Effect of technology essay

Running Head : Computer Technology and Society

Effects of Technology

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The advent and development of computer technology through the past three decades may be the most important and revolutionary technology ever invented in history . It has completely changed the way people do things from interpersonal communication to professional transactions . Computers have affected the cultures of families , friends , offices , academes and even states and countries

The effect of computer technology can be felt starting with the most basic social institution , the family . The personal computer has

become a regular fixture in millions of homes around the world as much as the television or the couch . Some families even own more than one computer units . Of course , the statistics would be lower among less developed countries . Nevertheless , an effect of the prevalence of the personal computer is that it has become more and more affordable . For third world countries , the idea of catching up has also come to mean being competitive when it comes to computer literacy compared to developed countries . Parents use the computer to surf the Net , look for job-related information or anything that interests them like news or hobby sites . The children use the computer as aid in making assignments and research , playing video games or make friends they won 't ever see in person through the chat rooms

Outside the home , the influence of computers is felt much more . Offices cannot survive without computers as they are used for word processing calculations , presentations , and other tasks . Internet technology , an offshoot of computers , has created a thriving electronic-based commerce which has made millionaires out of people whose capital has been their mere creative minds . Other activities that before were done without computers are now computer aided . Automated banking has made banking and bill payments possible even outside office hours . People can shop online using their credit cards without the hassle of crowds and miles of walking inside malls just to find the perfect shirt or gift . Government agencies keep voluminous records and provide computer-aided services making it possible to make transactions with the public even without the latter 's physical appearance

Like all technologies , the computer has its downsides , too . For instance , it has caused concern regarding the privacy of people as with the interconnectedness of networks in cyberspace it has become easy to look for information about anybody . Another is that computers , being machines , break down . Since people have grown dependent to this machine a crash or malfunction of computers especially those doing tasks which a lot of people depend on (like ATMs when they go offline or very important data that suddenly become irretrievable with a crash ) could result to a lot of frustration and anxiety . Computer technology has also created computer addicts and affected the health and social skills of some people who would rather sit in front of a monitor than interact with humans or play ball outside

Computer technology has become so prevalent and people and nations have become dependent to...