Survey: Youth Cannot Live Without Internet
The Internet has become an embedded part of our society, and now the youth simply cannot live without it.
Who can live without the Internet? Some people make a living working online. Others need the World Wide Web to escape the trials and tribulations of everyday life. A good chunk of surfers can't even live without the Internet, or so says a recent report published by online charity YouthNet.
The charity conducted a survey of 16 to 24-year-olds and discovered that around 75-percent of those surveyed simply could not live without the Internet. In fact, four out of five of those surveyed actually looked online for advice instead of talking to someone face to face about their problems.
According to the BBC News, the survey also revealed that 76-percent of the individuals thought the Internet was a safe place "as long as you know what you're doing." Open University psychologist Graham Jones said that middle-aged surfers are actually most vulnerable to phishing scams and other malicious activity.
"I think children, teenagers and people under their mid-20s have grown up with technology and they understand it deeply," he said.
Based on the BBC's report, it may be that this age group grew up knowing the Internet as a means of life just like cars, microwaves, and even (gasp) cell phones. It's no wonder they can't live without the Internet. Still, it's not just the youth who have grown accustomed to spending most of their time online. Many adults are just as addicted, even those of us who "know what we're doing."
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In other obvious news: Eating can make you fat.
this is supposed to be a surprise?
the internet is now more integral to our lives than telephones, so of course there are masses of people couldn't live without it.
While I'll disagree that they (I guess we, seeing as I'm 22) can't live without it, I would claim that it's nearly impossible to function is society and school/work without it.
Similarly, it's possible to live without learning any form of written, spoken or visual (such as sign-language) communication. It's just impossible to function well in society without it.
What's wrong with that? Internet is now part of everything... just as houses now are made of wood not bricks.
Its not just youth.. Hell the whole world is hooked into it.. You removed the internet all major industrialized countries would have an economic crisis the world has never seen. Everything money oriented is done through wires now.. Real money almost never changes hands..
This reminds me of that South Park episode, Over Logging. "We're gonna head out, Kali-forni-way; gotta find us some Internet."
Is it supposed to be a bad thing? Hell, hook me in, i prefer a world like the matrix or like surrogates.
In a life or death situation, I bet 99% of the population could live without the internet.
A lot has to do with how this survey was worded. I would much prefer to have the internet but I am not going to cease to exist or drop dead if it went away tomorrow. My way of life and the way of life for a lot of people would have to drastically change but I could certainly LIVE without it. I haven't seen the poll question but I'm willing to bet they worded it to get this kind of result, like most polls.
Its not just youth.. Hell the whole world is hooked into it.. You removed the internet all major industrialized countries would have an economic crisis the world has never seen. Everything money oriented is done through wires now.. Real money almost never changes hands..
True, this is also why I have nightmares at night.
who would have thought that giving someone the world at their fingertips and then taking it away would cause a problem. duh!
I think we can live with it...we just wont like it...at all
Sorry but the internet is just too fantastic for any of us to voluntarily give up. It's far too useful for gathering information (as long as its factual or true), playing games, making money, watching videos, listening to music, getting work done, communicating with others, etc etc etc.
A lot has to do with how this survey was worded. I would much prefer to have the internet but I am not going to cease to exist or drop dead if it went away tomorrow. My way of life and the way of life for a lot of people would have to drastically change but I could certainly LIVE without it. I haven't seen the poll question but I'm willing to bet they worded it to get this kind of result, like most polls.
Welcome to the media: twisting words to get reactions out of people.
People mistake the wording,
in the UK it's a common phrase to say 'I can't live without it', when you think something is important, its not literal.
It doesn't mean that the people honestly don't believe that they could survive without the internet, just that they (as does anyone with a broadband connection) see it as an integral and useful/enjoyable part of their lives.
It's kind of a nothing article.
Cutting off someone's main means of entertainment (youtube, hulu), communication (myspace, facebook), and information (fox, nbc) gathering will have an impact on their lives? Really?! Wow! I had no idea!
Can't or won't?
Im sick of hearing this crap..Who honestly cares...Since when have Habitual addictions become new??? Anyone can get addicted to anything that becomes habitual.
So you know i won't live without the internet. No i didnt grow up with it. I just have alway been in to computers and the internet. I don't have a life outside this box other then work. Work is the only place normals think im cool because i can fix there messed up puter. lol Well I will not live without it and if they get a plug i'll make sure they can't turn me off. NO MORe will i be controlled. j/k "Hack the planet"
haha. i thought the same thing. Could'nt live with out the internet. Then spent 4 months at army boot camp. You get over it. You learn to live with out it.
Giving up internet, for me, would be like giving up eating and drinking to others.
real money still exchanges hand on a heavy basis, first world countries require an equal sized black market to the economy thats on the books for balance, and a backup plan in case all these flashing boxes stop working or betray us.
if the internet disapeared tomorrow, thier would be a brief mourning period. and we would all have to start talking and hanging out at local watering holes again and arades, bowling alleys. humans adapt, and re-adapt. . . . weve made it this far. .
real money still exchanges hand on a heavy basis, first world countries require an equal sized black market to the economy thats on the books for balance, and a backup plan in case all these flashing boxes stop working or betray us.if the internet disapeared tomorrow, thier would be a brief mourning period. and we would all have to start talking and hanging out at local watering holes again and arades, bowling alleys. humans adapt, and re-adapt. . . . weve made it this far. .
As for the first part the only reason why Black Markets are necessary is because of the Keynesian economic system adn the Fiat currency we all use and live buy. However if we took a more Austrian School economic system coupled with a more Laissez-faire approach then we would have the black markets.
As for your second paragraph 100% spot on. Kids will pick up and simply find something else to do like they always have.
*Wouldnt
When is Toms going to get an edit button. Damn a tech site with out dated shit is just funny.
True, this is also why I have nightmares at night.
Because you are a wuss too scared of tech?
Because you are a wuss too scared of tech?
No, it makes world domination and so many other baaaaaad things so much easier.
No, it makes world domination and so many other baaaaaad things so much easier.
Ahhh so your a just a paranoid conspiracy nut, gotcha. Should of just said yes.
"most teens have grown up with technology and understand it deeply"
more like 10% know anything deeply about technology the other 90% simply know how to turn on their computer but if it comes to plugging in a modem OH NO!!!! its like saying everyone understands cars deeply. sure we know what they are and how to use them but only a small percent know anything that is beyond the obvious like car mechanics
Well, as a web developer I sure couldn't make a living without the internet, and I couldn't come here to Toms hardware to complain about stuff ^_^. Anyway, I think that saying those 75% "understand" the internet deeply is a big load of crap. There are few people that really do, but of course that's probably because they don't do anything else.
Ahhh so your a just a paranoid conspiracy nut, gotcha. Should of just said yes.
Actually it much easier to conquer people when they are uninformed and dont have a means in which to rapidly spread information. We the peasants have never had such a load voice and the rulers hate it.
And if you think your not a peasant, ask yourself do you live in a $50 million mansion and have a multimillion dollar trust fund?
Ahhh so your a just a paranoid conspiracy nut, gotcha. Should of just said yes.
This is actually the post i meant to quote I meant to quote but once again no edit button at Toms.