1. IT: Communication and Impacts
Read slide
Jamie Graham

2. How IT impacts Society
IT has effected society massively since the start of the 1970’s.
Who here uses a phone or iPod every day?
Do you think this is a good thing?
Or a bad thing?
Some people would prefer a life without a phone or iPod.
“with things such as computers and phones and IT becoming a main part of many jobs and everyday tasks”
“always being in contact with friends and family as well as entertainment and games”
“preventing people from communicating face to face or becoming dependent on their phones”

3. Positive Economic Effects
People can work from home more easily, this is helps people who:
Have disabilities
Have kids
Live in a remote location
It is also helpful for everyone else and means they do not have to travel.
New jobs are created, some of you may even go on to work with computers or work designing and inventing new computer technology.
“because people can work from their computer and still feel completely connected to work”
“researching and creating exciting new inventions or technology”

4. Negative Economic Effects
People are losing their jobs because machines have been developed so well that they can work:
Better than people
More accurately than people
Faster than people
Can you think of machines that have replaced unskilled workers?
“in order to learn how to work with these machines”
TRACTORS!!

5. Legal Impacts
The law protects people who create movies and music from people who try to steal it or copy it.
When you buy any of those things you are not allowed to give a copy to anyone or sell a copy
“this helps the companies that create them to keep all the money they should, instead of losing costumers to people who create copies”

6. Data Protection Act
A law called the Data Protection Act has 8 laws to protect your personal data.
1. You must collect data fairly
2. It must only be used for the reasons that they say.
3. It can only be used for the reason it was collected.
4. There should not be too much information.
5. It must be correct and be kept up to date.
6. It must not be kept longer than it needs to be.
7. The information must be kept safe and secure.
8. The files must not be sent outside Europe.
“breaking any of these rules is against the law and could result in a fine or jail sentence”

7. Computer Misuse Act
The Computer Misuse Act is a law to stop people viewing others’ private information. It has three main laws:
It is illegal to access someone else’s computer and look at their files without permission.
It is illegal to access files to try to commit a crime, stealing from online banks, for example.
It is illegal to change someone’s files or computer data without permission
“this act tries to prevent people from misusing computers”

8. Ethical Impacts - Environmental
With more technology being used, more electricity is being used to charge and power the technology. This is expensive and adds to global warming.
When we don’t want our phones or iPods, or they break, we often throw them away which is bad for the environment.
A company called WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) says that people who sell electrical equipment must help the person who is buying to get rid of their old electrical equipment.
“this is because more fuel has to be burnt to create electricity which releases greenhouse gases”
“they get thrown in landfill sites and take millions of years to rot away”
“this means that any time an old piece of electrical equipment is replaced it is not just thrown into a landfill site but id properly disposed of which helps the environment

9. Ethical Impacts - Privacy
Because a lot of your personal information is stored on the internet, you privacy is always at risk.
A lot of your personal activities are recorded and the information is on computers. CCTV films a lot of what you do in public, what you do on your mobile phone, internet searches and what you buy online is recorded online.
Your information must be kept private on computers.
“from people like hackers or from fraud”
“this creates a lot of issues to do with when protection becomes a violation of privacy”
Read third bullet point

10. Unequal Access
Some people have different quality of internet to others, this could be because some people live further from the server or cannot afford the same broadband.
Some people like the elderly find it hard to use technology. This means they cannot do many tasks online like they could be able do.
As well as having to pay for broadband, people also have to pay for their computer, phone or laptop. This can be very expensive and some people cannot afford this.
People without good reading and writing skills may find it difficult to use technology as a lot of it needs you to read or write.
“of course there are exceptions – not all elderly people struggle with technology”
“this could also include people who are blind or deaf, or have any other disability which makes it hard for them to use a computer”

11. Unequal Access
Some countries like Uganda are not able to enjoy the same quality of technology or internet connection as us.
This means that they could get left behind, with a ‘digital divide’ becoming bigger and bigger.
This means that countries like Uganda could become disconnected to the rest of the world.
“as modern countries are trading and communicating via the internet or other technologies, countries like Uganda can’t contribute and become further behind”
“to aim to bring Uganda into more contact with the modern world and start to close the digital divide

12. Are broadband subscribers
Uganda
In 2003 there was a new ICT rule which meant ICT lessons had to be given to all students to give fair ICT opportunities to all students.
When in Uganda, we will have to learn to live without the quality of technology or internet connection that we have become used to and take for granted.
Are broadband subscribers
Use the internet
And 0.02%
Just 9% of the country