Dangers of Unlimited Access to the Internet Essay Example

When I was younger, I adored technology. My dad got me an iPad for my fifth birthday and I was the happiest child alive. I was on my iPad all the time and even when I tried to do something different, I just couldn’t turn it off. I wish I would've known that this little device that I got for my birthday turned into the biggest problem that I've ever had. Before modern technology, people were playing outside, going to libraries, and walking to your friends house. Nowadays, teens are spending more time staying inside on their devices, looking up answers on the internet, and spacing out from their friends. All of this shows that unlimited access to online information makes teens distracted and less informed causing social and mental issues.

First of all, unlimited access to online information for teens can develop some serious social issues. In the nonfiction blog post, “The Black Hole of Technology,” written by Leena Khan, there were some social issues in different types of scenarios. This article was about a teenage girl who is always slipping out her phone and while they did that, they were missing out on unforgettable experiences. Finally, her and her dad go on a hike to an astonishing Cambodian Temple, and she starts to realize that people should all get off of their phones and appreciate the outside world. On pages 215 and 216, the author describes social issues when the text states, “We were 15 friends sitting inside under artificial lighting with our hands glued to our phones on a Friday, when the enticing warmth of the sun and delicate breeze were begging us to run around outside.” Teens should not be distracted by their devices and they should interact with each other whenever they can. If people stay on their phones, this can lead to them not talking to each other and being antisocial in the future. People start turning to their devices first, before interacting with others. This shows that technology is making teens distracted from socially interacting instead of helping them. Although, in the text, “Teens and Technology Share a Future,” written by Stefan Etienne, there is a different opinion about technology and teens. This text was about how teens have the potential to be more informed and more intelligent, using technology. On page 208, it says that, “Today's teenagers have the potential to be the most influential and informed generation of human beings ever seen.” Even though teens have the potential to become better using technology, they still use it in a bad way causing social issues. In the end, when teens use technology they become distracted and less informed, instead of using technology to its full potential.

Moreover, unlimited access to online information can cause mental illness for teens. In the nonfiction text, “That’s Not Progress,” written by Pearson, there was an explanation on how technology can cause mental issues. This text was about how technology was designed to help them, and not hurt them. It also talks about how it can cause different types of issues for teens. On page 188, the author describes mental issues when it says, “Technology can be bad for your mental health because people tend to worry about others' opinions.” This is important because it shows that teens tend to worry about other people's opinions so if they post something online and they are waiting for someone else to comment about it, it can be stressful for their head which is a mental issue. Technology can make teens distracted and less informed because people start worrying about other people's opinions which causes stress rather than sticking to their own belief at what they think is good or not. However, in the text, “Teens and Technology Share a Future,” written by Stefan Etienne, there is an opinion on how technology has a positive impact on teens. This article was about how teens can use technology to become more informed and influential, and also they can just make themselves feel better while using it. On page 208, the text states that, “When you filter out useless facebook messages, out of context tweets, and all the Gifs from Reddit, you see that you are in control of your own informational network.” Although teens can feel like they are in control of something that is their own, technology is still used to become distracted and less informed, eventually causing mental issues. When you look back into the past, you realize that technology was made to help people and make life easier, but technology has just complicated and controlled our daily lives.

In summary, unlimited access to online information makes teens distracted and less informed, leading to serious social and mental issues. In the text, “The Black Hole of Technology,” you can see how technology is affecting our social lives, causing people to be on their devices instead of interacting with others. In the text, “That’s Not Progress,” it shows us how technology can lead to mental issues, causing teens to not act like their regular selves. When I look back on when my iPad took control of my life, I realized that the effects of technology were the opposite of what it was supposed to be. It was meant to help us, but in the long run, it has hurt us.