In the past two decades, the Internet has become the ultimate component of a worldwide strong. In the United States particularly, the Internet has been incorporated into various arenas such as education, health care, and business. As a result, more jobs have been created, international trade has increased, underdeveloped countries have become more technologically advanced, the gross national product has grown, larger corporations have developed, goods are in greater demand, and educational opportunities have expanded profoundly.
     All of these things affect the economy in that people receive education in order to attain employment (that provides goods and services for people), and allows economic expansion. Furthermore, the market can become stronger through the World Wide Web. The Internet plays an important role in creating businesses that propel the economy. As a result, it is important to create laws for Internet use that will also ensure a stable economy.

1. The Internet and its Effect on the Economy and Government

1. The Internet is Now More Accessible
2. The Internet increases Marketing Opportunities
3. Increased Advertising Opportunities
4. Lower Operating Costs
5. Increased Job Opportunities
6. More Internet Know-How Equals More Business
7. Safe Internet Transactions Equal More Business, too!
8. Worldwide Economic Opportunities

2. E-Commerce and How it Impacts The Economy

1. Potential Problems with E-Commerce
2. E-Commerce Signature Draws Policy Concerns
3. The UNCITRAL Model Law
4. Legislature Defines Three Elements of Trust

3. E-Commerce Laws Needed to Protect/Regulate Business

4. Problems in the Workplace and the Cost to Employers

1. Employees Waste Time and Money
2. Incorrect Addresses
3. Insufficient Security Systems

5. Privacy Issues in the Workplace

1. E-Mail Privacy in the Workplace
2. Personality Rights Law
3. Advanced Technology Creates
4. Title I Loophole
5. Title II Had The Best Intentions . . .
6. Third Time's Not The Charm, Either!
7. American Common Law Privacy Torts
8. Employers Need to Establish Ground Rules
9. Companies Should Caution and Educate Employees

6. The Internet has Positive Effect on the Global Economy

The Internet increases Marketing Opportunities--
Manufacturers take advantage of the Internet because they use it to post information and market their business. "In product design, companies can share information over the Internet . . .business-to-business e-marketplace initiatives . . . improving their [company's] post-sales support of products." (http://www.lexis-nexis/universe, Nov. 2000)
    The Internet allows businesses to import and export with foreign countries. Sometimes meetings between corporations are held on-line in the form of "Virtual meetings." Virtual meetings allow manufacturers to discuss business without having to travel. Businesses that take advantage of the Internet's numerous features find it highly beneficial to the success of their company.

Increased Advertising Opportunities--
There are new types of software that automatically arrange data to be published on the Web. Companies can advertise their goods or services much quicker than they could when using tangible documents. Other files from the Internet serve a variety of purposes, such as, "hosting online meetings, accessing design information from the worldwide design community, and dragging content from manufacturer's Web sites and dropping it into drawings." (http://www.internetindicators.com, Nov. 2000)

Lower Operating Costs--
The Internet takes the place of unnecessary labor. Previously, companies would spend thousands of dollars hiring receptionists, secretaries, etc. Companies can now save more money and spend more time planning marketing strategies. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that having access to the Internet will cause a noticeable decrease in employment in these corporations because labor is still needed to supply the demands of consumers (such as assembling products).

Increased Job Opportunities--
The Internet helped 650,000 people attain jobs in 1999. In order to increase employment, companies have to create more jobs. Several monopolies, such as Verizon (a merger between GTE and Bell Atlantic), create programs in which they teach smaller companies how to access the World Wide Web. Representatives from Verizon travel to different parts of the United States, offering six-hour Internet training sessions they call "The Internet Learning Day." Attendants learn basic Internet skills, as well as the history and terms used on the World Wide Web. Also, "participants will receive information on places they can access the Internet for free and ways to acquire a personal computer at a reduced cost. Each participant receives a free copy of the Verizon Internet Learning disk." (http://www.lexis-nexis/universe, Nov. 2000)
     Verizon uses the Internet as a means to lure people to work for their company in order to create more capitol. Verizon is successful because it "has annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion and employs more than 11,000 people." (Ibid.) Also, by taking advantage of Verizon's Internet access classes, other companies gain a better knowledge of the Internet and can expand and hire more labor.

More Internet Know-How Equals More Business
Businesses that have knowledge about the Internet attract more clients. If the company has more people consuming its product (with the use of the Internet) then it can afford to increase labor. For instance, Covad Communications, a computer company located in Santa Clara, California, has recently created a "broadband" system.
     The broadband system speeds up the process time a document takes to load onto personal computers. Covad's vice president of marketing, Richard Wong claims: "The Internet is creating huge opportunities today for people who have genuinely new ideas, ideas that will reduce costs for consumers and truly improve people's lives."  (http://www.internetindicators.com, Nov. 2000)
     Covad realizes that the Internet is a prominent resource not just for businesses but consumers as well. Therefore, as a result of their knowledge of the Internet, they have created a product (a means to download files more quickly) to benefit both consumers and businesses. Eventually, Covad creates a greater demand for its product. Covad gains more money and can hire more workers to assist in adhering to consumer's demands. Statisticians estimate that Covad will grow from having 100,000 customers in 1998 to 300,000 customers by the end of the year 2000.

Safe Internet Transactions Equal More Business, too!
Trivnet, which promotes Internet access, also uses the Internet to increase their company's production. Trivnet was originally formed in Israel but developed in New York City after 1997. Moti Dogan, Trivnet's chief executive officer noted that, "The vast majority of consumers still cite credit card security concerns as the main reason for never having shopped online."  (http://www.trivnet.com)
     Trivnet created a system called the Internet Service Provider (ISP) that allows customers to shop on-line without the obligation of posting their personal identification and credit card information on the Internet. The risk in shopping on-line is that someone can intercept transactions and find out a person's credit card information, and possibly commit fraud. Moti Dogan says that with ISP, "Your connection provides your ID." (Ibid.) Therefore, personal data is already registered into the Internet when the user downloads ISP.
     ISP users will be more encouraged to shop on-line, which will increase company profits: "Merchants have responded to Trivnet's new payment system enthusiastically, as transaction made by customers." (Ibid.)

Worldwide Economic Opportunities--
The Internet has been incorporated throughout the world. As a result of having access to the World Wide Web, many companies -- specifically those with high rates of poverty -- now have the opportunity to use the Net and possibly create business negotiations with wealthier countries. Once there is interaction, countries may offer economic assistance to each other.
     In other words, using the Internet as a means of business interaction forms a strong global economy. The new economy "has created millions of jobs from Malaysia to Mexico and a cornucopia of affordable goods for Western consumers. It has brought phone service to some 300 million households in developing nations and a transfer of nearly $2 trillion from rich countries to poor through equity . . . " (Encardio and Belton)