The Internet: The Importance Of Social Media And The Internet

Since the invention of the world wide web in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, the global spread of information has become increasingly easy, as more and more resources become available online. The internet can be a useful tool in research and a great way to accumulate valuable information and knowledge, and can be a medium used to spark intelligent and meaningful discussions, but only if used correctly. Poor navigation of the surplus of content available online can lead to a sinkhole of inaccurate and, frankly, bullshit sources. Attempts at academic communication via online sources can devolve into echo rooms or mindless, childish retorts.

Technology, namely the internet, has become an important and present part of our lives, both socially and academically.

Clickhole sites and laughingly inaccurate “true” stories are shared around social media like wildfire. The need for instant gratification provided by the fast paced and ever ‘refreshing’ social media sites lead websites to use eye catching and scandalous headlines to draw the reader in. Headlines like “Stepping Up: When Their School Dissolved Its ROTC Program, These Students Formed Their Own Paramilitary Group” and “Taking A Stand: Dunkin’ Donuts Has Just Announced That It Will Perform One Abortion” (clickhole) are created solely to draw in readers and get clicks on the article. Although most of these articles are clearly satirical upon reading, or have content that doesn’t quite match up to it’s headline, most people just read the headline and the first two or three sentences before moving on and don’t necessarily get the satirical aspect, which can cause unnecessary controversy or unrest. The comment sections for these articles, and even for some that are slightly more trustworthy, more often than not, devolve into mindless chatter and name calling. Participants will ignore other arguments, however valid, and attack anyone who thinks differently from them. These types of people, however, exist in real life debates as