Norman Nie is the main investigator into the social impact of the Internet. After research studying 4000 people in 2000 homes, he came to the conclusion that it is non-beneficial to society as, "The Internet could be the ultimate isolating technology that further reduces our participation in communities even more than television did before it," he believes that increasing numbers of users, using the Internet for longer durations, “the more years people have been using the Internet, the more hours they tend to spend online.”
The use of the Internet might be helping people stay in touch who are long distances apart, but it also could be hurting the quality of interaction, and leading to more isolation. "E-mail is a way to stay in touch, but you can't share a coffee or a beer with somebody on e-mail or give them a hug”.
However on the other side of the argument, many say the Internet say the Internet is pro socially when used sensibly. About two-thirds of the Internet users surveyed said they spent less than five hours a week online. People who have incorporated the Internet find it a useful tool in their everyday lives with no harmful effects. Nearly 60 percent of those who email friends and family were in contact with loved ones more often than before, and 75 percent said they had seen a friend or family member the previous day. Socially active people tend to use email in particular to allow them to communicate more and it actually extends their social life.
A UCLA study, reported findings that the Internet has become a household activity, with 47 percent of web users going online with another household member at least once a week. Most users were not concerned that the Internet affected physical interaction 88.4% claimed the Internet had no effect on the time household members spend together, this could well depend upon where the computer was situated in the household, rather than different rooms promoting separation, advising people to place their computers "in a communal room or high traffic area." Doing so, would help "create an environment where family may flourish in all the same ways it did when everyone ate dinner or watched TV together." The majority of adults questioned in the survey had no problems with children using the Internet. Almost 90 percent believed that children spend the right amount of time on the Internet, 70.5 percent said it does not affect children's grades, and 93 percent felt the Internet had no bearing on the amount of time children spend with their friends.
Other points about the Internet can easily be viewed in two lights, one positively the other negatively; Pornography available on the Internet will get perverts off the streets and allow them a harmless area to carry out fantasies without hurting anyone, however in doing so, with it being easily available on the Internet, will further exploit women and children. “More people will be needed in the sex industry to produce the material to satisfy a growing demand.” Educationally, the Internet will make studying and doing projects and assignments easier due to how easy it is for students to find helpful material, however, teachers will be suspicious of students handing in projects based on Internet research since it will be difficult to tell what work is the student's, and what work is copied. The Internet can save people time (e.g. electronic banking) so we can have more time for recreation and leisure activities. It could be said that the Internet creates more work, spending an extra 45 minutes answering emails that were never there before. Internet access by regular people allows them to put up websites and express ideas and opinions freely. “Enhanced freedom of expression is a great attribute of being able to publish on the World Wide Web”. However “Advanced techniques to follow and track a person's surfing will decrease privacy since strangers and potential employers will be allowed easy access to personal information about you.” Small businesses can find the Internet very useful because it allows them to do business without having to spend the money on a physical store. But, developing a good web page and Internet marketing can be very expensive and requires a lot of time and special expertise/knowledge, many small businesses cannot afford this. Internet web sites can be used by different cultural groups to promote activities and understanding of their views and connect similarly minded people together around the world. However racist groups can put up web sites under the area of free speech and it is very difficult to shut them down.
In conclusion, I personally believe that the Internet is valuable and useful resource which similar to many things when used properly doesn’t cause any harm and it potentially very beneficial to everyone. However when misused, it can become detrimental to those who use it, promote anti-social behaviors and other such activities which are negative.
