Cyberspace is a term or word used to describe the interconnected digital online infrastructure that reach across the world. It is the online world of data networks, information, application, and digital communication. Basically, anything that you can access or use with a data connection. It is a symbolic space that exists online.
This includes public as well as private access.
Cyberspace is so versatile, that it sometimes feels like it is a different world, or space that we enter when we are online. Although it is not a physical space that our bodies can enter, in cyberspace we can shop online, do our banking, interact with other people and much more.
Cyberspace is not real in the sense that it is not a place that we can physically visit, but it is a real medium that we can use to interact with the real world. Things like Online games even make it possible to interact with virtual worlds.
Where did the word Cyberspace originate?
The word Cyberspace first appeared in the visual arts towards the end of the 1960s. Susanne Ussing and Carsten Hoff who was a Danish artist duo used the name Atelier Cyberspace, however, this was not used to describe the online world.
The term Cyberspace in the contexts and definition as we commonly use it today, was coined by a science fiction author named William Gibson. He first used it in 1982 in his short story Burning Chrome”. In 1984, he used it again in his novel Neuromancer, which popularized the term.
How does Cyberspace help us?
Cyberspace help us to interact with our world in ways that were not possible a few decades ago. It grows and evolves daily to meet our needs.
There is a vast amount of information and knowledge that we can instantly access by simply searching for it online.
Tasks like banking, shopping etc. that would previously have required us to stand in queues can now be done online. This saves time, money, and a great deal of frustration.
We can chat with friends, or debate matters with total strangers who could be located just about anywhere around the world.
Cyberspace also make it possible to start or grow businesses in ways that were not possible before. We can earn money completely online with opportunities like Affiliate marketing, or partially online with things like photo editing, or video editing.
Is cyberspace safe to use?
Just like in the real world, there are also risks associated with cyberspace.
Cybercriminals lurk online, so we need to remain vigilant when we access Cyberspace.
There are various types of malicious software, also know as malware, that could infect our devices.
Our online activity is often not as private as one may think.
Internet connections like public Wi-Fi may pose a risk, as these are often common targets for cyber criminals.
What is a virtual world in cyberspace?
In cyberspace, virtual worlds are software programs designed to simulate real world environments. In these simulated environments users can navigate their way through the environments and interact with other users within the environment and with the environment itself. Common forms of virtual worlds are online games and chatrooms on the internet.