What is an Example of Diffusion of Internet Technology? CJN 771

Diffusion of technology is a theory that relates to how and how fast we react to new products, technology, and ideas. The idea of the internet is an example of itself. If you told people years ago that someday all the information at the world could be accessed in seconds they wouldn't believe you. But as we can see, it has changed our lives.

Pertaining to the functions of the internet however, email is a great example of diffusion of internet technology. When email came into existence, it was something that caught on fairly fast. Everyone was starting to get their email addresses down, and it started appearing in address books under your phone and fax number. Once or twice a day, people would rush to their computers, start their dial-up and wait to hear "You've got mail!" They even made a movie out of it.

So back when email took dedication to check, your address was only given to close friends and family. Something easy to keep in touch with. But as we fast forward to today, email is the main way of communication. Most of our everyday mail is sent to our email address rather than to our mailbox. Companies, like insurance or phone providers, offer discounts for customers who get their communication sent to their email addresses. However, today with most companies switching to we can be subjected to a lot of junk mail, and have switched to text messages for hearing from our loved ones.