When considering the Internet as 'dangerous' it is no surprise that so many people find criticism. With the Internet becoming such a great part of our lives we must learn to trust in our use in it.
It is somewhat easier for my generation to accept the Internet and it's faults, we have grown up with this form of technology, however for our parents and older generations, trusting the Internet must be near impossible.
As stated by Lister et al the Internet is "anything but a safe space for many users" when considering the "fear of viral contamination" or "obscene conversations in chat rooms" (2003:181) There are so many stories of people whose identity, details and even money has been taken online, or people who have met with someone they only know over the Internet and have ended up being abused or worse.
According to www.hongkiat.com 266 new porn sites appear everyday on the Internet (accessed 15/02/09) and, scarily, in America "over half (51%) of parents do not have, or do not know if they have software on their computers to monitor where their teenagers go online and with whom they interact" (www.securitysoft.com accessed 15/02/09)
Such facts give an example of how dangerous the Internet can be, especially when not used correctly or by someone who is not aware of the dangers.
When hyperlinking and jumping from one website to another it is scary how easily someone can come across an inappropriate website. However, what is classed as inappropriate?
Today's society is much more open to certain subjects which only a few years ago would have been taboo. What adults see as inappropriate or offensive may not affect children.
Even so, I believe that the Internet is a dangerous place to be if the user is careless. If you don't download files from unprotected sites and if you monitor the sites you and your family visit, why should the freedom and excitement of the Internet be restricted?
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