Are we using the internet or is the internet using us?

        To me, the answer is both. It depends on what you do with the internet that determines whether you use it efficiently or it ends up using you. In my blendspace, I've shown a variety of articles which display both attributes of the internet.

Each of these articles either show us how the internet is taking advantage of us, or how we are using it efficiently. I feel that the only way we would be able to use the internet to our benefit is if we know how to use it correctly, and if we like the outcomes of our use. This could include earning money from it, learning something new, or simply just enjoying your time spent on it.
Yes, big companies do benefit from using the internet more than any average person does, and yes sometimes they earn money from it through the exploitation of its users, Although, I believe that time spent learning something new or doing something interesting or connecting with people you enjoy to connect with, is beneficial to you, and if the internet helps in doing those activities, then therefor you use the internet.
Although, I also feel that some companies/organizations have a greater power over what is most shared in the internet, which can greatly influence our own thoughts an opinions formulated from this newly acquired information that we got from what we saw on the internet.
For me, that would be my biggest concern of getting used by the internet, or rather, used by more powerful people on the internet. Because they can use the internet to widespread information quickly and through great masses through ads that they bought etc. which could be spreading biased messages.