Nowadays more and more people seem to depend new technologies, especially Internet.

    I want to start with the fact that new technology is very useful, but we must admit that some people are very suspectious to this development. Their main concern is that our vital skills are being lost as computer technology replaces traditional ways of working in a wide variety of areas from art and design to banking and commerce. Also, using the Internet seem to increase the number of health problems, especially for teenagers, who spend more and more time in front of the computer screen instead of meeting with the friends.

However, people should realize that without new technology they couldn't mantain or even obtain their present standard of living  to which they have got used  in the last century.

Furthermore, the fact that there is a wide variety of websites on the Internet concerning different areas, it's a huge advantage for us because we can get any kind of information anytime we want.

Secondly,people that are confrunting with health problems like HIV, cancer or other kind of disease, they can ask for help posting on specialized websites announcements in which they describe  their tragic story, giving details about how they can get better and how much money they would need to solve their problems.        

                                           
In addition, teenagers are more inured to the Internet using youth programs of communicating with friends and get new aquaintances like Yahoo Messenger or special websites like HI5, My Space, Netlog, Tubely and others.

More teenagers use this kind of programs because they get more confident offering them a chance to present themselves in they way they want to.

An other advantage is that teenagers can take their time planning their message, to be a bit more playful, adding jokes, photoes and  videoclips. The fact that messaging is so quick and easy is a big part of the attraction.

As far as I am concerned, the Internet has become an important part of my life. I like how easy it  is to get informations or  to spend hours talking with my friends, laughing at their jokes and it's very interesting to know people from other countries through the Internet chats. 

As an example, I have been talking with many boys and girls from Malta, Spain, Germany or Italy and now I can say that I wait for them to come with a visit to Romania.

Altough I find the Internet very useful I am  aware of how dangerous it can  be if the situation gets out of our control.  There has been many cases when teenagers become addictive to this amazing product of the new technology.

All in all, there is no doubt that Internet will entertain the entire world for many years to come but it's up to us to handle this development in order not to risk our lives.

If the Internet is our friend or enemy, only time will tell.

                                         

Ionela Daciana Egaroiu (Novaci)