The impact of the internet on technology, information, and communications is completely revolutionary. Whereas, prior to the internet, all of these processes were done in person and were performed manually. In today’s business world, the internet is how business transactions are performed—business and the internet are synonymous because businesses could not exist without the internet platform that they rely upon, and the internet would not have been embraced and advanced without the necessity to compete in the online environment. Because of these relationships, the nature of technology, information, and communications has forever been transformed into a digital version of business which removes the need for face-to-face contact and speeds up the nature of all communications. One of the effects that the internet has had on the world as a whole is the effect of globalization. Prior to the internet, it was not possible to have international employment, nor the real-time communications from afar. The internet has created globalization in all forms of communications. The internet has globalized information, creating a level-playing field when it comes to accessing the same information from anywhere in the world.
Internet as a Tool of Information Technology (IT)
The internet is a major process and tool of information technology (IT). In IT, prior to the internet, the advancement of computer tools, such as spreadsheets and accounting software, changed the nature of the way that information was processed. However, this information still needed to be communicated. The process was slow before the internet. Post-internet, these tools, spreadsheets and software, are still used, but the results are able to be transmitted and communicated immediately (Berisha-Shaqiri). This alters the way that both information and communications are handled.
Information technology has evolved since the inception of the internet (Berisha-Shaqiri). This evolution has happened rapidly over the past fifty years, and research has shown that twenty-five percent of the American workforce uses the internet as a means to work at home, while another quarter of American workers are considered “mobile” workers who use the internet to travel while working (Berisha-Shaqiri). Additionally, the development of the internet created new types of communications media, such as social media (Deb). These types of media also have new audiences, thus increasing the ability to disseminate information in ways that were previously unavailable prior to the internet (Deb).
Internet and technology. The internet has made it possible to perform operations remotely (Wallace). These remote operations extend from personal to technological operations. With the internet, it is possible for organizations to have unmanned technology on remote locations (Wallace). Consider, the following examples: Monitoring weather—with the internet it is possible to know the temperature in Antarctica without actually going there. Traffic cameras are linked to the internet, providing a new method for law enforcement to monitor from afar. Banking has changed with the advent of internet banking. There is no end to the list for how the internet has created new technology that has changed the way that all types of businesses are performed.
Internet and information. The way that information is processed and disseminated has transformed because of the effects of the internet. Information has become an online infrastructure that is accessible 24 hours a day—this breaks down any barriers to efficient market practices (Deb). The internet has sped up the way that information travels, from taking days to milliseconds. Also, the internet has changed the way that information is handled. This is because the internet has the consequence of transparency, or loss of privacy (Kazmeyer). The loss of privacy is a negative consequence of the internet on information, however, the transparency that the internet creates is an advantage for society holistically. There is a greater sense of accountability since the internet since there is the knowledge that the world is watching through the internet.
Internet and communications. The impact of the internet on communication strategies has forever changed the ways that humans develop relationships. Communications are not conducted face-to-face. This creates a loss in the form of personal connectivity (Wallace). However, communications can be more frequent and immediate, which increases personal connectivity (Wallace). The threat to privacy of communications does affect the nature of communications: “Communications you send over the Internet may be insecure, allowing third parties to read email conversations or intercept instant messages. If an outsider manages to compromise an email account or application, he may gain access to months or even years of correspondence” (Kazmeyer). Therefore, the internet has created the necessity to take precautions with classified information.
In conclusion, the internet was unknown amongst mainstream businesses and amongst the general public (Wallace). It was only after the launch of the World Wide Web in the 1990’s that “a wave of created destruction” affected the manner that all business operations and personal relationships were conducted (Wallace). The internet has changed the nature of all things related to information—from the way it is created, stored and then disseminated or protected. The internet has transformed the manner that communications occur—removing the personal element to communications, but increasing the rapidity and occurrence of communications. The internet has impacted technology—from providing remote abilities to conduct business to being able to effectively manage information and communications. Aside from the discovery of fire, or the invention of the wheel, there has been nothing that could compare with the internet’s impact on human life. The human existence can be considered “netcentric” (Wallace). This means that we need the internet.
- Berisha-Shaqiri, Afërdita. “Impact of Information Technology and Internet in Businesses.” Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences, 2015, http://iipccl.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Ajbals-73-79.pdf. Accessed 26 Oct. 2017.
- Deb, Sagarmay. “Information Technology, Its Impact on Society and Its Future.” Scientific and Academic Publishing, 2014, http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.ac.20140401.07.html. Accessed 26 Oct. 2017.
- Kazmeyer, Milton. “Negative Effects of Technology on Communication.” Techwalla, 2017, https://www.techwalla.com/articles/negative-effects-of-technology-on-communication. Accessed 26 Oct. 2017.
- Wallace, Patricia. “The Internet in the Workplace: How Technology is Transforming the Workplace.” Cambridge University Press, 2004, http://assets.cambridge.org/97805218/09313/sample/9780521809313ws.pdf. Accessed 26 Oct. 2017.