The Internet could change the lives of normal people as much as the telephone did in the early 20th century and television in the 1960s Social scholars and commentators debate whether the Internet enhances or harms cooperation in group life and social bonds. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Fifteen years ago, PCs were mostly the domain of science, design, and business. In 1998, about 40 percent of all American families owned a computer; approximately 33% of these households had access to the Internet. Many researchers, technologists and social commentators are convinced that these advances, and the Internet in particular, are changing financial and social life. Some researchers argue that the Internet causes individuals to find themselves socially confined and cut off from real social connections, as they hunker down alone to finish their terminals or talk with mysterious strangers through a socially ruined medium. Others argue that the Internet leads to more possibilities. and better social relationships by freeing people from geographic constraints or isolation caused by stigma, illness or schedule. They argue that the Internet allows individuals to join groups based on normal interests rather than comfort. Disputes based on the qualities of the innovation are not sufficient to resolve this civil argument. Individuals may use their personal computers and the Internet in a variety of ways and for certain reasons, including for entertainment, education, data retrieval, and communication. Different applications on the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, generate social enthusiasm that could rival social contact as a means for individuals to invest their energy. Whether the Internet grows or shrinks, social inclusion could have enormous consequences for society and for the prosperity of individuals close to home. In his powerful article, Putnam (1995) reports a sharp decline in urban engagement and social investment in the United States in recent years. Nationals vote less, go to church less, discuss government less with their neighbors, belong to less committed associations, organize fewer dinners and, overall, party less for urban and social purposes. Putnam argues that this social separation has significant consequences for social structure and individual lives. At the societal level, social withdrawal is associated with more degenerate and less effective government and more wrongdoing. When subjects participate in municipal life, their schools function better, their legislators are more responsive and their roads are safer. At the individual level, social withdrawal is linked to poor quality of life and reduced physical and mental well-being. When individuals have more social contact, they are happier and more beneficial, both physically and rationally. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Trial The goal of this article is to analyze these issues and report initial experimental results from a field trial of Internet use. We demonstrate that in another example, during their first year or two online, members' Internet use caused them to have, on the other hand, less social engagement and poorer health..