The Disadvatages Of A Computer Essay, Research Paper

THE DISADVANTAGES OF A COMPUTER AND HOW IT HAS CHANGED TEENAGERS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The teenagers of today’s society have changed dramatically due to the Personal Computer (PC). Nowadays, the majority of teenagers have a PC and it has played a key role in their lives. Teenagers need to be equipped with knowledge of computer technology, as most things in life require the use of computers. There are several advantages and disadvantages to the use of computers in today’s world, ranging from access to prohibited information, education and issues of privacy.

One disadvantage of owning a computer is the information that students can access from the Internet. Although restrictions apply, many teenagers have gained access to information on drugs, pornography, use of weapons and making bombs. The Internet has also made the youth of today quite lazy, especially in terms of their education. If a student needs to research information for school, they merely access a relevant site and download the information, rarely paying attention to what is written. This information is often opened as a “Word” file which contains “spelling / grammar” and “thesaurus”, automatically correcting any mistakes made. Basically, it is the lazy way out and has little benefit for the student in terms of their language skills.

The Internet is also quite addictive, keeping students indoors and negatively affecting their socialising skills. Many teenagers spend their time in “chat rooms”, talking to friends as well as people they have never met. This can be unsafe, as they don’t really know whom they are talking to and can eventually get involved in dangerous behaviour such as drugs, alcohol and relationships that their parents are unaware of. Computer addiction can affect the social skills of a teenager as they become used to conversing in front of a screen rather than face-to-face. In other words, they become so used to using their fingers to talk, that they forget how to use their mouths! One major advantage of having the Internet is that it makes life easier and faster, from buying things to paying bills to booking hotel reservations in Fiji!

Another major factor, which affects teenagers lives, is computer games. Some teenagers sit down all day playing computer games instead of being outside getting some physical activity. Computer games can be very addictive and encourage teenagers to forget about their schoolwork, which inturn can ruin their future. These games can also take away a teenager’s imagination. They become so used to seeing images in front of them, that they find it difficult to visualise something in their minds.

Some computer games are very violent which can cause teenagers to perform illegal actions such as carrying weapons, theft and in some cases, murder. Teenagers see these activities in the games and think it is fine to do the same. There have been cases of teenage shootings in America, where the gun was fired with such accuracy, that the police (and media) implied that the shooter had been practicing on computer games. Parents have little idea about what their children are doing on their computers, whether it be chatting on the Internet, viewing pornography or playing violent computer games. They do realise however, that spending too much time on the PC can lead to problems in behaviour, attitude, eye sight and neck and wrist injuries.

Hacking and cracking into computers is another issue in which teenagers are involved. Many teenagers have the ability to access information in other people’s computers, destroying all their data and downloading personal information. They believe they are smart when they can hack into others’ computers and see it as “fun”, even though it is a crime. Some teenagers eventually hack into banks and other major companies and because they were not caught the first time, they are tempted to continue.

Another very common computer crime is the “burning” of copyrighted CD’s. Many teenagers have a CD burner, which they use to download music from the Internet. This type of activity affects the recording artists, the music companies and the retailers. Many do not see this activity as harmful, but, like hacking, it is a crime.

PC’s have their disadvantages, most of which are caused by the teenage urge to experiment and learn. Many teenagers use their PC to acquire skills which they will need in the workforce, to obtain knowledge, both for personal interest and academic, and generally to have fun.