The Impact of The Impact of Communication Technology Communication Technology

Part 2Part 2

Economic ImpactEconomic ImpactToday, businesses rely on computers, Today, businesses rely on computers,

high tech telephones, fax machines and high tech telephones, fax machines and local area computer networks. These local area computer networks. These systems have a real effect on our systems have a real effect on our economy. economy.

With global communication comes a With global communication comes a global economy. Things that happen global economy. Things that happen this morning in New York can affect this morning in New York can affect business in Tokyo, thousands of miles business in Tokyo, thousands of miles away, a few hours later. away, a few hours later.

Economic ImpactEconomic Impact

Communication technologies are also Communication technologies are also moving us from a production economy to a moving us from a production economy to a service economy. Instead of building service economy. Instead of building things in a factory, more and more people things in a factory, more and more people are performing services. are performing services.

Technologies make factories more Technologies make factories more efficient and they require less people to efficient and they require less people to work in them. work in them.

Economic Impact – Use of Economic Impact – Use of CreditCredit

Many people live on credit. Many people spend Many people live on credit. Many people spend more than they earn. Unlike people of the past, more than they earn. Unlike people of the past, they are unwilling or unable to save for what they they are unwilling or unable to save for what they want. want.

Do you think that high speed communications Do you think that high speed communications may be a part of the reason people seem to want may be a part of the reason people seem to want everything right away? everything right away?

What about TV advertising. Everyday we watch What about TV advertising. Everyday we watch while hundreds of commercials urge us to buy, while hundreds of commercials urge us to buy, buy, buy. buy, buy.

Does TV affect our spending habits? Does TV affect our spending habits?

Environmental ImpactEnvironmental Impact

Communication tends to be “clean” Communication tends to be “clean” technology. technology.

Compared to “smokestack” industries like Compared to “smokestack” industries like steel production, communication industries steel production, communication industries are easier on our environment. are easier on our environment.

Environmental Impact - Environmental Impact - DownsideDownside

People thought that computers would People thought that computers would allow us to have a “paperless” office of the allow us to have a “paperless” office of the future. future.

Computers and photocopiers generate Computers and photocopiers generate more paper copies than ever before. more paper copies than ever before.

When we harvest trees and use energy to When we harvest trees and use energy to produce paper, we make an impact on the produce paper, we make an impact on the environment. environment.

Cultural ImpactCultural Impact

Many people believe television has made Many people believe television has made us a less literate society than we were a us a less literate society than we were a generation or two ago. generation or two ago.

People who are literate are able to read People who are literate are able to read and write well. and write well.

School test scores have declined. School test scores have declined. Could that be because we read less and Could that be because we read less and

watch television more? watch television more?

Cultural Impact – The Video Cultural Impact – The Video RevolutionRevolution

Many television shows change scenes or Many television shows change scenes or images every couple of seconds. images every couple of seconds. Something seems to be happening Something seems to be happening constantly. constantly.

We have come to expect this constant We have come to expect this constant action or we are bored. action or we are bored.

Many teachers report short attention Many teachers report short attention spans among today’s students. spans among today’s students.

Is television to blame for this? Is television to blame for this?

Cultural Impact - ViolenceCultural Impact - Violence

What about our attitude toward violence? What about our attitude toward violence? Have they changed because of television? Have they changed because of television? When we constantly see violent movies When we constantly see violent movies

and violent stories on the evening news, and violent stories on the evening news, does it desensitize us toward violence? does it desensitize us toward violence?

Cultural Impacts - Advertising Cultural Impacts - Advertising

Shopping has become a national pastime.Shopping has become a national pastime. Instead of spending Sundays going to Instead of spending Sundays going to

museums or visiting, many families museums or visiting, many families wander around shopping malls. wander around shopping malls.

Do you think the constant advertising on Do you think the constant advertising on television might have something to do with television might have something to do with this? this?

Ethical IssuesEthical Issues

Ethical concerns have to do with matters Ethical concerns have to do with matters of right and wrong. of right and wrong.

Things that are unethical may not Things that are unethical may not necessarily be against the law, however, necessarily be against the law, however, most people agree that they are wrong. most people agree that they are wrong.

New developments in communication New developments in communication bring with them some ethical problems bring with them some ethical problems that did not exist before. that did not exist before.

Digital EditingDigital Editing

One of the things about digital files is that One of the things about digital files is that they can be changed very easily. they can be changed very easily.

This process is called digital editing.This process is called digital editing.While digital editing makes many tasks While digital editing makes many tasks

much simpler, it may also be used for much simpler, it may also be used for questionable purposes. questionable purposes.

Digital Editing - ContinuedDigital Editing - Continued Photographers pictures can be altered with Photographers pictures can be altered with

digital editing systems with a few keystrokes, digital editing systems with a few keystrokes, often by someone other than the photographer. often by someone other than the photographer.

The question is, what rights do photographers The question is, what rights do photographers have regarding their pictures? have regarding their pictures?

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Digital sound editing enables an audio Digital sound editing enables an audio technician to alter the voice of a singer or the technician to alter the voice of a singer or the sound of an instrument. They can make anyone sound of an instrument. They can make anyone sound good singing. Is this right? sound good singing. Is this right?

Data SecurityData Security

The ability for programmers to alter software The ability for programmers to alter software creates a problem known as data security. creates a problem known as data security.

When should a programmer be allowed to alter When should a programmer be allowed to alter software developed by someone else?software developed by someone else?

Who should be allowed to access data stored Who should be allowed to access data stored by a computer. by a computer.

When should software be copy protected so it When should software be copy protected so it may not be easily duplicated? may not be easily duplicated?

Should companies that purchase software allow Should companies that purchase software allow employees to make a copy for home use? employees to make a copy for home use?

Computer VirusesComputer Viruses

In the late 1980’s, computer viruses In the late 1980’s, computer viruses became a major data security issue. became a major data security issue.

A computer virus is a program hidden A computer virus is a program hidden within another program. within another program.

When that program is loaded into the When that program is loaded into the computer, the virus copies itself onto computer, the virus copies itself onto floppy or hard disks that are run on that floppy or hard disks that are run on that computer. computer.

Computer Viruses ContinuedComputer Viruses Continued

Sometimes the viruses are meant to be Sometimes the viruses are meant to be harmless. Example just taking up space or harmless. Example just taking up space or making the computer run slowly. making the computer run slowly.

Others may display a graphic or message Others may display a graphic or message on the monitor. on the monitor.

Some viruses are written to destroy data in Some viruses are written to destroy data in the computers they infect. They can the computers they infect. They can completely wipe out large databases and completely wipe out large databases and destroy years of work. destroy years of work.

Ethical QuestionsEthical Questions

Some people have predicted that a virus Some people have predicted that a virus could bring our country to its knees if it could bring our country to its knees if it infected key databases. infected key databases.

Others have suggested that it is now easy Others have suggested that it is now easy to “fix” an election since voting results are to “fix” an election since voting results are handled by a small number of computers.handled by a small number of computers.

All these legal and ethical questions must All these legal and ethical questions must be answered. be answered.