The British media have been full of stories about cyber warfare, spying on government, company and personal communications, and misuse of the Internet to disseminate pornography. Computers and the Internet have contributed significantly to productivity in industry and commerce and are now essential tools in the administration of governments throughout the world. They are also valuable tools for learning and education.
For most consumers booking tickets and ordering goods on the Internet are part of everyday life but even such simple tasks can be frustrating and time-consuming if Internet sites are badly organized or disrupted by cyber attacks. To protect ourselves we have to set up firewalls and formulate passwords and other devices to try to ensure that our data are not compromised or misused fraudulently.
Internet companies make a lot of money by providing anti-virus protection and "apps" galore. Microsoft and Apple vie with one another to improve their software while manufacturers of hardware compete in producing new models.