Access to the internet has become cheaper than ever, whether you use a computer, phone or a tablet. The fact that many young people are spending more and more time online is inevitable. It has both positive and negative consequences.
The advantages of internet is well known to everyone. It helps us stay connected to the world, our friends and family. It provides us with information, loads of it. Young people can use the internet for research for their homework and schoolwork. But this advantage itself can sometimes, become disadvantage to the users. Internet is loaded with information and it is the duty of every individual using internet to handle those information with more awareness. Also, being on internet may lead to addiction to games, social media etc. so, it is imperative that not only information is needed to be handled with sensibility but the internet itself needs the same amount of cognizance.
We like attention as human beings and internet is a platform that provides us the space to talk. So, sometimes we talk out loud without being well informed. I myself have done this in arguments, when I run out of facts, I resort to conjectures. But that’s not the correct way. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Infact, it is a good practice probably to not believe anything you read or see anywhere. It is good to be a little skeptical. People may call you cynical but this is the first step towards being well informed. Never just make conclusions by reading from a single source. Broaden your knowledge about a subject, dig a little deeper. Read the counter argument, in case of an argument.
Here are five simple ways to help yourself become more aware:
1. Click the links of source on the article. – this is the most easy step and few people take the time out for this. News articles/ blogs usually contain links to other web pages for more information. Click on them and try to read the whole article yourself. You’ll find that sometimes, the blog article is not the fact but the writer’s opinion/experience. In case you don’t have much time, skim through the article or read it later. Save it.
2. Understand the difference between opinion and fact. – facts and opinions are two different things. Many of the writers write their own interpretation of a topic. This is their opinion, you do not need to make it yours. Trolls write insults as if they are facts. Make sure you understand the difference and don’t make assumptions by yourself without considering different perspectives.
3. Ask a lot of questions. – After a few questions, most internet nonsense falls apart. This way you can reason various things written on the internet and see if they have a firm background or not or are they just false claims!
4. Don’t be a worker bee and follow: form your own opinions. It is important for a person to have an opinion. Do your research, read news, analyse various perspectives and then make an informed decision.
5. Question your beliefs: Abraham Lincoln, once said, “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” Never set your beliefs firm. Accept denial and talk to people who disagree your belief in order to understand their point of view. Internet is the most powerful tool for information in the human history. Seek its use in the right direction!
These ways doesn’t mean that you’ll always get the right information. But, this is a good start. A little skepticism is healthy and constructive, for it makes the reader, an informed reader. There is nothing wrong in accepting when you don‘t know something. Spending time on internet may be bad or misinforming but it also has many advantages. The internet is an incredible tool and benefit of internet outweighs the disadvantages. However, it is imperative that we should be careful and practice proactive reading than reactive.
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