It’s pretty much since the mid-90s that the internet began to be used in a domestic capacity. Then we started to see home computers with dial-up modems in ordinary homes, before this time the only wide-spread use of the internet was confined to universities and colleges. So over the last 25 years what are the best things that the internet has given us? Check this handy guide to see what we think they are and how they have changed how we live.
Safe Space For Persecuted & Vulnerable Groups
There are many places in the world today where people are persecuted for their lifestyles, beliefs or ethnicity. From anti-homosexuality legislation in parts of Asia and Africa, or right-wing race hatred in ever-increasing parts of the world. Online forums and secure messaging systems give these vulnerable groups an outlet and way to communicate.
The Ability For People To Make A Living
The internet has allowed the possibility for anyone to start a home business with very little in the way of start-up capital. Examples of online home businesses are things like, creative pursuits such as writing, design or even music or media creation. Others use their craft skills to create and sell their products online such as knitting or garment creation or the design and construction of jewelry or ornaments. Other ways to make money include offering instruction in a skill or activity or tutoring in any academic subject.
Access To Useful Documents
There are so many forms and documents that in the past had to be accessed via paper copies, applications for anything from a bank account to a job can be done online. Also, sensitive political documents such as the Wikileaks project have been leaked online in the name of activism. Alternatively, you can also get templates for loads of legal and technical forms such as these Personal Injury Documents.
Expansion Of Distance Learning
There have always been ways of studying by correspondence, however, years ago this was not nearly as easy a way to do it as it is now. You would have had a mixture of materials by mail, tutorials over the phone lines and watching videos or TV broadcasts for materials. However, now with the emergence of the internet, most universities and colleges offer some, if not all, courses in an online format. This allows a huge amount of flexibility for students with other demands on their time such as family or work commitments.
Meeting New People
Quite possibly the biggest change the internet has given us is how we socialize. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone these days who doesn’t keep in touch online and a reasonable proportion of us have met friends we wouldn’t have known otherwise online. There are various social media platforms as well as the ability to interact with TV programs and even add your own comments and opinions on news pieces and discuss them with other readers in real-time. It really is staggering the change.
