In the era where the Internet and the smart gadgets are so prevailing, we no longer need to define them, they define us. The profiles we oh so splendidly fabricate and broadcast to the world through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, becomes our true personality. In good sense, one can say that the world has come so closer this way. Social media has crossed all boundaries and prevailed overseas to connect any two people in the world. You are no longer a frog in a well, you can now find out stories across the globe sitting in your little well. We can now connect with people of different cultures, ethnicity, and backgrounds. A female victim of molestation after being denied help from her family and the police, got million supporters on social media. We no longer have to feel lonely or isolated. We now days locked up in a room with no windows, all we need is a smart phone and internet connection for survival. Unfortunately, the helping hand social media has a bad face too. There is no way to distinguish the fake from the real anymore.
Think twice before sharing Your data online
There are millions of existing fake social media profiles from which people are fooled everyday. A man and a woman met on Facebook, chatted everyday, fell in love and also decided to get married. It seems like a very romantic story, until the woman found out that the man was 80 years old faking his way through with a 20-something year old profile picture. The youth especially are now being drawn into wrong paths through social media. It is important to keep a watch on your teenage sons and daughters if they are spending too much time online. Benefiting from the virtual world is a great thing but a right and safe usage is equally important. Online shopping is the next big thing. None of us have the time and patience to roam around fifty streets under the burning sun to buy a pair of outfit like our grandparents did.
We want to sit at one place and have everything we wish for just by the click of a button. As per the data of 2018, there are a total of 224 million online shopping sites in the world, among which most of then have a shipping facility to any part of the world. Any product from a chocolate to a handbag with all brands are now readily available online. You can also now compare products based on quality, price, etc before placing an order which comes in handy especially before buying electronic gadgets. It’s not only the products you can purchase, but also the services, like movies, restaurants, spa and many more. There is no one such thing anymore for which you’ll have to stand in a queue. The latest services of cabs and food delivery has picked up a high popularity rate in India. Before you get lost in the thought that life has become so easy with online shopping, also be ready to accept that this only calls for more scams. Many of us have at least once in our lifetime suffered under online shopping.
The products once delivered may not look as pleasing as they looked on our screens, and we realized our money just went down the drain. There was a woman who paid 60 thousand rupees for an apple phone to later receive the delivery of a box filled with apples. Yes, I’m talking about the fruit. If you parents are feeling proud of your smart kid who is so well versed with today’s technology, know that there was a kid who ordered a real car online misunderstanding it for a toy. The kid’s parents only came to know about this once the car was delivered. There could be many more pitfalls one should be careful about while joyfully walking on the online shopping streets.
You know that your every movement is being tracked
Travel has now become so easy with Google maps. There was a time when people used to fear visiting other states and countries not knowing what to expect. No longer is that the reality. You can fearlessly travel the world all by yourself and the only companion you would need is the Google maps. Not only does it show you the location to desired destinations, but also comes with a free tour guide. It is now so easy to locate and book cabs, hotels and restaurants of our choice everywhere you go. The Google maps are so advanced that the moment you enter a specific city, even your Google search results are customized according to that city. While this is something to feel so grateful about, it is also a caution that you are being watched all the time. The moment you talk about going on a vacation to London, you start receiving ads on London tourism and stays. The moment you own a smart phone, know that your every movement is being tracked.
The Internet is the biggest gift the 21 st century could ask for but it is followed with some drawbacks. But unlike everything else, the saying 'adopt the good things and leave out the bad' doesn’t work here. However careful and responsible you are you are prone to the inevitable cyber attacks. All you can do is accept the virtual reality in it’s every sense, both good and bad and learn along the way to put it to a safe and optimal use.