Impact Of Internet On Children's Attitude And Behaviour
INTRODUCTION
We live in information age, where knowledge is power. Internet has come to
stay and it is happening. Life styles are changing. Newspapers are available on
the web. Cinema tickets can be booked on Internet by logging on to the relevant
sites. Entertainment concepts are changing. One can watch movies, listen to
songs just by connecting to these sites sitting at home. There are sites on
every subject in the world.
POSITIVE SIDE
Internet has significantly altered our life style in several ways. It is
providing opportunities to wander about the world and to escape out of the real
world while sitting in the chair. By the constant repetition of certain themes
and through powerful visuals of high technical quality it is even conditioning
many of us in to thinking and behaving in particular ways.
Internet has its impact on Supply Chain management, and Customer
Relationship management- where E-commerce is playing a big role by automating
customer relationship management, like voice interactive systems where the
complaints can be dealt with in no time. Banks are also changing their ways
like introduction of home banking and electronic fund transfer, where funds are
transferred without physically going to clearance houses. In the field of
education- concepts are changing from computer based training to web based
training, like e-gurukool, e-learning, on-line examinations etc., Then there is
the virtual class room concept where the lecture is webcasted. Any doubts that
arise can be clarified through the virtual classroom concept.
Channels are available on Internet on every thing and anything. Internet has
channels on Jobs, Personal, Libraries, Travel, Art, computing, Lifestyle,
Shopping, Music, People, Money, Games, Sports etc. It is amazing to know the
amount of information that is available on the Internet, through which one can
access the information in the best and most inexpensive ways. Anything in this
world can be accessed through the Internet these days. Similarly E-mail has
revolutionized the communication. Voice mail is where they record voice and the
same is sent to the destination. Net-to-phone is where one can talk to anyone
in the world at the cost of a local call.
New trends are prevailing on the contemporary business scene. Internet and
networking techniques are redefining the business as a whole and plenty are on
the anvil for those interested in using them for gaining superior advantage who
are well-versed in technological and management aspects. E-Commerce is a
forerunner in this regard.
NEGATIVE SIDE
There is no dispute about the positive role of the Internet. Similarly there
also exists not merely a consensus but a growing concern about its harmful
affects. However, positive affects do not stick so easily and negative affects
do not leave us so readily. Therefore, it is useful and appropriate to focus on
the harmful role of the Internet in distorting our Indian culture and in
influencing particularly the school and college going children at their highly
impressionable age.
Internets role in promoting vulgarity and in undermining our family values
and traditions is particularly distressing. The abuse of this very powerful
media leads us to question the absoluteness of certain liberal concepts like
freedom and choice when it comes to viewing what one wants. When private
interests come in to conflict with the larger issues of public morale and
morality, there is a need for exercising freedom and choice with some
restraint. If programme producers are unable to contain their commercial
instincts, the public authorities and parents and elders must step in to
collectively articulate their concerns and initiate actions to prevent its
harmful affects.
SUGGESTIONS
o To lessen the effects, reduce the time spent viewing the television.
Children should view only select programmes for a fixed number of hours.
Parents should become friends with their children and spend more time with
them.
o Cultivate habits including reading. Parents should kindle their children
curiosity and encourage reading and read to them and narrate stories. Having
pets and caring for them, wouldn't only engage children in an enjoyable way,
but also inculcate kindness to animals.
o Encourage children to pursue outdoor activities and team games in natural
settings.
o Parents should become good role models. Elders should take pains to teach
children social skills and help them in communicating their problems
fearlessly.
o Media viewing under parental guidance and proper regulation is the best
way to prevent grave mishaps in children, arising from screen viewing.
CONCLUSION
The media now runs our society. It decides what people are interested in and
how they behave. Because of the media children are less interested in reading
and in education and more interested in killing brain cells while sitting on
the couch watching trash. We as a parent need to turn our attention away from
the TV and the computer and focus more on each other individuals, Reading
books, going to parks, spending time with friends and family etc. Instead of
giving children medication and sending them to more doctors and therapists, we
should reduce the number of electronics that are running their everyday lives.
People need contact with other people in order to lead a happy, healthy life.
Basically it is the parents' responsibility to monitor what their children
watch and how often they play video games and access the Internet. Next, the
government should really regulate laws to reduce inappropriate TV, Internet or
video game contents. There should be an access control device in any
inappropriate TV or Internet content not only for children but also for adults.
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