The internet can be a useful and amazing tool when it is used properly. You can do research and find a lot of useful information. However, with the creation of the internet more and more people are losing their ability to communicate on a face to face basis. As a whole, our society relies too much on a computer to do our talking for us through emails, instant message and chat rooms. People even rely on the internet to get dates. Many people also use the internet as an outlet to harm others. They use personal information that people have put online to harm and ridicule them. While the internet can be a useful tool, people need to be more cautious about what they put online and should also use the internet in moderation.
MySpace and Facebook have created a number of problems ever since they were created. Many people have used these two sites to bully others and cause them pain. For example, one mother posed as a teenage boy on MySpace and cyber bullied a 13 year old girl. The young girl eventually committed suicide after being bullied by this woman for weeks. Cyber bullying has become a huge problem on social networks. People do not realize that what they say online can cause someone emotional harm. People also tend to put too much personal information on these two sites. Young people will often put their address or phone numbers online and this allows predators to have easier access to them. Others will post pictures of themselves getting drunk and acting crazy at parties. Colleges often look at prospective student’s MySpace or Facebook pages to see if they have these types of photos on there. Some applicants have been rejected due to the material that was on their pages. In order to avoid conflict and problems, people should use these sites on a limited basis and be wary of just how much information that they post on them.
Craigslist is another website that has recently been causing problems. One man posted an advertisement on the site so he could sell his unwanted jewelry and included his address in the advertisement. A couple responded to the advertisement, came to the man’s home and murdered him. Michael John Anderson used Craigslist to lure women to his home, so he could kill them. He posted an advertisement saying that he needed a nanny to look after his children. A young woman responded to the advertisement and Anderson shot and murdered her. These examples show that predators can easily harm others by just using the internet as their resource. People should be careful of the information that they post on this website and should be wary before they respond to any advertisement.

The internet has also caused a loss of face to face communication. Today, people use email, instant message, and chat rooms to do their communication for them. People rarely talk to someone in person anymore. We even use the internet to get dates through websites like E-Harmony . What happened to people meeting each other in a public setting? This loss of face to face communication has caused other problems as well. In chat rooms or on instant messaging sites, you can never be sure of whom you are really talking to. Many people believe that they are talking to someone they can trust and reveal personal information to them. A lot of times it turns out that they have been talking to a predator that then uses this personal information against them.

People need to realize that while the Internet is an excellent tool, it can also be a dangerous place that can cause harm and could lead to a loss of face to face communication if it is used too often. People should be cautious about what kind of information that they place online and also be careful about who they are talking to. If they keep these things in mind, the Internet can provide them with a great tool for research and information. People should also limit the amount of time that they are on the internet. It will keep them out of trouble and will allow them more time to be able to get out of the house and into a public setting where they can communicate with real people.