Technology Watch

Forecasting the Internet

The impacts of internets evolution in to the future
By Ahmed Noushad
To think of what Man could achieve in the future, a few things come to my vision - an extended
use of human cerebral capacity, overly streamlined flying cars, an immaterial TV screen popping
from your watch, a pen that could read and write your thoughts, and of course a few that would
make everyday life more compact and concise. But when internet is specifically mentioned,
almost all the impossibilities have been conquered. From massive data transfer to off-sea
purchases, to video conferences, to remote system control and maintenance, have all become
possible through internet. Even then there seems to be more that needs to be done with the
internet. It is only natural that the only system that connects the entire population of the world will
need more to come up with. Interviewing a few from Bangladesh and quotes from people around
the world has revealed that the changes could be much more advanced or it may be much the same
10 years from now, but what is most certain is that more and more people will have an easy
access.
For what we know at the moment, that the internet will enhance global connectivity that fosters
greater relationship and acknowledgement, will have enhanced artificial intelligence that might
make people more aware of themselves and the world, will have devices incorporated to their suit
with a virtual personal assistant that will monitor and feedback information especially in regard to
personal health, an Internet-enabled revolution in education will spread more opportunities,
dangerous divides between haves and have-nots may expand, and eventually might result in
resentment and possible violence, abuses and abusers may become more subtle and may even
evolve and scale based on a report made by Elon University.
Every technological advancement has come with a price. Ranging from TV remotes to electronic
key-less car locks, have all come for a purpose and has paid as well to some extent; all but
attributing to human nature. The problem that persists lies in some of the innate nature of Humans
which doesnt apparently change - there's laziness, bullying, stalking, dirty tricks, crime governments and corporations will try to assert power as they invoke security and cultural norms,
people will make tradeoffs favoring convenience and perceived immediate gains over privacy,
humans and their current organizations may not respond quickly enough to the challenges
presented by complex networks, most people are not yet noticing the profound changes
communication networks are already bringing about, which however with foresight and accurate
predictions and regulation can make a difference; establishes the 150 page Elon Pew Future of the
Internet Report.
Speaking of Bangladeshs perspective; Currently, although newer businesses are evolving,
everyday financial transactions are still considered to be slow, which will be enhanced with further
improvement of global connectivity. Which I assume will become mandatory and part and parcel
of any business organisation, especially here in Bangladesh, says Salman Hasan. Suraya Sultana,
an executive at a Bank adds in regard to the current educational structure of the country, students
will no longer require attending schools or universities. Parental obligations on their child are
already diminishing, so will the obligations of going to school, because there are now online
centres where university like counseling is provided, and with much better care and forecast than
the universities here in Bangladesh, both public and private considered. Salman says in this
regard, with the spread and growth of internet, students can easily choose what to learn and from
whom to learn, this will also reduce the cost of education in Bangladesh. Educational materials
will be easily available in the internet. Salman in his positive aspect of Internet revolution adds
that with greater knowledge sharing, health awareness and diagnosis will come at hand, enhancing
disease prediction and probably increasing life expectancy.
However, a revolution had, has, and always will have their impacts, either negative or positive, or
a mix of both. As mentioned earlier, these impacts are blamable to mans innate nature of overly
relying and henceforth neglecting the control over the innovation they make. Tazuin Z.
Chowdhury observes that this rise in Internet growth will cause economic imbalance to some
extent. This has been discussed before where banks will no longer have material importance, and
will be dissolved with the introduction of electronic money, again an enhanced improvisation of

internet. She predicts that this growth, although flavoured with greater involvement in social
media and a reliable guide to travelling and living, will eventually affect lives, There will be
changes that may cause economic imbalance, which will affect lives but I dont know how its
going to. It may make life look so easy, but then I believe that most of us would miss the bigger
picture, until too late. Tele-medias and newspapers will definitely die. Online will become
everything .
Salman on the other hand predicts that internet evolution and improvements will cause increased
use of automation technology, which will hamper human involvement in production, control, and
regulatory professions, causing massive unemployment rates. According to him cyber security will
become a daily concern; practical crimes may become dormant.
The biggest impact will come from something we don't currently foresee. Stay alert! warns Mrac
Prensky, a gaming researcher and teacher.