The Internet - good or bad?

It is generally known that the Internet has made our lives easier and I agree completely, but has anyone ever thought of all the bad consequences that come along? For example, people no longer spend time together as they used to. Children are exposed to negative impact of the Internet and its users without knowing the severity of danger. Teenagers and many young people who cannot live without playing online games and, in many cases, become addicts.

On the one hand, the Internet is very cheap and easy way of trading things and information. These days it is almost unimaginable to come home and not check your e-mails or news online. Internet has changed the way people live. It is true that many people, mostly older ones, still buy newspapers and magazines, but more and more young people read everything on the Internet. It is possible that newspapers will be replaced by online news, which are, in comparison, free and convenient (just imagine what it's like walking to the first news-stand and it's minus 10 degrees Celsius outside.) Another very important thing that made the Internet an everyday habit is the wide range of services it offers. You can easily buy from your favorite shop without leaving your armchair. You can sell stuff you don't need anymore as well, for example, clothes or toys on the condition that they haven't gone to rack and ruin. It's very efficient and easy way of trade. If you volunteer in a camp or go on a concert in another country and meet great people, you will definitely want to stay in touch with these people; and what easier than communication via Skype? You can not only talk with them, but see each other too. Great way of practicing foreign language. Few decades ago, this was improbable to become part of everyday communication. 

On the other hand, with great power comes great responsibility. Having said that, I mean that every user of Internet should behave properly and decently, without putting down or insulting other people just because they have different way of considering things. Young children, who are easy target to manipulate with because they are naive and inexperienced, should be controlled by their parents and not left alone. They should be taught in schools how to use the Internet and how to behave while using it so that in future number of people doing harm to others is declining. Even though, you can chat with your friends while playing online games, nothing can replace face-to-face communication. Meeting your friends for a coffee and talking with them, laughing or going for a walk cannot be compared with communication via the Internet. It will be great if people would meet more in person than on the Internet, but based on the rapid growth of value that Internet has in today's world, I think it is going the opposite way.

To sum up, with all its helpful and convenient features, the Internet still cannot replace face-to-face communication and it is a threat for inexperienced people, which can cause grave consequences.