Internet and effect on Communities

Blogs and chats/forums websites can be set up to allow communities to discuss local issues such as planning, problem groups, anti-social neighbours and other policing issues, community events / know what’s going on in local area (Not just ’brings communities together’ needs a purpose/ to do what?)/etc.

Housebound members of the community are less isolated as people as they can join in and can contact them easier to check everything is ok

Opportunities for employment can be advertised within the community on local websites

Local citizen advice websites can be set up to deal with the problem websites/ new online communities can be established to help e.g. tech sites, netmums/medical sites/revision sites

Donate to charities pages can be set up/contributed to.

the number of valuable interactions e.g. keeping people in touch with families whilst travelling using Internet cafes /group chats can help make new friends in communities/dating sites

increased awareness of geographically separated cultures/communications platforms for worldwide communities/brings communities of gamers/hobbyists together

People spend time browsing the internet, playing computer games and communicating with ‘cyber’ friends rather than spending time with people in the community so could therefore argue some people have an addiction to the Internet.

Others argue that it has led to a lack of individual social interaction by frequent Internet users e.g. you can work, shop or bank from home without ever having to mix with others. This could cause small local business to go out of business thus increasing social isolation. / Social isolation: meet people online rather than face to face

– more orders for goods are placed using the internet so local shops/cinemas close

• Spreading of viruses /increase in spam and phishing scams /fake websites and fake bank accounts

• Ransomware/Denial of service attacks

• Can buy illegal weapons and goods online

• Redirecting of community police resources to fight cybercrime

• Copyright e.g. illegal downloads of films and music which leads to a loss of income for the artists/actors.

• Copyright e,g, ‘plagiarism’ by copying essays online and passing it off as your own which is cheating and could lead to a cancellation of exams or withdrawal from a qualification.

• Exercises undue influence on vulnerable young people e.g. inciting people to become terrorists/radicalisation

• Pro suicide sites incitement -but not suicide due to cyberbullying

• Imaging issues using photo editing to promote unrealistic image/Influencing people to be anorexic/image influencing

• Inciting racism, homophobia/hate speech

• Fake news/disinformation/trusting accuracy of data

• Desensitising society to pornography and violence as some children are exposed to seeing violent /pornographic images.

• Increasing problems of cyberbullying and trawling

• Misuse of social media for online harassment/stalking

• Exposing children to Grooming / paedophiles/ pornography / violent images

• Gambling can cause many social problems and it is on the rise with the ease with which bets can be made using the Internet.

• Many children spend hours playing computer games and their social skills and schoolwork can suffer as a result

• Digital divide/ information rich and information poor societies

• Common Privacy issues hacking/identity fraud/inappropriate images posted on social media may lead them to lose job