The Impact Of The Internet On Culture And Society

As of June 2014, over 42% of the world population have access to the Internet. That is over three billion people, a 741% increase in use since the year 2000. Looking at North America alone, almost 90% of the population has access to the internet. That is 310.3 million people with almost instantaneous access to information, and with the ability to communicate with people all over the country and the world. The Internet has grown significantly as a mass medium, and has radically changed the daily lives of citizens in countries with high access. It is a tool that countries, such as the United States, has integrated into most aspects of life. This has had a profound impact on the culture, society, and relationships of people all over the globe.

These terms are often misused, and seen as interchangeable. Culture is a set of learned behaviors within a group. It is their beliefs, attitudes, and ideals. It is everything from diet, religion, family structure, jobs, and entertainment. Society is the group that shares a particular culture, generally occupying the same territory and having the same political authority. It is the “system of interrelationships that connects individuals” (55). While neither can exist without the other, when discussing the effects of the Internet on culture and society, it is important to note the distinction.

There are many things that the Internet as affected within culture, specifically in developed nations with a higher access rate (ex. The United States):

1. Access to information. The Internet allows information to be shared and accessed quickly. It is relatively easy and cheap to do so, and makes information available to an audience larger than previously

Education. The Internet supports interactive learning. It has also made education more available since college classes, and even entire schools, can be accessed online.

These changes have been very influential and beneficial to our culture. Having access to information without the constraints of time and space gives people more freedom and functionality. It promotes knowledge and helps educate a large audience. The invention of the printing press made knowledge cheaper and more accessible to the general public, and the Internet has taken that a step further. Being able to communicate freely, the Internet allows ideas to be shared with everyone around the world. It makes the planet flat in a sense, promoting international