Online services are all tools and resources that people access via the internet. This can be anything from a social media site to an online banking service to an online shopping site.
Many online services are offered for free. There are also paid services, such as online banking, e-mail and data storage. Some of these services are complicated but others are easy. For example, a person can log in to their Gmail account and send or receive emails with attachments like photos or documents, while Skype is an online communication service that allows people to make audio or video calls.
People use online services for different reasons. For instance, they could use websites to purchase products that are difficult or impossible to find in retail stores. Additionally they can gain access to information and resources on the web which are not available in their local region, such as impartial sexual education, or where to find abortion services should they be considering terminating the pregnancy. Online services allow them to keep in touch with family and friends who live far away from home.
Despite these benefits, all online services are equally effective. Online treatment programs that are structured, for example are proven to decrease anxiety and depression in adolescents, but they are not always well-liked and have high dropout rates. Unstructured mental health websites, however have a higher rate of use and appear to facilitate adolescents’ need for help.