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

Nowadays, everywhere one looks, people can be found glued to their smart devices tinkering with buttons and screens. The combination of advanced technology and information availability has created facilities such as the internet, which has brought a sea of information to one's fingertips. As with most other human inventions, media and internet have both pros and cons: while people have become more skittish and are unable to focus for a sustained duration, their ability to sort through information has been greatly enhanced. A further discussion of these pros and cons is attempted in the paragraphs below.

The premise that the attention span of people has reduced owing to mass media and internet has got unequivocal support from nearly everybody. There is a complete lack of attentiveness and personal connect during most conversations, as people are usually hooked to their personal digital assistants, sophisticated phones and tablets. Such lack of "true" presence may be considered venial or downright rude, according to one's perspective. Briefly, it cannot be denied that the plethora of devices and information overload has contributed to the increasing restlessness in individuals. In addition, while the virtual medium has opened up avenues for interactivity across borders and long distances, such virtual interaction has also resulted in lack of real-world personal ties.

Although the proliferation of mass media and internet has a role in reducing the attention spans of individuals, one cannot feign obliviousness to the fact that the ease of information availability has greatly assisted people from all walks of life: whether it be homemakers looking for parenting tips or students searching for the right college after high school, the internet and media has made everything available at one's tips. Nearly everyone would agree that it is much easier to sift through the information on one's personal computer in the comfort of one's home, than at other places.

However, this ease of information availability has its flipside too. Plagiarism and copyright violations are on the rise, precisely because so much of information is readily available at low cost. Whether it be music and video piracy, or plagiarism in the academic field, internet has unfortunately and inadvertently contributed to some of these transgressions.

To sum up, it may be accepted that though the internet has often been used for not-so-noble activities, it has played an important role in bringing the world to our fingertips. However, the human race needs to be extremely cautious of using this medium to its fullest capacity in the positive direction, lest it ends up as fire in a child's hands causing more harm than gain.