Information society from a comparative perspective: Digital divide and social effects of the Internet (original) (raw)

The impact of the Internet on the social lives of users A representative sample from 13 countries

One of the most vociferous criticisms of the Internet has always been that it contributes to loneliness among its users. This study analyses results from the World Internet Project, comprised of representative samples from 13 countries (22,002 participants). Thus creating an exceptional international representative sample. In analyzing those results, we argue that in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the Internet’s influence over individuals’ social lives; it is essential to consider the different types of social connections that might be influenced by the Internet. We assess the influence of Internet use over social interactions in separate life domains (e.g. with family members; friends; colleagues). Our analysis confirms that Internet usage can actually enhance the social lives of its users. Qualifications to the research are discussed while highlighting the different life domains in which we found significant correlations between Internet usage and increased social interactions.

The Effect of Internet on Family Relationships: Current Theories and Controversies

Research on humanities and social sciences, 2017

There is an ongoing debate whether or not introduction of new technologies, such as Internet, into the household can potentially change the quality of family relationships. This paper examines the theoretical frameworks researchers used to understand the effect of modern technology on family relationship. It brings together work from different fields that examine the relationship between Internet usage and family time. Besides, this paper also aims to explore the perception of youth on Internet. To find out the perception of youth, whether Internet is changing their family relationship or not, this study used quantitative method of data collection. The sample consisted of 384 young Internet users of Dhaka city. Questionnaire was employed as a tool of data collection. This research also features different theories from social scientists regarding the usage of Internet, controversies that surround youth participation in these online communities and offer suitable areas for future rese...

The Internetand Social Life

Although there has been a tremendous amount of discussion in the popular press about how the Internet is changing all facets of social life, research on the impact of the Internet is only beginning to emerge. A review of the studies reported in this issue suggests that the Internet may have had less impact on many aspects of social life than is frequently supposed. In many cases, the Internet seems to have created a new way of doing old things, rather than being a technology that changes the manner in which people live their lives. As a consequence, the policy implications of increasing Internet use may be less than is often believed. There is no question that easy access to the Internet, like the introduction of reliable mail service and the invention of the telephone, has changed the nature of people's connection to others in their social world. Mail made possible connections among people without physical proximity, and the telephone facilitated communication among distant people, making rapid connections possible across long distances. The Internet has created an electronic mail system, merging the speed and flexibility of the telephone with the written character of the mail. People can now write letters that are transmitted virtually immediately throughout the globe. But has this communication revolution changed the nature of interpersonal and group processes? The research reviewed in this issue makes it clear that the basic nature of people's relationships with others may have changed less because of the Internet than is often suggested. On the contrary, there are suggestions that the Internet may be a new way for people to do old things. That is, there may be new and useful capabilities associated with electronic communication, and those may have led to changes in patterns of life, but the basic social patterns of

Internet and society

Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of …, 2000

Over the last five years, the revolution in information technology (IT) has resulted in innovations that are having increasingly visible effects on the life of the average American. These developments affect not only how people work, but where they work, how much they work, or with whom they interact face to face or electronically. Will future workers continue to share physical proximity with their colleagues, or work largely alone wedded to digital devices with occasional electronic mail or voice communication? What will these changes mean for social trust and social life beyond the family? Will the growing trend of working at home with the aid of IT help strengthen the family or add to the intrusion of the workplace into the home? Will it reduce the hours people work, or increase them by infusing work into every sphere of life, devouring leisure-time and family-life? And how will the Internet affect the role and use of the traditional media?

Understanding the effects of the Internet on family life

Handbook of contemporary families: Diversity in families (pp. 706-720), 2004

We examine research on the effects of computers and the Internet on families to bring about a better understanding of how this technology influences family life. We begin with an overview of the extent to which computers and the Internet have become part of the landscape of family life. To provide perspective, we also consider information about other communication technologies. Then we look at five questions regarding the effects of computers and the Internet on families: (a) How has the Internet affected romantic relationships? (b) How has the Internet affected family relationships? (c) How does the Internet affect family ties to social networks? (d) How is the intersection of work and family altered by the Internet? and (e) How can the Internet be used to help families?

How the Internet is Used by the Millennial Generation and Its Impact on Family Interaction

2016

The purpose of the current study was to examine how Internet technology is used by the Millennial Generation and how it impacts family interaction. A questionnaire developed by the author was posted online and the final sample consisted of 92 participants, 13 men and 79 women. The average age of the participants was 27.97 (SD= 4.46). Findings showed that that the Millennial Generation used the Internet multiple times a day and for many reasons which were sorted into six distinct themes: 1) research/information seeking, 2) work, 3) social media/communication (besides email), 4) academics, 5) email, and 6) personal/entertainment. In addition, the results implied that overall, the participants perceived that the use of Internet technology has a positive effect on family interactions and communications. Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my family. For my husband, who has been my rock through everything and my biggest supporter, my children who learned to be patient with me while I ...

Social and Psychological Effects of the Internet Use

Acta Informatica Medica, 2016

Background and Aims: Over the past two decades there was an upsurge of the use of Internet in human life. With this continuous development, Internet users are able to communicate with any part of the globe, to shop online, to use it as a mean of education, to work remotely and to conduct financial transactions. Unfortunately, this rapid development of the Internet has a detrimental impact in our life, which leads to various phenomena such as cyber bullying, cyber porn, cyber suicide, Internet addiction, social isolation, cyber racism etc. The main purpose of this paper is to record and analyze all these social and psychological effects that appears to users due to the extensive use of the Internet. Materials and Methods: This review study was a thorough search of bibliography data conducted through Internet and library research studies. Key words were extracted from search engines and data bases including Google, Yahoo, Scholar Google, PubMed. Findings: The findings of this study showed that the Internet offers a quick access to information and facilitates communication however; it is quite dangerous, especially for young users. For this reason, users should be aware of it and face critically any information that is handed from the website