There is a need for ethical responsibility in regulation of the internet. From its conception in the early 2000s, internet which has caused the digital revolution and is leading us to the new era has made our lives very easy. It has ensured that data and information be readily available to us on our fingertips whenever we want. It has made us aware of other people and works and in a way contributed towards a global world. It has made us aware of the ill practices taking place in our community and helped us gain strength in combating those problems. It has ensured that there is freedom of information and freedom to live the way we want. It has contributed towards newer technology in defence field and in every sector of the economy. Truly internet has led to digitalisation being present in every sector of the society and it is truly difficult to imagine a life without it.
Internet has made our lives very easy. It has enable voice calling to far-off places and ensured that family stay connected across the world through social media. Now a days, there are apps for everything be it shopping, delivery of food, cosmetics, furniture, clothes etc. even for purchase of a house or paying for the car digital payment or epayment is considered convenient. Everything you want can come with one touch of your fingertips. Kids can get educated more form infotainment apps and shows, adults can watch any films or TV show online on apps like Netflix and Amazon, old people can listen to wide variety of things on YouTube. Letter writing has become an ancient phenomenon with people moving from emails to text messages to voice messages etc. people are attracted to these things not just because they are convenient but also because they are cheap.
Internet service providers have made internet very cheap for the users so that they enjoy it and soon when the consumers become hung on it they raise the prices and gain profit. Internet is very addictive. Social media like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok , Twitter etc. promote the feeling of desirability among people. Most people try to gain more followers and become digital sensation by posting anything they can do and all the liking and disking makes them prone of depression. Kids these days are hung over video games especially simulation games where they actually feel that they are in the game. They believe that they are the soldier or the wizard or anything and try to win every level by completing quests. Even when they are asked to stop they don’t. These kids tend to have attention deficit and tend to be frustrated and irritated all the time. They also become violent by playing such kinds of games. Internet addiction is so much that the game ‘BlueWhale’ was banned because it cause suicide of several children for winning that game the final task was to kill oneself.
Everyone thinks that feeling of addiction can be cause by drugs or alcohol but the internet has led to addiction too. People constantly check phones or try to be online because they feel that they are missing out on the stuff happening in the world. The work also has become more technology oriented so people are forced to check emails or phones all the time. Internet provides free movies and TV shows so people watch those believing why they should waste money going to the cinema hall. Parents are so busy with work that instead of playing and teaching their children they give them tablets so that the children are engaged and not disturb them. Internet provides a wide variety of service for free and curious human mind wants to explore and eventually use it to the fullest.
Anything if offered at a very cheap price makes it addictive to people. Addiction to the internet has become a big cause for several harmful diseases to become present in small children, youth and middle aged individuals. The constant use of internet and lack of physical movement and exercise has led to bad health and fitness among people and causing them to have diseases like diabetes, obesity, eye problem, headaches, migraines, loss in immunity etc. and mental problems like stress, anxiety, depression, and decline in attention span, frustration, aggression and lack of communication. Lack of communication takes place because people are so busy living their virtual life that they stop having conversation with their families and loved ones. This can sour relationships and lead to divorce or suicide in extreme cases when people indirectly make themselves away from the society into living a virtual life. People are not satisfied with their current life and seek to forget the hardships hence resort to entertainment which soon leads to addiction and spreading of negativity.
As philosopher J. Krishnamurti says, “With freedom comes Responsibility.” So is the case with internet. We are given a tool which has helped in gaining awareness and bounty of information. But when anything is used without certain amount of restriction then it gets out of control. Internet when used for certain amount of time for actual problem solving things like awareness of wrongdoings or gaining answers to questions or in connectivity to the world then it has a positive impact on us but when it is used in a way that impacts our lives and body in a negative way like social media causing self-pity, jealousy and depression then it is wrong. Internet has also led to cybercrimes where terrorist organisations spread terror like identity theft or robbing of money digitally as bank account details are attached to the email and if it hacked then criminals are prone to those crimes.
Hence, in such an era one should be responsible for the time they spend on the internet and for what things they spend that amount of time. Also other things they should remember are that are they using internet in a negative way to bully or impress people are they harming their body and mind. So, ethical responsibilities and awareness regarding regulations on internet should be present also the ills of the internet should be made aware of two other people so they realise and limit using it too much.