Internet Communities; Internet, Economy, and Politics - Essay Example

The Internet and cyberspace world has opened doors for communities especially for loners and marginalized individuals within our societies to bond and feel connected with the other individuals within the virtual universe. Computer-mediated communication of the internet has also enabled the emergence of a virtual universe and virtual communities and networks facilitating enough human feeling and creating webs of personal associations and social support defying the traditional conception of community and relationships (Turkle, 2014). These virtual communities such as online gamers like those on massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) and other virtual cultures enable individuals to prospect all the possible facets of their identities (Turkle, 2014). However, some of the activities especially the contemporary juvenile engages in might be considered juvenile delinquencies.

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Information communication technology has massively revolutionized the global economy over the years. Apart from easing and transforming business activities, information communication technology (ICT) has also supported flexible duty arrangements for workers and firms. Additionally, it has transformed internet based leisure activities such as open-source software development into self-employment opportunities. Moreover, it has also enabled ICT-associated employees who engage in the networked information economy as cyberspace workers to get self-employment opportunities despite having no identifying factors (Turkle, 2014). Besides, the internet has also been used to advance activism, political identity, and campaigns that were censored by the printing press and political adjustments.

However, the inclusion of Turkle's book regarding emergence, advancement, and the effects of the Internet and cyberspace highlight the impacts of technology on children, their relations, activities, and behaviors within our societies (Turkle, 2014). Some of the major insights that can be drawn from Turkle's book include lack of monitoring leading to increased freedom among children to do anything on the internet whether illegal or legal. Advancement in technology results in reduced attention provided by their parents causing the feeling of neglect and uncared for. As a result, juveniles tend to seek the feeling of connection and bonding in the virtual universe informs of games and other online activities (Turkle, 2014). Virtual world and online connections present so many challenges such as engaging in cyberstalking and cyberbullying which are all cyber crimes and have got detrimental effects on juveniles' behaviors and their social interaction within a society (Turkle, 2014).

Conclusion

As a result, children who engage in cyberstalking and cyberbullying or who become the victims, experience cybercriminal cases and other altered personalities as they try to imitate their virtual friends or activities of their virtual communities. An increase in technology contributes to ease of communication and formation of virtual societies, failure of parents to monitor activities of their children, and give them required attention, thus accelerating juvenile delinquencies.

Reference

Turkle, S. (2014). Alone Together.