We take the internet for granted, but it wasn’t that long ago that working at your computer meant working with a fixed set of programs that couldn’t update and get new features automatically. Now we can do many different things, like play games with people in the other side of the world, work from home, and find people that have the same interests. Here are four ways the internet changed the world.
Business
This is especially true of any major business, or any venture that requires information as soon as possible. Relying on the phone is the thing of the past – if we want to know which stocks are rising and which are losing value, we can do it in seconds.
Additionally, conducting any type of business has become more convenient. Reaching employees and potential clients is a few clicks away, as opposed to having them call you after a prolonged period of time. The marketing campaigns are also more oriented toward online communities.
Games
It used to be that you had to go to a friend’s house, or they had to come over to yours in order to play some games together. While this is still an option and there are many awesome single-player games, you can now play anything anywhere with just about anyone. Add a webcam and headphones, and it is almost like they are in the room next to you.
The game industry blossomed with the internet, with more and more companies turning to mobile and multiplayer gaming. There are even gaming tournaments that have the viewership of a sporting event! These events are followed through the streaming services all over the globe.
Many have expressed displeasure with the gaming companies making games with additional content you have to pay while making it impossible to obtain it. The fact of the matter is that the internet makes this business model possible and lucrative. Instead of shipping a single product, they make a product with recurring customers.
Social Media
Do you have a cousin in Canada, a pen pal from Ukraine, or a cute girl from Sweden? Do you want to watch content that isn’t made by the Britons or Americans, but are also tired of searching through alternative movies?
Social media now allows us to broadcast our thoughts and feelings into the world. We are now more connected than ever and can discover news of joyous occasions and problems quickly. Social media has also revolutionized the dating scene, allowing us to search for partners based on the criteria and distance we choose.
File Sharing
Some may look down on this internet feature, due to many concerns over piracy, but in spite of that, file sharing and information sharing go hand-in-hand with the internet. Though piracy is a big problem and it costs the entertainment industry, file sharing allows people who live in oppressive countries to connect to others and spread the word, while it is also possible to send a book or movie to those who otherwise couldn’t get a hold of it. Sharing information is what humanity is all about – we have the right to free speech and the right to know what is going on. With the internet, we can exercise these right to the fullest.