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The internet has changed the world in ways that few other technologies in history have. In some ways, it has brought the world close together thanks to instant communication, sharing videos, and the ability to learn about each other’s cultures. In others, it has driven us apart, radicalized us, and caused all sorts of other problems.
Baring some type of unprecedented EMP or other catastrophe, the internet is here to stay and there is really not much that anyone can do about it. According to a new survey that was conducted in the UK, however, it seems that a growing number of young people wish that the internet was never even invented.
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This survey asked around 1300 people between the ages of 16 and 21 a variety of questions related to the internet to get a high-level feel for how this generation sees the technology that has been a major part of their life literally since before they were born. Here are a few of the key points to come from the survey:
68% of participants report feeling worse after they spend time online.
50% say they would support some type of ‘social media curfew’ to limit how long they can be on various apps.
47% say that they wish the internet weren’t around at all.
These are surprising answers given that they are coming from the age group who, in the past at least, would be begging their parents for the latest technology and for permission to stay online even longer. These older kids and young adults, however, seem to be realizing just how toxic and even dangerous the internet can be.
In a statement on the survey, Daisy Greenwell, the co-founder of Smart Phone Free Childhood, said:
“That nearly half of young people would prefer to grow up without the internet should be a wake-up call for all of us. We’ve built a world where it’s normal for children to spend hours each day in digital spaces designed to keep them hooked.”
Of course, they have never lived in a world without the internet, so they take the advantages that it provides for granted. None of them have had to go through the trouble, for example, of flipping through a set of encyclopedias or having to walk down to the library to try to find a book to get the answers that you need. The internet and computers have certainly made many things in life a lot better for a lot of people, but it is refreshing to see these young people acknowledging the problems that it creates as well.
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In many ways, acknowledging a problem is the most difficult step and this younger generation has done that. Now comes the challenge of finding a way to minimize the unhealthy aspects of the internet while still holding on to the benefits that it provides. Also, for as much as these people claim that they wish the internet weren’t invented, they still use it a lot, so it remains to be seen whether they would vote for or follow any restrictions that are proposed.
If you found that story interesting, learn more about why people often wake up around 3 AM and keep doing it for life.
Categories: SCI/TECH
Tags: · addictive games, apps, gen z, generation z, internet, internet addiction, online, science, single topic, smart phones, top