Introduction
One of the most exciting elements of life in the contemporary world is the internet. Studies have established that society has changed a lot since the inception and introduction of the internet in the world. The concept of the internet involves a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computers that use the Transmission Control Portal (TCP) network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange (Schell 66). Currently, people are very reliant on the internet in doing most things that involve their social and economic lives. Through the internet, people have been able to increase their level of interactions through various social networking sites. Besides, the internet has played a major role in digitizing the accessibility and provision of various services that are now available on the web. The United States is regarded as one of the biggest consumers and beneficiaries of the internet because it was invented there and they have a reliable infrastructure capable of promoting various emerging technologies (Brockman 113). The internet has had a huge impact on the United States about the process of socialization, the electoral process, economic growth, innovations, and education among other major elements of the society (Schell 71). The internet has and will continue to change the way people in the United States live because it provides necessary interruptions that have a profound effect on the way people think.
Impact on the economy
According to research, one of the major impacts of the internet in the United States has been boosting economic expansion through the numerous opportunities it creates. Businesses in the contemporary world have integrated the internet into their operations because it helps to improve the efficiency of their service delivery system and monitoring strategies (Brockman 134). Their sales and distribution activities are often managed and monitored from a central location, thus making it easy to detect any malpractices or barriers that could be slowing down the growth process. Also, the introduction of online markets has helped businesses to increase their customer base and sell their brand to more people across the world. Studies have established that online shops have a greater preference in the contemporary world to their effectiveness, ease of use, and quick customer service (Wyckoff 21). The internet has borne several shipping companies that provide various services to people that buy and sell their products online. They are very effective about the particulars of every product they are supposed to deliver to their clients Through internet-based tools such as iTunes, YouTube, and Google play store, businesses have been able to increase their revenue streams because their products, services, and information are readily available to any interested parties (Brockman 149). Unlike in the past when people had to meet physically to work, socialize and exchange information, the internet has made the process easier because people can communicate from different locations through mails, instant messaging, and video calls without creating the need to meet (Bailey 8). This element has played a major role in boosting the economy through job creations and the revenue generated from the charges incurred by the people that use the services.
The internet has helped in addressing the deficits experienced in the country’s labor market through outsourcing (Wyckoff 30). Federal reports indicate that several American companies have employed many foreigners, though various internet-based working platforms. This has played a major role in helping companies outsource because even the mode of payment, once the work has been done, is internet-based. Online payment platforms such as PayPal have contributed a lot to the high amount of money getting into the economy from foreign markets (Bailey 13). Through the internet, many advertisers now have the opportunity to sell their brand to a global audience, thus helping to boost the rate of economic expansion because more people will buy their products (Schell 100). However, it is important to note that the internet has its risks about the ability of a business to withstand tough economic times and online threats such as hacking and cybercrime.
Impact on family life
The internet has had a huge impact on the family lived across the United States. Families in contemporary America are often faced with unique challenges characterized by high dependency on technology. The internet has changed the way people work, communicate, learn, and even parent (Wyckoff 71). Technology has made it a huge challenge for both parents and the children to choose between different forms of technology, their accessibility, and their control. Unlike in the past when parents were fully aware of the things their children were doing, modern parenting is harder because many activities are taking place over the internet whose control is often limited. The availability of personal computers has increased the level of interactions within families, as people tend to be connected most of the time. However, the internet has also been a major source of threats to the family unit across the United States, as criminals have been using it in attacking their targets. Due to the widespread use of various social networking sites, the privacy of families has been greatly affected because there is a lot of information shared with others (Wyckoff 80). Besides, the invention of smartphones has also affected the interaction between parents and their children.
Studies have established that most parents in the United States tend to spend more time on their phones and tablets while at home compared to the level of attention they give to the children. Psychologists argue that this trend is likely to have huge negative impacts on the children in terms of their development and life skills acquired (Brockman 201). Also, they argue that the increased use of the internet in this manner often affects the income levels within households because a lot of valuable time is wasted on the internet. This phenomenon is highly dependent on the ability of families to cope with cultural shifts that change the roles of the various parties within a family. Even for families that have a long history of running big businesses, having basic knowledge about the internet is a necessity, as the shifts in the balance have forced people to move their interactions online (Wyckoff 89). However, experts warn that the internet poses several threats to the financial security of family businesses across the United States, especially if the kind of information shared online is not filtered appropriately.
Impact on the electoral process
Technology has influenced a lot in the manner in which the electoral process takes place in the United States. Over the years, the federal government has made numerous efforts to integrate the internet into the electoral process in a bid to increase its efficiency (Ferdinand 135). One of the most notable impacts of this move has been the migration of political debates from the traditional political gatherings and rallies to social media. Through the internet, people across the country have managed to contribute towards various political debates that they would have normally been left out. The presidential elections have been the major beneficiaries of the increased use of the internet in the United States. For example, most presidential candidates have managed to gather a lot of influence through the interactions with their constituents on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The current situation is very different compared to the presidential elections of 2004. At the time, the number of people using the internet was very small and most of the social networking sites were not in existence or had just been launched. The internet has also improved the electoral process because it allows the public to watch and analyze the policies of the candidates closely (Ferdinand 151). This has played a major role in helping people elect credible leaders into office because even past activities can be retrieved from the internet for perusal. This has forced politicians and aspiring leaders to live with the assumption that someone somewhere is watching, thus cannot afford to make unacceptable utterances that can easily kill their careers (Ferdinand 163). This was very evident in the recently concluded 2016 presidential elections, where the two rival camps used audio and video clips from the past to water down the reputation of their competitor.
The internet has also helped politicians to have smarter campaigns by using online polls and analysis to determine things that work for their course and those that do not add any value. The debates carried out across social media provide a good platform for politicians to get the opinions of their constituents about the set-out agendas. Studies have also established that the internet poses a new challenge to politicians who have to address the way their administration will deal with contemporary challenges such as cybercrime, which has developed from the continued use of the internet (Ferdinand 214).
Conclusion
Generally, the internet has changed the everyday life of people in the United States in various ways. It has changed the way people communicate, interact, and learn. The internet has become a constant element in everything that people do in the contemporary world. Essential activities such as shopping, booking for holidays, job applications, and spending time with friends happen a lot on online platforms. The internet has also improved how people gather and share information. Unlike in the past when one had to buy a newspaper, watch television, and listen to the radio, the internet has made sharing of information easy and around the clock activity. Through the internet, the world has been turned into a global village, where people are closely connected despite coming from different backgrounds. Businesses and economies have been broadened by the increasing use of technology as more people have increased access to various products from different parts of the world. The internet has made life easier and enjoyable because it has introduced efficiency, accountability, and a sense of openness to the lives of people across the United States.
Works Cited
Bailey, Martin. Economic Impact of Third-Generation Wireless Technology. DIANE Publishing, 2008.
Brockman, John. Is the Internet Changing the way you Think? The Nets Impact on our Minds and Future. Harper Collins, 2011.
Ferdinand, Peter. The Internet, Democracy and Democratization. Routledge, 2013.
Schell, Bernadette. The Internet and Society: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO, 2007.
Wyckoff, Claire. Computers and Information Technology. Info Base Publishing, 2010.