The internet has changed people’s lives and many of us now rely on it for our day to day living. From working and learning to entertaining ourselves and making new acquaintances, countless people find themselves online 24/7, using the power of the web even when on the go thanks to internet enabled mobile devices.
Luckily, there are many benefits of internet usage, as recent studies and statistics have shown. In fact, the internet is now widely regarded as a tool that can truly benefit your life, as long as it is used wisely. Here are some of the common benefits of the internet.
The Internet is Good for your Health
One of the major uses of the internet is to find out more about health and medical conditions. Teenagers especially may feel uncomfortable asking about certain health issues, and rely heavily on the web to get information about any problems they may have. There can be some incorrect facts on unreliable websites, but if you navigate to trustworthy forums, there is a wealth of free advice on a wide range of topics from sexual health to depression.
As well as being a helpful source of information, the internet has even been shown to boost well-being. Research has shown that those aged over 60 who regularly use the internet have improved mental activity and are less likely to become depressed.
The Internet is Good for Learning
Access to the web has been proven to have a positive effect on a student’s likelihood of completing a university course. Broadband access has a major role to play in increasing the number of students who successfully graduate. Online courses have dramatically increased in popularity over the last five years, with the number of students signing up rising by 96%.
The wide range of both fee charging and free online courses has vastly increased studying opportunities for those who have restricted options for education, either because of time constraints or because of lack of relevant courses in their local area.
The Internet is Good for the Economy
Many countries throughout the world receive a considerable sum of their GDP (gross domestic product) from internet industries. Countries such as the UK, US, Spain and Canada owe an average of 3.4% of their GDP to the world wide web. There is such a huge amount of money generated through the internet every year that it is an even greater sum than Canada’s yearly GDP and even higher than that of Australia.
The internet is also a huge source of employment, creating plenty of openings in the technology industry. For each job created in this field, five more are generated to support the company infrastructure, leading to higher rates of employment.
The Internet is Good for Communication
The internet has broadened horizons for communication potential. Through the use of social media and online forums, more people are meeting and socializing online than ever before. 300 million people in the last decade have communicated via Skype and have spent around 2.6 million years in conversation with each other however far apart they may be.
Meeting your partner online has also become commonplace, with 35% of weddings in the US between 2005 and 2012 taking place between couples who met on the internet.
As you can see, there are so many reasons why the internet is a blessing. Almost anyone in the world can find their own reason to love the internet. If used wisely, the internet can change your life for good.