Social
impact of IT
IT
enables individuals and communities (cultural, ethnic, shared interest and
geographical) to enhance their social and economic well being, and participate
more actively in society and the economy, nationally as well as internationally.
People can work through home, office, or through a range of community locations.
People don't talk face to face. They use social site to chat with other people,
even with their neighbour. It is easy for them to talk from
their own location but there is loss of social contacts.
Letters, been a common way of sending messages to people
for centuries, however now many people use e-mail (Electronic Mail) which sends
messages online. Banking is now done online so many people have their bank
details on the computer which at first may seem helpful but in fact it probably
makes it easier for people to steal your information. Many people have fallen
victim to internet theft which steals their bank details and get used for other
purposes.
Before
IT people used to visit libraries to read and research but nowadays people can
read and research everything from their home. People can buys goods online from
their home due to e-commerce enabled by IT. But it also has negative effects on
society. Small shops cannot survive due worldwide competition. People get cheap
prices but it can be fraud.
People
copy someone’s work and say that is done by them. Copyrights introduced to stop
the people from copying someone’s work. It is illegal to copy someone’s work
without his permission.
The
advance of information technology has also led to a need for new legislation to
be introduced because of someone’s personal information might goes into wrong
hands , for example in the United Kingdom the Data Protection Act of 1998. The
government’s data protection act gives the following eight rules regarding
personal information:
1. It
must be fairly and lawfully processed
2.
Processed for limited purposes
3.
Adequate, relevant and not excessive
4.
Accurate
5.
Not kept longer than necessary
6.
Processed in accordance with the data subject’s rights
7.
Secure
8.
Not transferred to countries without adequate protection.