Over the past few decades, with the help of the internet an unimaginable amount of information has become widely available to the general public. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?
We can access all types of information on the internet, ranging from academic journals to personal blogs and have even our strangest question answered. Links and pop-up boxes take us to other sites and a lot of information is interconnected.
Having infinite information available means that people will be more knowledgeable without having to research a particular field widely. In the past, for example, it was necessary to keep large encyclopedias or physically visit libraries and spend hours, days, weeks or even months researching information. With the internet, this information can be filtered and a person can extract the information that they need. This development has allowed previous rare, delicate and important works of art to be available to the public.
On the other hand, we are experiencing an overload of information that our brains are unable to process. We are under a lot of pressure to keep up with the latest news and updates. Much of the information available has no value. In some cases, news might be of a sensitive nature and should not be disclosed to the general public as it might threaten public safety.
All in all, the availability of large volumes of information shows people’s desire to express themselves on the internet and the need for greater transparency. The internet has changed the way people access information as well as the quantity and quality of what is available. I believe we can all benefit from this as long as we don’t get carried away with absorbing too much information.
Question taken from Direct to IELTS, Student's Book p.38
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