and Heal the
Mental Anguish Caused by Cyberbullying. Middle School Journal, 39, 30-35.

-This article focuses on the mental stress that has been put on society due to the heavy
use of technology and cyber bullying.

Hu, W. (2010, October 1). Legal Debate Swirls Over Charges in a Students Suicide. The New
York Times.
-This article informs society of the dangers of what a webcam can do when someone else
can take control of it and leak an individuals private life online. A laptop can be hacked
or even taken control of without the users conscious awareness and can lead to serious
privacy issues. This article was written in 2010 in the New York Times.
Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukophadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998).
Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-
being?. American psychologist, 53(9), 1017.
-Information cited from this source was the data of increased internet usage on the
negative effects of social involvement and the decrease in communication with household
family members, decline of a social circle, and increases in depression and lonliness.

Keats, D., Beebe, M., & Kullenberg, G. (2007). Using the Internet to enable developing country
universities to meet the challenges of globalization through collaborative virtual programmes
(originally published in October 2003). First Monday.
- This article states that with the power of internet technology partnerships at a global level
may be achieved in the developing world. The article writes about NetTel Africa and the
International Ocean Institute Virtual University in how technology can be used to
respond to the opportunities of globalization and how the developing counties need that
extra push through partnerships so they can unite with the globalizing world.
INCREASED INTERNET USAGE EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 9

Ravi, N., Stern, P., Desai, N., & Iftode, L. (2005, March). Accessing ubiquitous services using
smart phones. In Pervasive Computing and Communications, 2005. PerCom 2005. Third IEEE
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- The article states the integration of the Bluetooth service discovery protocol and GPRS
internet connectivity provides for accessing the internet in various environments.
Acquisti, A., & Gross, R. (2006, January). Imagined communities: Awareness, information
sharing, and privacy on the Facebook. In Privacy enhancing technologies (pp. 36-58). Springer
Berlin Heidelberg.
- The information in which the individual who posted partying pictures from Kansas
University and was written up for the alcohol violation and the Individual majoring in
Criminal Justice and admitted to shoplifting was found in this book. The title of this book
is called Privacy Enhancing Technologies and was found through Google Scholar.
Rainie, L. (2010). Internet, broadband, and cell phone statistics. Pew Internet & American Life
Project, 5.
- Statistics obtained from this PDF file were from the Pew Research Center & American
Life Project. The survey included over 2,000 adults and has a margin of error of about
2%. These statistics were obtained from Google Scholar.
KIMBERLY S. YOUNG and ROBERT C. ROGERS. CyberPsychology & Behavior. SPRING
1998, 1(1): 25-28. doi:10.1089/cpb.1998.1.25.
- The statistics quoted from this article were surveyed from 300 individuals with 259 of
them being valid. The survey compared those who cited their internet usage to those
found in the Beck Depression Inventory. The article was referenced in 50+ other articles
and was found through Google scholar.
Waldorf, L. (2012). White noise: Hearing the disaster. Journal of Human Rights Practice, 4(3),
469-474.
- This article writes about the human rights campaign and the hysteria that surrounded the
viral video Kony 2012. With about 100 million individuals creating an issue even
politicians couldnt ignore. The way Kony 2012 grew so substantially is due to the fact
that it repackages humanitarianism and activism.