USE OF INTERNET

DISCLAIMER: The notes given below are the compilation of information from various sources based on the topics that were discussed in the ‘Introduction to Journalism class. These notes are being compiled to help the students of Journalism enhances their knowledge.

DEPARTMENT: B.A. (Hons) Journalism

SEMESTER: I

PAPER: INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM

UNIT: II

TOPIC: USE OF INTERNET

HISTORY

The Internet started in the 1960s as a way for government researchers to share information. Computers in the '60s were large and immobile and in order to make use of information stored in any one computer, one had to either travel to the site of the computer or have magnetic computer tapes sent through the conventional postal system.

Another catalyst in the formation of the Internet was the heating up of the Cold War. The Soviet Union's launch of the Sputnik satellite spurred the U.S. Defence Department to consider ways information could still be disseminated even after a nuclear attack. This eventually led to the formation of the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), the network that ultimately evolved into what we now know as the Internet. The packet switching technology was essential to the development of ARPANET by the United States Military. ARPANET is considered the first known group of interconnected computers aka the internet.

EVOLUTION

In 1969, the network connected four computer sites only. When the World Wide Web (WWW) was developed in 1993, interest in the Internet exploded. January 1, 1983 is considered the official birthday of the Internet. Prior to this, the various computer networks did not have a standard way to communicate with each other. A new communications protocol was established called Transfer Control  Protocol/Internetwork Protocol (TCP/IP). This allowed different kinds of computers on different networks to "talk" to each other. ARPANET and the Defense Data Network officially changed to the TCP/IP standard on January 1, 1983, hence the birth of the Internet. All networks could now be connected by a universal language. 

                             

TIMELINE

1969 ARPANET

1971 E-mail

1974 Beginning of TCP/IP

1983 ARPANET computers switch over to TCP/IP

1987 The internet grows

1991 First web page created

1991 The first webcam

1995 INTERNET surface in India

1996 The creation of social media

1998 GOOGLE!

2001 Wikipedia is launched

2005 YouTube came into existence.

INTERNET TECHNOLOGY & ITS USE IN DIFFERENT SPHERES-

EDUCATION- Internet technology in education boosted the process of learning and research work. It offered a new approach to learning and studying. the Internet can be used as a tool to learn the latest news all around the world as well as getting any kind of information that serves different purposes such as learning more information about a hobby or health. Therefore, it can be said that the Internet is the source of spreading information quickly to a large audience and of going beyond the limitation of time and space.

BENEFITS OF INTERNET

·    Higher interactivity

·    Flexibility of learning

·    Cost-effectiveness

·    Dynamic and actively updated

·    More students opting for online education

·    Multimedia-integration

COVID-19 & EDUCATION

At the height of nationwide lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 1.6 billion children were affected by school closures, causing the largest mass disruption of education in modern history. This joint report by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) presents new insights into children and young people’s access to digital connectivity worldwide, as well as the factors that drive inequities among and within countries.

As a result of this learning crisis, UNICEF has joined forces with ITU to launch Giga, an ambitious global initiative to connect every school to the internet and every young person to information, opportunity and choice. With the support of Generation Unlimited, UNICEF now works under the Reimagine Education initiative to transform education by giving children and young people equal access to quality digital learning.

HEALTH SECTOR- In recent months, the COVID-19 pandemic has left the world in an unprecedented position. New concepts have emerged, such as socially distant and priority technologies such as the cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) services, and artificial intelligence. Likewise, the Internet of Things and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) have witnessed a series of ground-breaking revolutions in response to the coronavirus crisis. These technologies in healthcare can have a lasting impact on the future. From high-quality healthcare devices to popular appliances, IoT technology is becoming smarter and connected to the internet, enabling seamless communication between networks and devices.

Healthcare Professionals & Internet-

•      Deliver basic and continuing medical education and training.

•      Communicate inexpensively with colleagues, clients

•      Keep track of research in progress.

•      Search authoritative databases easily & inexpensively.

Healthcare consumer will find on the Internet-

● Physician and hospital information.

● Wellness, fitness, and diet information.

● Disease information and support.

● Injury information and support.

IoMT is a very important step into the field of medical science which has a lot of potential to be discovered and made use of. The IoMT technology provides patients with an opportunity and access to better healthcare. There will also be a minimization of errors because of the data that is entered.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- Beyond the fact that technology is both a process and a result of science, technological developments provide the tools used in many forms of scientific study and experimentation, from centrifuges used for the separation of fluids to computer programs used in the study of quantum physics. In teaching students the scientific process of inquiry and problem-solving, it is necessary to utilize current technologies. Students will need to use field-appropriate technologies to research questions, construct and execute experiments, and analyse results.

Technology provides the eyes and ears of science—and some of the muscle, too. The electronic computer, for example, has led to substantial progress in the study of weather systems, demographic patterns, gene structure, and other complex systems that would not have been possible otherwise. Technology is essential to science for purposes of measurement, data collection, treatment of samples, computation, transportation to research sites (such as Antarctica, the moon, and the ocean floor), sample collection, protection from hazardous materials, and communication. More and more, new instruments and techniques are being developed through technology that make it possible to advance various lines of scientific research.

Technology does not just provide tools for science, however; it also may provide motivation and direction for theory and research. As technologies become more sophisticated, their links to science become stronger. In some fields, such as solid-state physics (which involves transistors and superconductors), the ability to make something and the ability to study it are so interdependent that science and engineering can scarcely be separated. New technology often requires new understanding; new investigations often require new technology.

 

E-COMMERCE- E-Commerce or Electronic Commerce means buying and selling of goods, products, or services over the internet. E-commerce is also known as electronic commerce or internet commerce. These services are provided online over the internet network. Transactions of money, funds, and data are also considered E-commerce. The standard definition of E-commerce is a commercial transaction which happens over the internet. By 2020, global retail e-commerce has reached up to $27 Trillion.

The e-Commerce market is a digital one – based on information technology. Thus, in order to take place e-commerce needs its own infrastructure, which is the support on which the new services and products are being built. They enable the creation of new markets beyond national borders, in which individuals and organizations from around the world are interacting. Among the most important elements that underpin eCommerce are: the technological component, capital, media, and public policy. Regarding technological infrastructure, it is represented most strongly by the Internet, along with the computer network through which data and information are transmitted and received.

Types of E-Commerce Models-

Electronic commerce can be classified into four main categories.

1. Business to Business 

2. Business to Consumer                      

3.     Consumer to Business

              

4.     Consumer to Business

 

BANKING - Internet banking, also known as online banking, e-banking or virtual banking, is an electronic payment system that enables customers of a bank or other financial institution to conduct a range of financial transactions through the financial institution's website.

Online banking requires a computer or other device, an Internet connection, and a bank or debit card. In order to access the service, clients need to register for their bank's online banking service. In order to register, they need to create a password. Once that's done, they can use the service to do all their banking.

Checks can now be deposited online through a mobile app. The customer simply enters the amount before taking a photo of the front and back of the check to complete the deposit. Online banking is fast and efficient. Funds can be transferred between accounts almost instantly, especially if the two accounts are held at the same institution. Consumers can open and close a number of different accounts online, from fixed deposits to recurring deposit accounts that typically offer higher rates of interest.

TRADING- Online trading is an act of buying and selling financial products through an online trading platform. Stocks, bonds, options, futures, and currencies can all be traded online. These platforms are normally provided by internet-based brokers and are available to every person who wishes to try and make money from the market.

There are several benefits of online trading-

·    It is cheaper

·    It is convenient

·       It almost eliminates the middleman

·       You can monitor your investments anytime

·       Investor has greater control

·       Faster Transactions

·       Better understanding of one’s money

 

POLITICS- In politics, the Internet has produced three types of change. The first is the way that politicians reach the voting public. Previously, politicians could only reach the public using the established media (television, radio, or newspapers and magazines) or by meeting people on the street. This is no longer the case.

The second change produced by the Internet relates to the participation of the average citizen in political processes. People used to be limited to voting, sit-ins, strikes, public gatherings, letter writing, and similar types of activities, but since the advent of the Internet, many new activities have developed.

The third change caused by the Internet is the creation of a whole new group of participants in the political process. Before the Internet was available, the only private groups that were politically active were either very large, very specialized, or both; the Internet has enabled small, local groups to also participate in politics.

The Internet may also change the way in which political groups and politicians conduct election campaigns, keep in touch with constituents, and forge alliances with other groups or individuals. The Internet may also enable small groups with limited resources to participate in the political process.

JOB OPPORTUNITY- Searching for a job or getting a job has become much easier than before. Candidates can browse the internet to search for a specific job based on their profile or interest. They do not need to go from company to company to know whether there is any vacancy or not. There are many websites which inform people about jobs. Candidates can submit their resumes on these sites and know about the vacancies while sitting at home. Apart from this, most of the reputed companies have their own official sites where they also keep posting for job updates. Candidates can find a suitable job and apply accordingly. Interviews are also conducted online these days over the internet.

ENTERTAINMENT- The internet has played a significant role in entertainment. It has changed the way that entertainment is viewed, consumed and also the way in which it’s received. Many years ago, entertainment was primarily enjoyed in real time and live. Now, we are able to watch things live and also watch replays of entertainment thanks to the provision of the internet. As with everything, this has many implications for the entertainment industry and has helped artists globally

Visibility

The internet has millions of users who are searching for both information and entertainment on a daily basis. There is an overload of entertainment available for them to consume because of how easy it is to upload content and share it. Once upon a time, entertainment was something that could only be shared if people were there to see it in person by word of mouth. Now it can be seen by people all over the world because the internet has no barriers. Social media platforms, for instance, have made many entertainers more influential than they may have been without their existence. It has also played a prominent role in curating entertainment. The Internet simplifies the process of entering films into contests and makes it possible to network with many more people. Most of all, it allows filmmakers to get their work “out there”, getting attention on the web before a movie mogul ever sees it. 

Accessibility

Similar to visibility, the internet has made entertainment more accessible. Now, people from anywhere in the world have access to various content that is available. This means that someone in China could see an art exhibition taking place live in London. It also means that people are able to experience a variety of cultures from the comfort of their own homes. Seeing as 47% of the world’s population is said to now use the internet, this means that almost half of the world has the ability to access and consume eclectic forms of entertainment.

 

MEDIA- Journalists use the Internet daily as a tool for reporting events and issues comprehensively to viewers and readers. The Internet helps every stage of the reporting process from thinking of a story idea to presenting the story. Reporters also go to the Internet to find story topics, identify experts and monitor a subject. They use it to check names, addresses and other facts. The Internet helps journalists tackle broad themes, find background information on unfamiliar people or issues and keep up with the developments.

PRINT MEDIA - Information and communication technology has greatly impacted the form and practice of journalism. Changes that were witnessed technologically led to changes in newspaper page layout in the 1880s and 1890s. The emergence of tabloids was occasioned by high-speed photography. The coming into force of motion pictures led to the conception of newsreels. The coming of the telegraph and satellite made the transmission of news even quicker hence a greater premium on timelines and witnessing news. People who were not physically present at a place where an event unfolded could actually watch all the undertakings from their television monitors. The Internet has since emerged as a medium of publication, just like newspapers and television. In modern times, the Internet has been used in reporting.

BROADCASTING MEDIA-   The internet is now a major means for passing out information in the form of news and other forms to a wide audience. It is the newest vehicle of communication and has gone ahead of all other forms of communication. Even our   traditional media Television and radio have their online platforms for internet users.  Viewers that are not in the country are even encouraged   because   they   can   still   follow   up   on   their   country’s   news   and   information conveniently from wherever they are in the world. In essence, the internet provides people in a country with the technical apparatus to do more than just receive information. They can respond to messages they receive, choose the images they want and also send out their own messages.

CONCLUSION- The Internet is helping people to keep up with what is happening around the world. Many news and information websites provide real-time updates on various categories, such as politics, history, news, geology, leisure, sports, technology, marketing, and more. One can easily select the category of interest and stay connected with updates. The presence of e-newspapers and magazines is updating people and helping to cut paper usage. The internet has become the need of this technological era, and we cannot expect a life without the internet these days. Like everything else in the world, the internet has both good and bad things about it. The Internet is easy for anyone to use because it is a cheap tool but its consequences can’t be ignored. Therefore, one should use it in a healthy way.

Compiled By: Shambhavi Sharma & Shreya Kela