Most people agree that the Internet affects society in many different ways. In my opinion, the most prominent effect of the Internet is that it has strengthened democracy. I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.

Most people agree that the Internet affects society in many different ways. In my opinion, the most prominent effect of the Internet is that it has strengthened democracy. I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay. To begin with, online investigative reporting plays a major role in exposing political corruption and in keeping politicians honest. In the past, there were only a limited number of news outlets and they often had deep connections to powerful politicians and were hesitant to criticize them. These days, however, there are many independent publications on the Internet that are willing to expose political misbehavior. For example, an online magazine recently published a story revealing that the mayor of my hometown had taken bribes from a property developer. The report was so detailed and well-researched that the mayor had no choice but to resign. Although the evidence was not hard to locate, only this independent website was willing to write about it. This example demonstrates how the Internet helps to strengthen democracy in the modern world. Secondly, the free exchange of ideas found online motivates people to become politically active. While in the past people might have found themselves alone in their beliefs, they can now realize others share their ideas. My own experience demonstrates this concept. When I was a university student, I learned a park near my residence was going to be demolished to make room for a parking lot. This bothered me a lot because I enjoyed spending time in the park. At first, I thought there was nothing I, as an individual, could do about it. However, I later joined a Facebook group dedicated to opposing the plan. When the members of the group learned how many people in the city loved the park, we got together and enthusiastically protest in front of city hall. I think finding each other on that Facebook group gave us the courage to actively protect our park. In conclusion, I strongly believe that the Internet has strengthened democracy in modern society. This is because online investigative journalism plays a big part in keeping politicians honest and because social networking sites encourage people to be politically active.