The internet technology is shaping how we consume, move, work, socialize and communicate, and from early 1990s when the internet first went public to the present date, the world has seen tremendous development of the cyberspace technology landscape. Currently, people can order food and products using mobile apps on their phones. They can equally use some of these apps to transfer or receive funds, and share information. As much as the technology has played a significant role in easing how we do certain things, it has its own share of imperfections.
The compulsive need to use the internet or internet addiction, as it is popularly known, is becoming a serious problem considering that millions of internet users spend a considerable amount of time hooked on social media platforms. The more time people spend on these platforms, the more they become unproductive, and in a workplace environment, paying workers who spend a significant amount of their time at work on social media, can have negative effect on the company’s financial bottom-line. It may also result to missed targets and decline in customer satisfaction. A country that is competing economically, and that has a significant number of its populace hooked to the internet, may fail to achieve its growth targets, and economically lag behind others.
The overuse of the internet can have numerous serious health implications ranging from weight-related health issues to mental health problems. Using internet for longer hours is associated with physical inactivity which can cause one to gain weight. Considering the health risks linked to obesity, spending too much time poses health risks. The effect on the mental health can also be serious given that spending too much time browsing the social media sites until late hours into the night can interfere with one’s sleep, and cause anxiety. Furthermore, the feeling of inadequacy may result if a person excessively uses the social media because when they see others doing better or looking more attractive than they are, they may begin to feel inferior. This can have a toll on one’s mental health.
Looking back three decades back and reflecting on where we are as a human race, there is no doubt we have managed to make significant progress in terms of advancing technological landscape. Unfortunately, the same technology we have developed to help us solve problems is creating new problems such as the rise in obesity-based illnesses. Humans can however build on the previous experiences and successes to come up with ideas that solve the new issues that are emerging out of the technology.