It’s hard to imagine a time before the internet. Even though it’s only been around for a few years within the bigger context of human history, the internet is a place nearly all of us scramble to for news, work, connections, and social media nearly every day. Only some people use the internet to their advantage, though. Beyond the entertainment value of the World Wide Web is a whole lot of perks to a global market. From business owners to advocates, many have found ways to use the internet to promote messages, change the world, and even make a living. If you’re interested in learning ways that you can use the internet to your advantage, read on.
1. Advocacy and Social Justice
Do you have a cause or message that you’re passionate about? If you’re anything like Malliha Wilson, you may already know how helpful social media and the internet can be in collaboration in getting important social justice messages out into the world. Maybe you work as a lawyer who donates pro bono services in the state prison to inmates you believe are wrongly accused. The internet is a fantastic place to educate the community about problems with the law, human rights, the conditions of federal prisons, and whether or not all people in the United States really do get a fair trial.
Alternatively, you could be passionate about systemic racial injustices and want to show your support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Heading straight to the internet is the best way to make your voice heard when it comes to policies at your local police department, civil rights, discrimination and how you might be worried about a family member. In short, the opportunities to use the internet to promote ideas that you’re passionate about are nearly limitless. Regardless of your social lens, you can share your views with a global audience in most cases.
2. Sleuthing
Another advantage of the internet might not be as noble as using it for advocacy work. Regardless, most of us do it on one level or another. Maybe you use the internet to stay connected to family and friends. What happens when an old friend from high school goes missing and rumors are circulating that he’s spending some time in the country jail?
The internet will tell you exactly how to find out if someone is in jail. A simple Google search for public records will take it one step further. Whether you’re trying to protect yourself or your children and want to know how close the nearest sex offender lives, or you feel compelled to check up on an ex, the internet can be used to your advantage when it comes to sleuthing work.
3. Remote Work
The global pandemic has more using the internet for remote work than ever before. Whether creating content about human rights abuses for blogs or working from home for the attorney general, many homeowners have turned their spare rooms into home offices to keep up with mortgage payments. We have the internet to thank for the advantage of being able to maintain employment and income while being safe at home.
4. Research
The most obvious advantage to the internet is that we can use it for daily information. While not all posts or sites on the internet include reliable information, many of us count on this or that notification everyday to keep us connected to world events or important issues. Whether we work from home and spend our business day writing up new business plans or researching zoning laws, the internet is a valuable tool for the sharing and distribution of all sorts of information on a daily basis. Even if Google can’t answer directly, it can at least point us in the right direction.
In the end, the World Wide Web is a nearly limitless place that anyone can get lost in. With the sheer size and volume of data, information, and content stored online, savvy business people and the average Joe alike are finding ways to make it work for them. The next time you decide to surf the internet, consider ways you can best use it to your advantage.