By SAMANTHA BELL
When was the last time you received a handwritten letter or displayed your vacation photos in an album?
If you are part of the 13 percent of Americans who are not connected to the Internet, the answer might be this morning. But for a growing number of people who spend much of their time online, these and many other activities are slowly dying out.
According to the study “The Web at 25 in the U.S.” by the Pew Research Center, “Since 1995, [we] have documented the Internet’s impact on: the way people get, share and create news; the way they take care of their health; the way they perform their jobs; the way they learn; the nature of their political activity; their interactions with government; the style and scope of their communications with friends and family; and the way they organize in communities.”
According to Pew, 87 percent of American adults are now connected to the Internet and 68 percent use the Internet on a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet.
Imagine life without the Web — no email, no access to breaking news, no weather radar or real-time reports reports. You probably can’t; I know I can’t. We have become dependent on technology and the modern way of living. It has transformed the way we live.
Since the emergence of the World Wide Web 25 years ago, much has changed in our daily lives. The Web has been growing and evolving at an alarming rate that shows no sign of slowing down. Twenty-five years ago, a person who wanted to use the Internet needed to have access to a computer — today, that is simply not the case.
According to Pew, nine out of 10 people in the United States own cellphones and about two-thirds use their phones for more than making phone calls with about “one-third of cell phone users’ primary Internet access point” being their cellphones, and not their computers (laptop or desktop).
It marks a pronounced change in the past quarter-century, and if the trend continues people might only be using desktop computers at work.
People today expect information and news instantly, fast and on-demand … with video. Smartphones have made it a reality: News when you want it, where you want it and from whom you want it — free. Unlimited access to information has created constant expectation in our society.
On Sept. 11, 2001 — when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington — smartphones did not exist. Americans used desktop computers and the television (most NOT in high definition!) to follow news coverage of the most transformative event in the lives of most of us. If you didn’t receive a phone call or if you weren’t near a TV set or listening to the radio, most people had little idea of the events.
Today, notifications on smartphones have brought a continuous flow of information, tailored to the interests of each user. In a way, we all know more and we all know less because we customize the “news” to our own interests.
On its website, The New York Times has created a page dedicated to the 13th anniversary of 9/11. It includes recent articles written about the day, archival footage, photos and historic articles, as well as information about memorials, health and the reconstruction at Ground Zero.
This is one important way the Internet has transformed the way we consume information: It seems to be endless and only a few mouse clicks away. People who weren’t born on Sept. 11, 2001 have unprecedented tools at their fingertips, more information than they can probably ever consume about the attacks.
Sitting down at desk with a computer sitting on it to access information simply isn’t necessary; unless it’s in a school or workplace. Look around — people are glued to their smartphone screens. There are even people using their smartphones while crossing the street! You see them, but they rarely see you, or the car coming around the corner.
According to Pew, “58 percent of American adults have smartphones,” while in 1995 only 14 percent used the Internet, that number is now a whopping 87 percent. Easy access encourages greater use, which spurs more easy access and more use.
The Internet has also altered interpersonal communication. There has always been a debate that “hiding behind a screen” to communicate could weaken our relationships.
The Pew study says that “67 percent of Internet users say that online communication with family and friends strengthened their relationships.”
Using social media, messaging and email, people have more opportunity to communicate with family and friends. In some ways new modes of communication strengthen relationships, in some ways they make them more interpersonal — it’s easier to dash off a text message than make a call and spend time talking to someone.
Being able to see photos and online status updates from family and friends allows people to connect differently than a phone call would. There is even the option to videochat across miles and time zones, which allows you to see and hear another person.
We no longer need to lose touch with neighbors who move away or travel companions who live halfway across the world; we can keep friends for life and make many new ones.
We have come a long way from snail mail, and waiting for six o’clock news. The Web is still young. It is constantly changing and evolving. No one can predict where it goes next.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/s/sept_11_2001/index.html?8qa&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22%7D