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!.