Topic Paper Outline

Hi everyone, this is my topic for the individual report. If you have any feedbacks, please feel free to leave a comment! Thank you! :) 

Internet - the new era of communication 

Executive Summary

Internet has revolutionized the world. It has changed so many aspects of our lives that it is now nearly impossible to live without. Prior to internet, the only way to communicate with someone is face to face or over the phone. If you had to write to someone, you had to send a mail to their place. We were content with that. However, as we look back at it now, we were pretty limited and will probably never return to the past methods again. 

Thus, this paper will focus on how the birth of internet has changed our communication systems -for the better and for the worse socially, economically, politically and globally. It also predicts the future issues which the world may face as our reliance on the the internet increases. 

Background/introduction

1. Definition of communication

-A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior

2. History of the internet (How and why it came about)

-US MIT scientist created it in preparation of an attack from the Soviet Union during the cold war 1960s. 

-Development of networks to allow computers all over the world to communicate with one another

-Introduction of World Wide Web which allows anyone on the net to have access to all the data online.

Historical Perspective

1. Olden methods of communication

-In the olden days, people would shout from one mountain top to another. The Chinese soldiers used torches to warn each other of danger.

-When we learned how to write, Letters were used to transmit information.  Letters were written and sent by “air” through pigeons while the Chinese hid their secret messages in moon cakes. 

-Personal messengers: used to travel on horses, trains, ships to pass on the message 

-Telephone calls

2. Elaboration on the difficulties of such methods

-Slow, inefficient and costly.

Current Situation

1. Introduce the various platforms we communicate via the internet

-Individuals

*Emails, Google, Facebook, Tweeter, Blogs, Youtube. Face time

-Corporations

*Internet advertising, Intranet, Extranet

2. In depth analysis of how the various mediums have affected us 

-Economically

-Socially

-Politically

-Globally

Future Considerations 

1. Social problems? 

-Will we still be able to hold conversations as well face to face without hiding behind a computer screen?

-Do people still treasure the friendship/ family bonds? 

-Will we lose the art of legible handwriting skills?

2. Bring about togetherness, no cultural difference

-Being able to communicate so freely with people from all over the world, would it be able to close the gap of cultural differences?

3. A more fragile world of information

-Should there be a failure/crash in one of the networks, can the world who relies so heavily on the internet still function?

4. Political problems

-With an infinite amount of information easily available to people, it is very likely that the government will have greater difficulties in controlling their people which in turn, forces for a more transparent government.

References :

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication

http://www.history.com/topics/invention-of-the-internet