The Internet is a connection between you and the rest of the world, where information is endless and to some extent you are left to do whatever you want. “The percentage of the population with Internet access grew from 0.1% in 2000 to 43.5% in 2010, doubling the number in 2009, which was reported as 20.6%,” (Cenameri). This significant increase has given more children access to the Internet, but at what cost? The Internet stifles a child's development due to the difficulties it creates in their health, academic and social lives. With the significant amount of information available on the Internet, many people believe that this resource improves children's lives, helps facilitate communication between people, (Wolniczak ) providing people with “continuous learning opportunities” (Henderson) connecting people from around the world and levels the playing field for everyone. (Owens) In reality, the enormous amount of information does more harm than good to a child's development. The vast increase in Internet use has taken a toll on children's academic lives. The Internet was originally created to serve communication and research activities (Ghafari), but students have started to abuse this tool. Some online search engines have become so popular that they are now a verb in their own right. People now say “Google it” instead of “look it up,” (Bilton) and are becoming dependent on a website that allows them to type their questions in seconds. It's not just websites that kids have access to, “students get their textbooks, newspapers, magazines and books in digital formats where they are instead of traveling somewhere to look… in the middle of paper. .. 1-358. Business origination completed. Network. December 2, 2013. United States. Ensure student cybersecurity. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2010. eBook. December 3, 2013. Vandelanotte, Corneel, et al. “Association of leisure-time Internet and computer use with overweight and obesity, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors: a cross-sectional study.” Journal of Internet Medical Research 11.3 (2009): 1-8. PsycINFO. Network. December 4, 2013. Wolniczak, Isabella, et al. “Association between Facebook addiction and poor sleep quality: a study on a sample of university students in Peru.” Plos UNO 8.3 (2013): 1-5. Academic research completed. Network. December 4, 2013.Wonsun, Shin, Huh Jisu, and Ronald J. Faber. “Developmental antecedents of children's responses to online advertising.” International Journal of Advertising 31.4 (2012): 719-740. Business origination completed. Network. 4 December. 2013.