Prompt: The internet has dramatically altered our lives over the past few decades. Although some of these changes have been negative, the overall effect of this technology has been positive. What are your opinions on this?

Over the past 25 years technology has saw a major leap forward, with the internet being one of its most intriguing innovations of all times. The internet has changed the face of the earth and the way we live; however there remains some disagreement as to these changes are positive or negative. I personally believe that the benefits generated by the internet greatly outweighs its drawbacks. Ċ First and foremost, the internet has revolutionized the way we communicate. Back in the old days, communication was restricted by distance and time zone, mail took forever to reach the hands of a loved one. Now, useful and practical tools like the email or Skype has made life easier, time and space are no longer a factor. Not to mention the global economy has also profited from this, business deals between different countries are now possible. Ċ Secondly, with this extraordinary breakthrough, the world is now literally at one's fingertips. In the past, reference material can only be found and libraries, thumbing through stacks of literature can be a tedious chore. However, with the presence of powerful search engines, for example Google and Bing, finding information has never been so effortless; a simple search word and a second later, everything you need on one page. Ċ Nevertheless, like two sides of a coin, there are also some minor drawbacks. Some are concerned the about emergence of social withdrawal and fraud; however, precautions can be made. For instance, limit the time spent surfing the net and never give out passwords or conduct online transactions with uncertified dealers and so on. Ċ By way of conclusion, even though the internet is not completely flawless, it is in my opinion has a positive impact based on its influence on communication and information flow.