In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe. The initial appearance of a mild, manageable virus soon became a major pandemic. The virus remains active even though it has been a year since. The entire world was under lockdown and most people spent their time in front of screens. All ages have seen a significant increase in the average time they spend in front of screens.
We all escaped the four walls of our homes and
took to our electronic gadgets. It was used by children to
access online classes, while adults could do all their work via Google
Meet or Zoom phone calls. Pandemic has changed
the way we use the internet. The internet is officially entering a new
era. We'll find out in the future whether it's good for us or not. It
is impossible to ignore the impact that the pandemic has had on the growth of
the internet.
The internet's pre-pandemic and post-pandemic
usages are vastly different. Everything has changed, from our dependence
on technology to our obsession over the internet.
Pandemic Effects On The Internet
Our screens provided us with multiple
pleasures, as we had no place to go. It was a way to communicate with the
outside world. It was used by people to connect with family and friends as
well as colleagues. This was made possible by applications like Google
Meet andZoom. To relieve boredom, many people turned to OTT
service. The Pandemic gave new meaning to binge-watching. This
year saw major growth in services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Not only OTT, but social media apps like Instagram
or YouTube have also seen a significant growth arc. These apps
were used significantly more often per person. This is perhaps the best
thing that has come out of the pandemic. All businesses have suffered
massive losses, while the internet is booming.
Since COVID-19 was first discovered, it's been
over a year. Let's dive deeper into the subject and discover the many ways
that the Internet has changed.
Two Major Changes in the Online World
1. Education
There are more than 1.2 million children living
in 186 countries worldwide. Their school lives were greatly disrupted by
the Pandemic. Online education was the best alternative to all of the
schools that were closed. Within a matter of months, all schools and
colleges had adopted online learning.
However, research in education
technology as well as online classes has been ongoing
since before the Corona Pandemic. The total
investment in edtech reached $18.66 billion in 2019. This number is
expected to rise to $350 billion by 2025. This type of growth is uncommon
in any industry. Online classes of any kind have become increasingly
popular, and more students are getting to know them.
The huge rise in BYJU’S users
is one example of the rapid growth of online education. BYJU'S offered
live classes via its Think and Learn App during the pandemic. The company
saw a 20% increase in its number of students after this announcement. This
is an incredible growth curve that could indicate that online schools might
soon be an option to traditional classes. On average, 81.1 million people
visited their Youtube channels and websites of online learning sites like
Khan Academy and Coursera every month. These numbers show how
important the Internet was in education during these stressful times.
2. Jobs
The Internet has also changed the way we work. Employers
used many online video conferencing tools to hold meetings and keep connected
after offices were closed during the Pandemic. All things were done via
video calls, from presentations and meetings to job interviews. Many
corporations began to operate online within a short time.
Zoom,, a video conferencing software that has been
the standard for online lectures and meetings, has seen a 300% increase in its
users. This was a record for the company. In their annual results
report, Zoom reported that they had made $328 million in revenue. This was
possible due to their simple-to-use features, which many corporations and
companies adopted quickly. Google Meet, the video conferencing application
by Google, is now used by around 3 million people per day. This is a
staggering number by any standard and neither company could have imagined such
an enormous user base if it wasn't for the pandemic.
This was a welcome shift for employees who
typically work 10 hours or more five days a semaine. 32% reported feeling
happier working at home in a survey. Many of the participants answered
that they don't need to commute long distances to work so they can spend more
time with family. These employees could also take longer and more
rewarding breaks by working from home. These factors greatly improved
their happiness.
The Final Word
The internet has opened up a new world for
humans. Many of their stress was eliminated by working from home in the
most comfortable clothes. This is true for all college- and school-going
kids. They were able to learn everything, without the need for school
pressure. Many are now wondering if the online practice will continue
after the third wave subsides and the virus has been pushed to the sidelines. What
would happen to people's mental and physical health if this
happened?
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effects of pandemic on the internetent, work from home, research and development
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