The Impact of Social Media and Technology on Society

Many of the institutions have embarked on embracing new technological models in order to adapt towards the digital revolution which is why the digital divide is decreasing. The term digital equality is coming to surface because organizations are now providing internet as well as device access to all the educational institutions as well as business institutions. This enables the individuals who did not have prior interaction with technological devices to adapt to better technology and to move towards better accessibility of information. For example, in South Africa, huge emphasis is now being made on information and computer technology learning curriculum and the access of computers and other material to students and teachers for decreasing the digital divide.

Technology increases the efficiency of the tasks done at a workplace by allowing individuals to brainstorm as well as to take notes in a faster pace through the use of GoogleDoc or Redbooth and apps such as Go-To Meeting etc. Technology enhances the communication between individuals in personal as well as professional interactions such as the way individuals communicate, connect as well as exchange information like operating systems which makes them interconnected. Technology is also changing the kind of skills which are required by the employees because majority of the firms now require that their employees should have technology specific skills such as knowing mobile development, having the ability to troubleshoot, being apt in social media, and being up to date with the changing technology. Furthermore, the employees are starting to adapt to this changing workplace by streamlining their tech expertise.

The more personal the information communication technology is, the more people stay in touch with their family and friends which creates a huge personal network for individuals. Technology enhances the way individuals solve problems and meet the social needs such as communicating with friends and families. Moreover, technology has improved our lifestyle and entertainment because majority of household appliances are now connected via the internet which makes it easier for individuals to go about their lifestyle. Technology has created convenience in travelling as well as in education using visual learning, podcasts, driverless cars etc. Technology has made it easy for individuals to navigate through data as well as places using augmented reality maps, apps and other devices as well as to interact with friends and family by letting them know the places which are common meeting spots etc.

Influence of Social Media on Our Opinions of the World Around Us

Social media influences our opinions of the world around us generating different perceptions in the mind of individuals through various businesses, consumers, political parties, countries etc. because the way a person views the world depends on the kind of information they view and read about. In case of social media, the news is sometimes fragmented and without checking the sources people tend to accept the news as it is which changes their views regarding issues of importance.

Although friendships might falter in time but the connection is always strong due to the social networking system. People can now interact via social media and comment or tag each other in posts related to teach other or share pictures which will not only make them feel like they are remembered but also develop a connection stronger than the offline connection specially in case of relatives living miles apart. That it is because of social media that people have started to be more connected because now individuals can be in contact with their friends with whom they otherwise would have lost touch if it were not for the social media platform. Moreover, social media has shifted the entire communication pattern of individuals from being offline to online which has decreased the gap which was otherwise present between the cyberspace and the offline physical world.

Social media is also a platform where people tend to spread fake news which by online bots and the spread of false information through websites tends to create an error in understanding and spreads lies. This fake information present on social media is making the truth disappear and is creating misinformation day by day which is a drawback and causes one to imagine a dystopian future in which individuals tend to rely on fake information. The information provided via the internet is also biased because the search engines are programmed to provide information which the user wants rather than which is right.

How Technology Impacts Our Personal Privacy

Dependence on technology makes life easier but it is also a threat to the privacy of the user because we become vulnerable to cyber-attacks and threats. The main reason why privacy is a huge concern in the digital media is because privacy enables individuals to manage how they are perceived by others and to manage the other individual’s perception about them. In simpler terms, privacy is necessary for safeguarding as well as managing ones reputation. This is because people tend to judge others by their friends, likes, choices and background. Sometimes social media and other websites harm this reputation by unfairly showcasing aspects of an individual’s life which an individual wants to keep safe from the public eye. Furthermore, the concern of people for privacy online is also deeply rooted in maintaining strong boundaries and formal behavior with others. Having privacy online makes it easy for an individual to be comfortable with their likes and dislikes without having the concern of their reputation being damaged or boundaries being crossed. Gadgets can track location through GPS and Google maps which is a concern for privacy as this not only gives access to third party companies to know your location and data but to also target you as the consumer whether you consent to it or not. The devices also track the data and store it which means that all the passwords which are stored within the phone or emails can get hacked.

The open access of technology and its advancement can make us an easy target for the hackers and criminals online. This information added to my knowledge regarding social informatics in the sense that even if authorities try their best to stop cyber-crime, there are still some weaknesses which the hackers and criminals can use which makes it difficult for one to protect their data online. Computer security is essential to understand because this is one thing that protects us from cybercrime, however even the most equipped technologies can be hacked which is why these threats should be combated by improving the security in internet of things.

Data security concerns in professional practice and workplace In the professional practice, this information can be implemented in such a way that more security can be provided to computers, mobile phones and databases present within the company so that hackers do not have access to this information about the company. The employees that tend to use their devices on the company’s internet connection can cause the hacking to occur unintentionally because any device connected with the network becomes a significant threat for the company data. The main solution which the company can turn to is to develop its own firewall software which will protect the data of the company from other servers and threats. Data security concerns in personal life Personal information of individuals such as their food preferences, places they like to visit, workplace, health issues, sexual orientation etc. are in danger of being leaked and often are sold to other companies. For example, IBM builds personality insights which track not only the online preferences and search history of the individuals but also notes their location and sends it to companies such as insurance companies.

Impact of Data Security Concern on Society

Due to the growing threat of crimes taking place online have given rise to security threats because of which people do no longer trust the technology and gadgets. This is making the drop-in business for the companies that supply devices connected with the internet. Individuals have started to take aggressive measures towards security of their system which means that they are constantly changing their usernames or passwords in order to protect their information.

The interaction which an individual gets through internet of things is part of a lifestyle and it is now impossible to not have such an interaction because the car, television, cellular phone, security system and even refrigerator relates to automation and internet. The most adequate example of internet of things in our personal life is of transportation because the driverless cars are now becoming extremely popular. These cars which are automated provide information regarding the best routes with less traffic, information about the diagnostics of the vehicle and even the traffic patterns. Internet of things also helps in optimizing businesses because now the manufacturing process can be monitored using the machines that relate to each other as well as with the lasers, sensors and cameras. Electronic labeling is also on rise because it allows easy inventory management.

The future of internet of things will enable more ease for the users through traffic control systems for the trains and ships. Moreover, microchip implants within the hand will become a trend as these microchips will be helpful in making payments without the use of credit. Microchip has its benefits such as signing in and out of the company without showing card, unlocking the office doors as well as providing information for memberships without having to show cards. However, there can be some negative consequences to this kind of technology such as the microchips implanted within the body might cause long term health problems because there can be problems of interference with the devices which have compounds electromagnetic in nature. These microchips can also take away the independence and the power to choose from people because these microchips have certain deficiencies that might be exploited by others. However, it has been researched that this technology will be accepted by the future generations because according to the report published by NBC, microchips are on the verge of becoming a popular concept especially when it comes to implanting in children. Moreover, people will start to come around this idea of microchips being inserted for the retail purposes within the next ten years and will consider it as a mundane activity like the bar code in a retail store.

For example, if a company asks its employee to develop a software which will obtain private records from the government organizations regarding individuals who want to buy homes, which is private information and cannot be obtained without the consent of the individuals involved. The company asks the software developer to access the private information without the knowledge of the individuals which creates an ethical dilemma. In this scenario, first thing that the employee should do, according to professional ethics, is to find out whether this is ethical or not. The individuals whose information will be in the records did not give their consent to the company to access such information which means that this will be violation of privacy.

The Future of Technology and the Impact on Society

The research done in the field of artificial intelligence reveals that the future will have a balance between the technological and automation changes with that of the society because it is necessary to keep in mind that the jobs will become scarce because most of the jobs will be taken by artificial intelligence. However, the need for a human touch will not be replaced because several social skills, olfactory or visual representation as well as communication will be required which is why a balance between the human and automation labor will be sought. Medical care will become better and there will be more efficient ways of decreasing the effects of diseases and of finding cures. However, even the most equipped technologies scan be hacked which is why these threats should be combated by improving the security in internet of things. Computers working with the internet and are developed as well as produced different from the computers but they are still vulnerable to cyber-attacks just like a computer is to viruses.

Moreover, dangers of cybercrime, hacking and security issues are also some of the challenges which artificial intelligence has to face. The main challenge is of privacy when it comes to the future of technology because people are not willing to give up their privacy yet and to allow other companies to access their data. This is because artificial intelligence is often put to bad use such as for cybercrime.