4. Describe how electronic access to information influences our everyday lives

In the world that we live in today, there are many ways to access information, by using devices like laptops, phones, computers and tablets. They all contain applications such as, instant messaging, webcasts, social networking sites, wikis blogs, video sharing sites and finally social media.

How do electronic devices influence our daily lives?

Cellphones

Pros

1. High Level of Portability

iphone Many people have preferred to use cell phones to replace their landlines, as these gadgets are usually smaller and portable transportable. The need to stay around a certain area to use a landline is eliminated with a cell phone, as you can usually go across the states and countries with little worry of losing service with a mobile device. However, cell phone providers would often charge extra to your monthly bills, allow the service outside their home country. (1)

2. Easy Access to the Web

Most cell phones these days are well built with a component that allows users to connect to the internet without utilizing a computer. This technology these gadgets have is really beneficial because people will no longer have any difficulty with searching for essential data they might need. (1)

3. Constant Communication Between Parents and Children

Cell phones allow parents and their children to stay in touch. So, if a child needs to stay after school or needs a ride, he will be able to call his dad or mom to let them know his situation. This is especially important because pay phones are becoming rare. Cell phones can also be important in emergency situations when parents need to quickly get in touch with their children or vice versa. (2)

Cons

1. Increased Cheating at School

Using cell phones to cheat in exams has become a big issue in many schools in the US. Students are now able to text answers under their desks while at it. Since many of these devices are compatible with the internet, schoolchildren can sometimes even find the answers using a search engine on their phones, and if they are caught cheating, they can face serious consequences from the administration. (3)

2. Expensive Price

Cellular phones, especially smartphones, are really expensive to purchase, and you must earn and save lots of money first before you can own one. (3)

3. Heightened Level of Danger

Records reveal that texting while driving has already caused millions of deaths from traffic accidents each year. Included in this number are teenagers, who are contributing to an insane amount of accidents due to mobile devices. While some cellular phones have already been integrated with voice-navigation and hands-free capabilities, the threat from using these devices while driving is not totally removed, but just downplayed. When driving, we should just resist text or call because this can cause our attention to slip from the road, from which outcomes can be devastating. (4)

Social Media

Pros

- Social media increases voter participation and facilitates political change.
- Social media helps reduce loneliness of senior citizens who are socially isolated.
- Social media allows for quick diffusion of public health and safety information during crisis events.
- Social media can help disarm social stigmas like anxiety or depression.
s10 - Crowdsourcing on social media allows people to attain a goal, empowering users to achieve positive change.
- Social media provides academic research to a wider audience, allowing people access to previously inaccessible educational resources.
Social media sites can help improve overall well-being by providing users with a large social group creating a “contagion” effect.
- Professional networking sites like LinkedIn greatly assist companies to find personnel and job seekers to find work.

Cons

- Social media posts cannot be entirely deleted.
- Social media can endanger our military, journalists and activists.
- Social media use is associated with personality and brain disorders.
- Students who are heavy social media users tend to have lower grades.
- Social media can exacerbate feelings of disconnect and put children at higher risk for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders and even suicide.
- Criminals can use social media to commit and promote crimes.
- Social media can be a drain on time and use up hours that you can’t get back.
- Advertising practices of social media sites may create an invasion of privacy.
- Social media facilitates sexting, which can lead to revenge porn, criminal charges and a proliferation of personal images.
- Social media use can cause personality and brain disorders, ADHD and self-centered personalities—particularly in youth.

Questions

1. Explain why increasing the chance of cheating in schools are bad?

2. Determain why it is importatnt to have easy access to the internet?

3. List an examples that explain why it is helpfull that phones are portable.

The answers

Bibliography

  1. Dentzel, Zaryn, et al. “How the Internet Has Changed Everyday Life.” OpenMind, www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/articles/internet-changed-everyday-life.


  2. “How Does Portable Devices Affect Our Daily Lives? - Computers and Society 3.” Google Sites, sites.google.com/a/danteacademy.ca/computers-and-society-3/home/how-does-portable-devices-affect-our-daily-lives.


  3. “Technology in Our Life Today and How It Has Changed: Updated for 2020.” AgingInPlace.org, 12 Nov. 2019, www.aginginplace.org/technology-in-our-life-today-and-how-it-has-changed/ www.aginginplace.org/technology-in-our-life-today-and-how-it-has-changed/.


  4. “What Are the Advantages of Electronic Health Records?” HealthIT.gov, 16 May 2019, www.healthit.gov/faq/what-are-advantages-electronic-health-records www.healthit.gov/faq/what-are-advantages-electronic-health-records
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