The Internet and AI, now hailed by many as humanity’s greatest tools for knowledge and connection, are quietly eroding our ability to think critically. What was meant to enlighten us has begun to dull our minds.
People, and children especially, are mistaking the consumption of information for genuine learning. It’s easier for children to believe short social media videos containing dubious facts produced by AI than develop the habit of questioning and reasoning for themselves. Today, opinions voiced by celebrities and television pundits are treated as more credible than the carefully considered views of well-qualified experts. This shift is not a harmless trend; it is intentional and is reshaping how societies think.
Many find it more comfortable to follow the herd, to conform rather than to think independently. The result is a generation of unquestioning, unthinking conformists. This outcome is no accident. Large corporations exploit the Internet’s influence, convincing people to buy products they do not need. Extremist groups use the same tools to sow division and manipulate public opinion. In this environment, truth becomes secondary to persuasion and emotional appeal replaces rational thought. Neurological research supports this concern. Scientists have discovered that when people stop engaging in deep, critical thinking, the brain physically rewires itself to accommodate this new, passive way of receiving information. Knowledge alone does not make a person intelligent. True intelligence requires questioning, reflection and the ability to form independent judgements. The Internet, by overwhelming us with endless streams of information, distracts us from developing these essential faculties.
To protect the integrity of human thought, the use of the Internet must be redefined. It should serve only as a tool for genuine research and direct communication through email or text. Certain forms of social media should be banned, as they have become breeding grounds for manipulation and disinformation. Extremist political propaganda that incites division and hatred should be criminalised and it must be a punishable offence to create or share false statements or videos containing medical falsehoods which may be harmful.
In education, the Internet’s role should be carefully limited. Schools should use it solely for accessing information from reputable sources — qualified doctors, scientists and philosophers whose work has been verified and reviewed independently. Children must be taught not merely to absorb information but to question it, to weigh evidence and to think independently. If societies continue down their current path, the consequences will be grave.
A world without critical thinkers will be a world without innovation, without progress and without freedom. Restricting the Internet may seem drastic, but it may be the only way to preserve what truly makes us human: our capacity to think, to reason and to seek truth. The unrestricted rapid development of AI adds to the serious danger the Internet poses for the future education of our children and mankind. When AI and the Internet put forward “facts”, schools should teach their children to ask, “Who is telling me this and why?”, “What evidence supports this claim?” and finally, “What opposing views exist?” This is the basis of true learning, true education and the development of essential critical thinking.
However, the challenge lies in ensuring that any restrictions do not become another form of control. A responsible state should guide citizens towards truth, not by limiting their ability to discover the truth. This balance depends on transparency, open discussion and the protection of independent voices. Only then can information serve rather than dictate.
Karim Easterbrook
The writer is a Former Cambridge School Principal and Author
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