Gerard Cummings

Professor Wolf

Computer Science 312

February 2, 2004

The Vice of Our Progress

          Today's current technology has giving us many ways to communicate especially on the internet. People form friendships, exchange ideas, and are able to do things from the privacy and/or convenience of home. But while this marks a few of the many positive things technology has helped established, there are many negative effects that have also surfaced.

          In an article by Kevin Rose of Techtv.com, the only channel people use when chatting on-line is text. Unlike talking to a person face to face, there is no emotion or body language; there is no clue about the person on the other side of the conversation – a state of complete anonymity. From this, people who interact with others on the internet cannot get a feel about the individual. They can be as honest or deceptive as they want to be. This unethical behavior is known as identity or gender abuse.

          Another problem is Internet Addiction Disorder, IAD. Internet addiction is very similar to compulsive gambling. Gambling is not bad, but it can become addictive. If the Internet begins to impact a person's everyday activities such as forgetting to do daily activities like buying food or paying bills, then one is defined addicted.