Social impact of ict. Poppy sharpe Home. Unrestricted internet access. access Ease of copying computer files& computers are replacing people at work. Increased government surveillance. ‘information rich’ and ‘information poor & The internet is changing- Over reliance on technology& Impact on literacy& Faster pace of life BUT THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS…

1) Unrestricted internet access- There are very few controls on what can be posted on the internet, and very few controls on what can be downloaded ( although it is possible to filter out unwanted sites). Some people think free access to material that is racist, sexist or offensive will distort people’s (especially children’s) sense of right and wrong, and that we need more censorship on the internet. But who’ll decide whats okay and what isnt? Some goverments like to control the information avaliable to their citizens. This censorship is undermined by the internet, which canbe seen as good if it increases the power of the individual at the expense of the government.

2) Ease of copying computer files. It’s easy to copy computer files- but some of there will be covered by copyright and licensing rules. Unauthorised copying is illegal- but it still happens. As a result, some people worry that this is turning most people into criminals. 3) Computers are replacing people at work New technology means that firms can reduce cost and remain competitive in todays global economy by employing fewer people. But some people worry about the jobs that are lost and wonder is it is right that computers result in an increase in the standard of living for many people, while others are losing their jobs.

4) Increased government surveillance- Every time an is sent, the isp could keep a copy of the file. In the future goverments could request access of this permanent record of every some people claim this may help catch criminals. 2- other worry that this intrusion into peoples personal lives is a threat to their civil liberty.

‘information rich’ and ‘information poor’ 1- computers aren’t cheap, not everyone can afford them. 2- some people worry that this might create a two tier society- those who are computer literate( information rich) and those unable to exploit the technology ( ‘information poor’) The internet is changing- 1) the growth of and home shopping worries some people. They think we will increasingly stay at homem becoming less physically fit, and communicating only via the internet rather than through personal contact. 2) people also fear that internet comunication may cause people to lose personal skills and that communication will only be between people who have similar views, resulting in society becoming fragmented and depersonalised.

Over reliance on technology- 1)fears about the millennium bug before the year 2000 showed how much people today rely on computers for the smooth running of society. We are dependent on computers in almost all aspects of our lifes- banking, shopping, the media, industry, travel. I the compluter systems around the world were to suddenly fail, it would cause widespread chaos. 2) some people think parents who give there children mobile pones are making it harder for them to become independent and self-reliant.

Impact on literacy 1- some people worry that the increased use of computer games and multimedia CD ROMs is resulting in people spending less time reading. 2) they say this will mean lower levels of literacy, espcially among the young. 3) as a result, education standards will be lower to the quality of the work force will suffer, making us all poorer. Faster pace of life 1- computers are increasing the pace of life and stress levels. 2- computer technology is rapidly changing, so people constantly have to adapt to new ways of working. 3-comptuters can handle large quantities of data and process them so much faster than manual methods- so humans have to work harder to keep up with the work generated.

BUT THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS… The internet and make it easier for people of different cultures and religions in different countries to communicate with each other. This could result in a more tolerant global society. Computers are able to perform routine tasks, leaving humans to perform more complex ones. They reduce the need for travel and paper, so are good for the environment.