Sometimes, I find myself reminiscing on what life was like before we had an internet connection in our houses. This is from the days when dial-up internet was more common and not everyone had access to it.
We would go visit our friends more often and talk or play the entire day. Then came the internet, and we completely forgot that physical interactions still exist too.
However, the internet made talking to people a lot easier. Now, all your contacts are just a call or a text away! There is no doubt that the internet brought drastic changes in the way we interact with each other, and here’s how.
Instantaneous Communication
It feels weird when you think about the fact that hundreds of years ago, people used to rely on letters to send messages. Even strangely, you would have to wait days for your message to be delivered and then even more days to get a response back.
With the internet, you can send messages to people in real time, and that too all over the world! However, the sender and recipient need to be connected to the internet to do so.
Not only can you send text messages through the internet, but you can make video calls on the go. All you need to do is make sure that your internet is speedy and less sloppy to make smooth calls.
Pro Tip: Xfinity Internet Plans come with excellent Internet speeds and millions of countrywide WiFi hotspots, keeping you connected at all times. You can connect with your loved ones from anywhere without worrying about the internet connectivity.
Online Meetings
There was a time when everyone had to be a part of office meetings that would usually take place in fancy conference rooms. However, things changed when the world was struck by the coronavirus, and offices were compelled to operate remotely. It resulted in holding meetings online on platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
Even though the virus faded out, many companies still prefer holding meetings online. All of this is possible, thanks to the existence of good internet all over the world.
Interactions through Online Gaming
Who says that you only have to go out in person so that you can make friends and play with them? Regardless of whatever age you may be, you can always head to the internet and play online with people from all over the world.
There are lots of people out there who would have the same mindset as you and would match your vibe as well. You can add them as “friends” on whichever game you are playing so that you can play together frequently.
You can test your skills with your friends, and who knows, one day when you and your online friends will be comfortable enough to meet in person.
Downsides of the Internet for Social Interactivity
All that glitters isn’t gold.
While the internet can prove to be something useful for you, it can also turn into a nuisance.
I’ll tell you some of the common ways in which interacting with other people on the internet can turn into more of a nightmare than a dream.
Catfishing
If there’s one thing that’s very common on the internet, it’s catfishing. People create fake profiles in order to lure the other person into a potential trap. For instance, some guy could pretend to be a woman and ask another man for some money, catfishing him.
Not only this, people actually run large-scale scams by catfishing other people. This is exactly why you have to be completely certain about someone before talking to them on the internet. Always remember never to give sensitive information out to someone that you don’t know.
Phishing
Another online offense is phishing. In this kind of scam, people create seemingly believable links, but when you open the link and enter your information, it sends all your information to a hacker who can exploit your data.
This is why it is advised that you shouldn’t open unfamiliar links when you are chatting with someone online, because who knows, it could turn out to be a phishing attempt too.
Cyberbullying
This has to be the most common out of everything else because when people do it, they don’t realize the severity of the online crime they are committing. Sadly, this is more common among kids, while there used to be bullies in school back in the day. Now, you can find bullies on the internet too.
It is important to keep an eye on your kids and see who they are talking to so that they don’t get influenced by anyone spreading negativity on the internet.
Key Takeaways
While the internet is a blessing for us modern-age humans, it can also be dangerous if not used carefully. Therefore, always remember to use the internet with extreme caution!
