The roots of the Internet date back to 1962 (“Internet History” nd). With the Internet, users have the power to search vast amounts of information and have the ability to participate and engage in conversations on numerous forums. The Internet allows people from different cities, countries and backgrounds to connect and communicate in a digital world. Instead of sitting in a room with a wired connection, people can now become mobile using the Internet. Laptops and smartphones allow the Internet to fit in backpacks and pockets. The question remains: Does the Internet threaten democracy or help it? Information breeds misinformation, and the answer is not simply yes or no. However, most of the time, the Internet contributes to democracy by creating a citizen who is more aware of a variety of issues. The counterclaims argue that the Internet is an agency serving the breakdown of democracy (Jacobs, n.d.), that it contains massive amounts of disinformation, and that it has the capacity to rapidly disseminate misinformation ("Internet Does it Help or Harm Democracy?”, 2010). No matter how much information is available online, claims state that the quality of the information is unreliable. Arguments go so far as to claim that misinformation, propaganda, and conspiracy theories are being introduced into classrooms (Bartlett and Miller, 2011). Forty-seven percent of teachers surveyed reported encountering conflicts with assignments and classes containing inaccurate information from the Internet (Bartlett and Miller, 2011). and Miller, 2011). Forty-eight percent of teachers surveyed mentioned having discussions about conspiracy theories in class (Bartlett & Miller, 2011). When it comes to the quality of information available on the Internet, it is unfair to... middle of paper... ...tive-timelineDoes the Internet help or harm democracy? [Video file]. (June 1, 2010). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media-jan-june10-miller_06-01/Internet History. (nd). Retrieved April 7, 2014 from http://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/ Jacobs, J. (nd). Democracy and the Internet. Retrieved April 7, 2014 from http://www.abc.net.au/ola/citizen/interdemoc/democ.htm Saletan, W. (July 18, 2011). Spring for Twitter: Is the Internet the engine of the Arab Spring revolutions? Retrieved April 10, 2014 from http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2011/07/springtime_for_twitter.html Wright, R. (nd). This Chamber believes that the Internet brings more harm than good. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://www.youthforum.idebate.org/debatabase/debates/science-technology/house-believes-internet-brings-more-harm-good