The Internet is the most popular way of getting information nowadays and its popularity is still growing. More and more people use the Internet in different fields. The number of Internet users is growing but it’s not the only thing that makes this media expand. The social change in communication and getting information as well as entertainment is found not only in growing numbers of users, but also in the fact that web users will be doing more and more things on the Internet in the future. According to research the average user is engaging in at least 5 types of activities on the Web.
What do users do on the Internet?
- E-mailing – 90% of all Internet users claim to be e-mailers. It is by far the most common Internet activity.
- Using the web library – the Internet today is a giant public library. People search the Internet information about products, travel, hobbies, and general information.
- Entertainment – a little over a third of all Internet users report using the web to entertain. Computer games such as online chess, role-playing games are very popular.
- Chat rooms – they are for the young and the anonymous but more and more people use them to communicate and meet new friends.
- Shopping – purchasing, online auctions, and e-banking. Business via Internet is still in its earliest stages but developing rapidly (getting airline tickets online, booking hotels, bank transactions).
Internet users are able to get hundreds of different pieces of information within a minute. They can easily move on the Internet and they know the way of looking for information as well as eliminating wrong or unsafe information.
Unfortunately, people who spend long hours on the Internet are in danger of loosing contact with reality. You think you need a lot of time for that? The truth is that this effect is noticeable even with just 2–5 Internet hours/week.
You may have noticed that nowadays people work longer hours than they did ten years ago. It’s not only that employers are more demanding, employees always have the impression they can do much more. Surfing on the internet makes you feel you are opening a new gate of information and sources for your job every minute.
The Internet is slowly taking over our world and we can’t run away. When our generation becomes grandparents, our grandchildren will be able to have contact with us via Internet 24/7. We will be getting recent photos and will be happy to visit our family every day although we’ll live 200 kilometers away. But will we be meeting them in person?
Improve your vocabulary!
to expand – rozszerzać się
to claim – twierdzić, domagać się
a library – biblioteka
entertainment – rozrywka
anonymous – anonimowy
purchasing – zaopatrywanie, nabywanie
auctions – aukcje
noticeable – zauważalne
employers – pracodawcy
employees – pracownicy
demanding – wymagający, domagający się
sources – źródła