M: Computers have transformed the way people
communicate. In some ways this transformation
is good, but in other ways it could be harmful.
Statistics show that millions of people use the
Internet every day. People shop online, play
games, and search for information. Studies also
show that people use the Internet mainly for
communication.
The Internet has made communication fast
and convenient. Email can travel anywhere
within seconds. Chat rooms include people from
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all over the world. People can even make
Internet telephone calls.
However, this type of communication is very
different from what people did in the past.
People spend less time talking face to face. They
might “chat” for days without being in the same
room with a real person. They also might
communicate with many people at the same
time. Some researchers think this is unhealthy.
One study on Internet use found that people
who used the Internet a lot were lonely. Also,
they did not communicate as much with members
of their family.
Many people have criticized this study. They
say it did not include enough people and that
loneliness is hard to measure. In my opinion, all
types of communication are good. It is great to
email someone and get a fast response. It is also
nice to talk face to face. We can do both. The
Internet is a fantastic tool. We should use it
wisely to benefit from it.