The younger generation have benefited (or suffered) from growing up in a society where the Internet is freely available. Older generations have had to do a lot of catching up and for many elderly people this has been a challenging process. ‘Silver surfers’ is a term journalists have used to describe OAPs who use the Internet. The division of people who are computer literate and those who aren’t is known as the digital divide.

Those who are computer illiterate may find themselves at a considerable disadvantage socially and professionally as the world relies ever more on digital forms of communication. Social networks and professional networking sites (e.g. Linkedin) have increased the level of ‘interconnectedness’ between people of all ages, ethnicities and cultures. Websites are relatively easy to set up and more and more of us can use the Internet as a digital platform from which to sell, share or discuss our views, lifestyle or services.

It may be argued that the longer each of us spend behind a computer screen connecting with other people, the less time we spend making real connections with people in the flesh. Many critics of the virtual world claim there is a danger that online connectivity brings with it greater social isolation.