The internet is just 30 years old. I doubt that Tim Berners Lee would ever have envisaged how ubiquitous his data sharing platform would become and how it would be used by almost ever human being in the world! Thus when Facebook suffers a breakdown for just a short period of time, it is headline news around the world and many users feel bereft at its temporary interruption. 

The communications revolution and its effect on the human psyche is yet to be fully understood. When I were a lad, we marvelled at technology which allowed phone calls to be made via cables laid under our oceans. The capacity of the cables was minuscule by today's standards  and therefore the cost of their use was prohibitive - only to be used on special occasions. International calls had to be booked in advance and even then, when you eventually got through the sound quality was poor. For two years whilst out as a volunteer in Indonesia from 1970 to 1972 I did not communicate with my parents except through the use of airmail letters. I really was cut off on the other side of the world. I just had to get on with whatever came my way on my own or with the support of those who were physically around me. 

Life revolved around your work place or place of study and family. Family, friendships and relationships were nurtured by social events when people got together to drink, eat or talk. Relationships could only be maintained with those who were in your community. There were people who you did not get on with and some who became trusted friends and colleagues.

It is probably quite hard for those who grew up in the past 30 years to understand what a different time it was! Voice, messaging and picture communication are now available 24/7 in the palm of your hand. Relationships can be made with people on the other side of the world and maintained easily on a daily, or even hourly basis! Yet, such relationships are more difficult to judge if made entirely online. How do you really know the person with whom you are communicating? However, face to face it can be quite difficult to say how you really feel - not wanting to offend someone. It is strange that now we can communicate with people we hardly know and feel we can say exactly what we like to them, from behind our keyboard, no matter how wounding the message may be. 

Worse than that, bullying and malevolent messages can bring despair to young people trying to cope with growing up in this online environment. Especially because the regulation of platform providers is still in its infancy and, due to its international nature, difficult to control. Then there is the challenge posed by the ability to communicate with a wide range of people for good or for ill. Cambridge Analytica were able to use universal platforms to spread political propaganda to sway democratic votes. The dark web is being used to facilitate crime and the spread of dangerous information, for example the assembly of bombs. Now, the terrorist in New Zealand has live streamed his abominable acts of hatred and online platforms are being challenged to demonstrate that they can remove the records of this from public view.

30 years on, the world has changed more than could ever have been imagined and the pace of change will only accelerate. There is no point railing against these developments. We have to get on and be thankful for the upside of this revolution whilst trying to get to grips and challenge its downside. We know as a law firm that these changes have profound consequences for the way we do business with our customers and we are doing our best to adapt. We could still do better, but we're working hard to ensure that we can work with our clients to provide the service they require and deserve. The internet can be used for bad, but can also be used to do a lot of good. With the internet as our servant, we at Jackson Lees Group will continue to work to make a positive difference to our clients and the wider Merseyside community.