Mass media and the internet have caused people’s attention spans to get shorter. However, the overall effect has been positive: while people are less able to focus on one thing, they more than make up for it with an enhanced ability to sort through large

The world is becoming smaller. This is a common phrase used by many people to describe how they see the world today. Two most important factors that play a part to this is mass media and the internet. With just a click of a mouse, or a click of the remote control, everything is accessible right at our doorstep.

Mass media and the internet have definitely affected people's attention span. Have you ever watched in amazement how a two year old can sit in front of the Ipad for hours without moving or screaming? I personally feel that mass media and the internet has made people's attention span longer, rather than to get shorter.

In America, the obesity rates of children and adults are increasing. Statistics show that the obesity rate has had a climb over the last few years. The reason mainly being that people are glued to their sofas watching television. Statistics of computer game addiction has also increased over the years. Both adult and children spend hours in front of computer screens playing games. More young people have been diagnosed with game addiction.

People around the world spend hours each day on the internet on Facebook, Twitter or just surfing the internet. How many of us are guilty of spending hours in front of the computer reading reviews and comments on a new computer or camera that we are interested in?

The fact that people can spend hours on the internet reading through tons of information, from amateurs to experts in the field brings out the positive effect from it. People have developed an enhanced ability to sort through large quantities of information and find out what's important.

Internet and the mass media produce large quantities of information. School students to researchers make use of all this information that they can find and sieve through it to pick up what is important to them.

Some may argue that people's attention span have actually become shorter as they are unable to sit through if it is something that does not interest them. Teachers are finding it more difficult to teach from the text books and trying to keep the attention of the pupils. More teachers are resorting to using the internet and mass medias as part of teaching resources.

Statistics show that more people are making use of Google to search for information now than what they used to before. From Justin Beiber to World War 1, the mass media and internet has information on all. Thus, people's attention span have definitely increased, and so are their ability to sort out the information they find to pick up what is important and to throw out what is not.