short essay about digital technology

Essay on Digital Technology

Students are often asked to write an essay on Digital Technology in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Digital Technology

What is digital technology.

Digital technology refers to any system, device, or process that uses digital information. This includes computers, smartphones, and the internet. It’s a part of our daily lives.

Benefits of Digital Technology

Digital technology makes our lives easier. It helps us communicate, learn, and work. For example, we can send emails, learn online, and create digital art.

Challenges of Digital Technology

However, digital technology also has challenges. It can lead to less physical activity and face-to-face interaction. Plus, it can be hard to protect personal information online.

The Future of Digital Technology

The future of digital technology is exciting. We can expect more advancements that will continue to change our lives.

250 Words Essay on Digital Technology

Introduction.

Digital technology, a term encapsulating a wide array of software, hardware, and services, has revolutionized our world. It has altered how we communicate, learn, work, and entertain ourselves, shaping a new societal landscape.

The Evolution of Digital Technology

Digital technology has evolved exponentially over the past few decades. From the advent of personal computers and the internet, to the ubiquity of smartphones and the rise of artificial intelligence, each wave of technology has brought profound changes. This evolution has led to the digitization of various sectors, including education, healthcare, and commerce, thereby facilitating efficiency and convenience.

Impact on Society

The impact of digital technology on society is significant. It has democratized information, breaking down geographical and socio-economic barriers. Moreover, it has fostered global connectivity, enabling collaboration and interaction on an unprecedented scale. However, it also presents challenges such as privacy concerns and digital divide, necessitating thoughtful policy-making and ethical considerations.

Future Prospects

The future of digital technology is exciting, with emerging fields like quantum computing, virtual reality, and blockchain promising to further transform our lives. Nonetheless, it is crucial to ensure that this digital revolution is inclusive and sustainable, balancing technological advancement with societal well-being.

In conclusion, digital technology, while presenting certain challenges, offers immense potential to reshape our world. As we navigate this digital age, it is incumbent upon us to harness this potential responsibly, ensuring that the benefits of digital technology are accessible to all.

500 Words Essay on Digital Technology

Introduction to digital technology.

Digital technology, an umbrella term encompassing a myriad of devices, systems, and platforms, has revolutionized the world. It has transformed how we communicate, work, learn, and entertain ourselves, influencing every facet of our lives. This essay delves into the essence, benefits, and challenges of digital technology.

Understanding Digital Technology

Digital technology refers to any system, device, or process that uses a binary, numeric, or digital approach to create, store, process, and communicate information. It includes a broad range of technologies, such as computers, smartphones, digital televisions, email, robots, artificial intelligence, the Internet, and more. It is the cornerstone of the Information Age, underpinning the rapid exchange of information globally.

Digital technology has brought about numerous benefits. Firstly, it has enhanced communication. Digital platforms like email, social media, and instant messaging allow for instantaneous, affordable, and efficient communication across the globe. Secondly, digital technology has revolutionized education. Online learning platforms, digital textbooks, and educational apps have made education more accessible and personalized.

Furthermore, digital technology has transformed the business landscape. E-commerce, digital marketing, and remote working tools have opened new avenues for business growth and flexibility. Lastly, digital technology has also made significant strides in healthcare, with telemedicine, electronic health records, and digital diagnostic tools improving healthcare delivery.

Despite its numerous benefits, digital technology also poses significant challenges. Privacy and security concerns are at the forefront, with cybercrime, data breaches, and identity theft becoming increasingly prevalent. Additionally, the digital divide, the gap between those with access to digital technology and those without, exacerbates social and economic inequalities.

Moreover, the over-reliance on digital technology can lead to health issues, including digital eye strain and mental health problems. The rapid pace of technological change also presents challenges, as individuals and businesses struggle to keep up with the latest trends and developments.

Conclusion: A Balanced Perspective on Digital Technology

In conclusion, digital technology, while transformative and beneficial, also presents significant challenges that society must address. It is crucial to approach digital technology with a balanced perspective, acknowledging its immense potential to drive progress and innovation, while also recognizing and mitigating its risks. As digital technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, fostering digital literacy and promoting responsible digital citizenship will be key to harnessing its potential responsibly and equitably.

In the future, we must strive to create a digital world that is secure, inclusive, and beneficial for all. This will require concerted efforts from all stakeholders, including individuals, businesses, governments, and international organizations. The journey is complex, but the potential rewards are immense, promising a future where digital technology serves as a tool for empowerment, progress, and prosperity.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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4 Creative Essays on Digital Technology [ Importance & Benefits ]

Essay on Digital Technology | Importance, Usages & Benefits of Digital Technology in Life

Digital technology refers at innovation in every field of our life. The technology has brought drastic changes in the way we used to live our life. There are various benefits of digital technology which has made our life easier and more comfortable than ever before.

There are endless advantages of using digital technology in our life. Firstly, with the help of internet, we can easily connect with people from all over the world. This has helped us to build strong relationships with people who are far away from us. Secondly, digital technology has enabled us to access information anytime and anywhere. We can now easily get the information we need without having to go through any trouble.

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Thirdly, digital technology has made it possible for us to do many tasks conveniently and quickly. For example, we can now shop for our favourite products online without having to go out. Lastly, digital technology has helped us to stay connected with the latest news and trends happening all over the world. We can now easily get information about any topic we are interested in.

Benefits of Digital Technology for Students

There are many ways in which students can take benefits from digital technology of today. Firstly, internet has made it possible for students to access information about any topic they are interested in. They can now easily get information about any subject they are studying without having to go through any trouble.

Secondly, digital technology has enabled students to connect with people from all over the world. This has helped them to build strong relationships with people who are far away from them. Thirdly, digital technology has made it possible for students to do many tasks conveniently and quickly. For example, they can now shop for their favourite products online without having to go out. Lastly, digital technology has helped students to stay connected with

Thus, it is evident that digital technology has brought many benefits in our life. We can enjoy a better and more comfortable life with the help of digital technology.

Short Essay on Digital Technology:

Digital technology has revolutionized the world we live in today. It has transformed how we communicate, work, and access information. From smartphones to computers, digital technology is an integral part of our daily lives.

One of the biggest advantages of digital technology is its ability to connect people from different parts of the world. With just a few clicks, we can now communicate with someone on the other side of the planet. This has made it easier for businesses to expand globally and for individuals to stay connected with their loved ones no matter where they are.

Another major impact of digital technology is seen in the workplace. With the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, many tasks that were previously done by humans can now be done more efficiently by machines. This has led to increased productivity and streamlined processes in various industries.

However, with the increasing reliance on digital technology, there are also concerns about its potential negative effects. One of the biggest challenges is cybersecurity. As more and more data is being stored online and shared through digital platforms, it has become crucial to protect this sensitive information from cyber attacks.

Moreover, there are also concerns about the impact of digital technology on our physical health. With the rise of sedentary lifestyles due to excessive screen time, people are facing various health issues such as obesity and eye strain.

On a positive note, digital technology has also opened up new opportunities for education and learning. With online courses and educational platforms, individuals can now access knowledge and resources from anywhere in the world. This has made education more accessible and has also allowed for personalized learning.

In conclusion, digital technology has transformed our world in many ways. It has brought people closer, increased efficiency in various industries, and opened up new opportunities. However, it is important to use digital technology responsibly and address its potential negative effects to ensure a better future for generations to come.

We must embrace the benefits of digital technology while being mindful of its implications on our society and planet as a whole. So, let’s continue to harness the power of digital technology for positive change and progress. Let’s keep innovating and adapting to make the most out of this technological revolution.

Paragraph on Digital Technology:

Digital technology has transformed the way we live and work in ways that were unimaginable just a few decades ago. From our personal lives to businesses, digital technology has become an integral part of our daily routines.

In the past, communication was limited to physical letters or face-to-face interactions. Today, with the advancements in digital technology, we can instantly connect with people from all over the world through various platforms such as email, social media, and messaging apps. This has made communication faster, easier and more efficient than ever before.

Another area where digital technology has greatly impacted our lives is entertainment. With the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, we no longer have to wait for a specific time slot on TV to watch our favorite shows or movies. We now have access to a vast library of content at our fingertips, giving us the freedom to watch what we want, when we want.

Digital technology has also revolutionized the way we do business. With the rise of e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay, buying and selling goods and services has become more convenient than ever before. This has not only made shopping easier for consumers but has also opened up new opportunities for businesses to reach a global market.

With the advent of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, businesses can now directly connect with their target audience and create personalized marketing strategies. This allows for more effective and targeted advertising, resulting in better customer engagement and increased sales.

Moreover, digital technology has significantly improved our access to information. With just a few clicks, we can access a wealth of knowledge and resources on the internet, making it easier for us to learn and stay informed about various topics.

In addition to its impact on communication, entertainment, business, and education, digital technology has also transformed the way we manage our daily tasks. From online banking and bill payments to grocery shopping and virtual meetings, almost every aspect of our lives can now be managed through digital platforms.

However, with all these benefits come some challenges as well. The over-reliance on digital technology has led to concerns about privacy and security. As more personal data is shared online, there is a risk of identity theft and cyber attacks. It is crucial for individuals and organizations to prioritize cybersecurity and take necessary precautions to protect sensitive information.

In conclusion, digital technology has undoubtedly made our lives easier and more efficient in many ways. Its impact on communication, entertainment, business, education, and daily tasks is undeniable.

Argumentative Essay on Digital Technology:

Over the years, digital technology has revolutionized our everyday lives. From communication to education and entertainment, technology has made its way into every aspect of modern living. While many argue that digital technology has brought about numerous benefits, others believe it is having a negative impact on society. In this essay, we will explore both sides of the argument and discuss the effects of digital technology on our society.

Positive Impacts

One of the major benefits of digital technology is its ability to connect people from all around the world. Through social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, individuals can stay in touch with friends and family regardless of their location.

This has greatly improved communication between loved ones and allows people to share their experiences with each other. Moreover, digital technology has also made it possible for businesses to expand their reach and connect with a global audience, resulting in increased opportunities and economic growth.

In addition to this, digital technology has greatly enhanced access to information and education. With the rise of e-learning platforms and online resources, individuals can now easily educate themselves on various subjects without having to physically attend a traditional classroom.

This has not only made education more accessible but also more affordable for many people. Furthermore, digital technology has also improved healthcare services through tele-medicine, making it easier for patients in remote areas to receive medical advice and treatment from qualified professionals.

Negative Impacts

Despite its benefits, digital technology has also brought about some negative effects on society. One of the biggest concerns is the impact it has on our social interactions. With the rise of social media, many people are spending more time on their devices and less time interacting face-to-face with others. This can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, especially among younger generations who have grown up in a digital world.

Moreover, there is also growing concern about the effects of excessive screen time on children’s development. Studies have shown that prolonged use of digital devices can negatively impact cognitive abilities, attention span, and social skills in young children.

In addition, the constant exposure to unrealistic beauty standards and curated lives on social media can also have a negative impact on individuals’ self-esteem and mental health.

In conclusion, while digital technology has greatly improved our lives in many ways, it also has its drawbacks. It is important for us to recognize and address the negative impacts it may have on our society, especially when it comes to social interactions and mental health.

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As we continue to embrace digital technology, we must also be mindful of finding a balance between its benefits and limitations in order to create a healthier and more connected society.

Digital technology refers to the use of digital systems, such as computers and the internet, to create, store, process, and transmit information. Its importance lies in revolutionizing communication, improving efficiency, and enabling innovations in various industries.

Digital technology encompasses a wide range of electronic devices, software, and systems that use binary code (0s and 1s) to process and transmit data. This includes computers, smartphones, digital cameras, and more.

Five benefits of digital technology include enhanced communication, improved productivity, streamlined access to information, automation of tasks, and the ability to analyze and process vast amounts of data for informed decision-making.

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200-500 Word Example Essays about Technology

Got an essay assignment about technology check out these examples to inspire you.

Technology is a rapidly evolving field that has completely changed the way we live, work, and interact with one another. Technology has profoundly impacted our daily lives, from how we communicate with friends and family to how we access information and complete tasks. As a result, it's no surprise that technology is a popular topic for students writing essays.

But writing a technology essay can be challenging, especially for those needing more time or help with writer's block. This is where Jenni.ai comes in. Jenni.ai is an innovative AI tool explicitly designed for students who need help writing essays. With Jenni.ai, students can quickly and easily generate essays on various topics, including technology.

This blog post aims to provide readers with various example essays on technology, all generated by Jenni.ai. These essays will be a valuable resource for students looking for inspiration or guidance as they work on their essays. By reading through these example essays, students can better understand how technology can be approached and discussed in an essay.

Moreover, by signing up for a free trial with Jenni.ai, students can take advantage of this innovative tool and receive even more support as they work on their essays. Jenni.ai is designed to help students write essays faster and more efficiently, so they can focus on what truly matters – learning and growing as a student. Whether you're a student who is struggling with writer's block or simply looking for a convenient way to generate essays on a wide range of topics, Jenni.ai is the perfect solution.

The Impact of Technology on Society and Culture

Introduction:.

Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives and has dramatically impacted how we interact, communicate, and carry out various activities. Technological advancements have brought positive and negative changes to society and culture. In this article, we will explore the impact of technology on society and culture and how it has influenced different aspects of our lives.

Positive impact on communication:

Technology has dramatically improved communication and made it easier for people to connect from anywhere in the world. Social media platforms, instant messaging, and video conferencing have brought people closer, bridging geographical distances and cultural differences. This has made it easier for people to share information, exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects.

Positive impact on education:

Students and instructors now have access to a multitude of knowledge and resources because of the effect of technology on education . Students may now study at their speed and from any location thanks to online learning platforms, educational applications, and digital textbooks.

Negative impact on critical thinking and creativity:

Technological advancements have resulted in a reduction in critical thinking and creativity. With so much information at our fingertips, individuals have become more passive in their learning, relying on the internet for solutions rather than logic and inventiveness. As a result, independent thinking and problem-solving abilities have declined.

Positive impact on entertainment:

Technology has transformed how we access and consume entertainment. People may now access a wide range of entertainment alternatives from the comfort of their own homes thanks to streaming services, gaming platforms, and online content makers. The entertainment business has entered a new age of creativity and invention as a result of this.

Negative impact on attention span:

However, the continual bombardment of information and technological stimulation has also reduced attention span and the capacity to focus. People are easily distracted and need help focusing on a single activity for a long time. This has hampered productivity and the ability to accomplish duties.

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies has been one of the most significant technological developments of the past several decades. These cutting-edge technologies have the potential to alter several sectors of society, including commerce, industry, healthcare, and entertainment.

As with any new and quickly advancing technology, AI and ML ethics must be carefully studied. The usage of these technologies presents significant concerns around privacy, accountability, and command. As the use of AI and ML grows more ubiquitous, we must assess their possible influence on society and investigate the ethical issues that must be taken into account as these technologies continue to develop.

What are Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning?

Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence in machines designed to think and act like humans. Machine learning is a subfield of AI that enables computers to learn from data and improve their performance over time without being explicitly programmed.

The impact of AI and ML on Society

The use of AI and ML in various industries, such as healthcare, finance, and retail, has brought many benefits. For example, AI-powered medical diagnosis systems can identify diseases faster and more accurately than human doctors. However, there are also concerns about job displacement and the potential for AI to perpetuate societal biases.

The Ethical Considerations of AI and ML

A. Bias in AI algorithms

One of the critical ethical concerns about AI and ML is the potential for algorithms to perpetuate existing biases. This can occur if the data used to train these algorithms reflects the preferences of the people who created it. As a result, AI systems can perpetuate these biases and discriminate against certain groups of people.

B. Responsibility for AI-generated decisions

Another ethical concern is the responsibility for decisions made by AI systems. For example, who is responsible for the damage if a self-driving car causes an accident? The manufacturer of the vehicle, the software developer, or the AI algorithm itself?

C. The potential for misuse of AI and ML

AI and ML can also be used for malicious purposes, such as cyberattacks and misinformation. The need for more regulation and oversight in developing and using these technologies makes it difficult to prevent misuse.

The developments in AI and ML have given numerous benefits to humanity, but they also present significant ethical concerns that must be addressed. We must assess the repercussions of new technologies on society, implement methods to limit the associated dangers, and guarantee that they are utilized for the greater good. As AI and ML continue to play an ever-increasing role in our daily lives, we must engage in an open and frank discussion regarding their ethics.

The Future of Work And Automation

Rapid technological breakthroughs in recent years have brought about considerable changes in our way of life and work. Concerns regarding the influence of artificial intelligence and machine learning on the future of work and employment have increased alongside the development of these technologies. This article will examine the possible advantages and disadvantages of automation and its influence on the labor market, employees, and the economy.

The Advantages of Automation

Automation in the workplace offers various benefits, including higher efficiency and production, fewer mistakes, and enhanced precision. Automated processes may accomplish repetitive jobs quickly and precisely, allowing employees to concentrate on more complex and creative activities. Additionally, automation may save organizations money since it removes the need to pay for labor and minimizes the danger of workplace accidents.

The Potential Disadvantages of Automation

However, automation has significant disadvantages, including job loss and income stagnation. As robots and computers replace human labor in particular industries, there is a danger that many workers may lose their jobs, resulting in higher unemployment and more significant economic disparity. Moreover, if automation is not adequately regulated and managed, it might lead to stagnant wages and a deterioration in employees' standard of life.

The Future of Work and Automation

Despite these difficulties, automation will likely influence how labor is done. As a result, firms, employees, and governments must take early measures to solve possible issues and reap the rewards of automation. This might entail funding worker retraining programs, enhancing education and skill development, and implementing regulations that support equality and justice at work.

IV. The Need for Ethical Considerations

We must consider the ethical ramifications of automation and its effects on society as technology develops. The impact on employees and their rights, possible hazards to privacy and security, and the duty of corporations and governments to ensure that automation is utilized responsibly and ethically are all factors to be taken into account.

Conclusion:

To summarise, the future of employment and automation will most certainly be defined by a complex interaction of technological advances, economic trends, and cultural ideals. All stakeholders must work together to handle the problems and possibilities presented by automation and ensure that technology is employed to benefit society as a whole.

The Role of Technology in Education

Introduction.

Nearly every part of our lives has been transformed by technology, and education is no different. Today's students have greater access to knowledge, opportunities, and resources than ever before, and technology is becoming a more significant part of their educational experience. Technology is transforming how we think about education and creating new opportunities for learners of all ages, from online courses and virtual classrooms to instructional applications and augmented reality.

Technology's Benefits for Education

The capacity to tailor learning is one of technology's most significant benefits in education. Students may customize their education to meet their unique needs and interests since they can access online information and tools.

For instance, people can enroll in online classes on topics they are interested in, get tailored feedback on their work, and engage in virtual discussions with peers and subject matter experts worldwide. As a result, pupils are better able to acquire and develop the abilities and information necessary for success.

Challenges and Concerns

Despite the numerous advantages of technology in education, there are also obstacles and considerations to consider. One issue is the growing reliance on technology and the possibility that pupils would become overly dependent on it. This might result in a lack of critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, as students may become passive learners who only follow instructions and rely on technology to complete their assignments.

Another obstacle is the digital divide between those who have access to technology and those who do not. This division can exacerbate the achievement gap between pupils and produce uneven educational and professional growth chances. To reduce these consequences, all students must have access to the technology and resources necessary for success.

In conclusion, technology is rapidly becoming an integral part of the classroom experience and has the potential to alter the way we learn radically.

Technology can help students flourish and realize their full potential by giving them access to individualized instruction, tools, and opportunities. While the benefits of technology in the classroom are undeniable, it's crucial to be mindful of the risks and take precautions to guarantee that all kids have access to the tools they need to thrive.

The Influence of Technology On Personal Relationships And Communication

Technological advancements have profoundly altered how individuals connect and exchange information. It has changed the world in many ways in only a few decades. Because of the rise of the internet and various social media sites, maintaining relationships with people from all walks of life is now simpler than ever.

However, concerns about how these developments may affect interpersonal connections and dialogue are inevitable in an era of rapid technological growth. In this piece, we'll discuss how the prevalence of digital media has altered our interpersonal connections and the language we use to express ourselves.

Direct Effect on Direct Interaction:

The disruption of face-to-face communication is a particularly stark example of how technology has impacted human connections. The quality of interpersonal connections has suffered due to people's growing preference for digital over human communication. Technology has been demonstrated to reduce the usage of nonverbal signs such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and other indicators of emotional investment in the connection.

Positive Impact on Long-Distance Relationships:

Yet there are positives to be found as well. Long-distance relationships have also benefited from technological advancements. The development of technologies such as video conferencing, instant messaging, and social media has made it possible for individuals to keep in touch with distant loved ones. It has become simpler for individuals to stay in touch and feel connected despite geographical distance.

The Effects of Social Media on Personal Connections:

The widespread use of social media has had far-reaching consequences, especially on the quality of interpersonal interactions. Social media has positive and harmful effects on relationships since it allows people to keep in touch and share life's milestones.

Unfortunately, social media has made it all too easy to compare oneself to others, which may lead to emotions of jealousy and a general decline in confidence. Furthermore, social media might cause people to have inflated expectations of themselves and their relationships.

A Personal Perspective on the Intersection of Technology and Romance

Technological advancements have also altered physical touch and closeness. Virtual reality and other technologies have allowed people to feel physical contact and familiarity in a digital setting. This might be a promising breakthrough, but it has some potential downsides.

Experts are concerned that people's growing dependence on technology for intimacy may lead to less time spent communicating face-to-face and less emphasis on physical contact, both of which are important for maintaining good relationships.

In conclusion, technological advancements have significantly affected the quality of interpersonal connections and the exchange of information. Even though technology has made it simpler to maintain personal relationships, it has chilled interpersonal interactions between people.

Keeping tabs on how technology is changing our lives and making adjustments as necessary is essential as we move forward. Boundaries and prioritizing in-person conversation and physical touch in close relationships may help reduce the harm it causes.

The Security and Privacy Implications of Increased Technology Use and Data Collection

The fast development of technology over the past few decades has made its way into every aspect of our life. Technology has improved many facets of our life, from communication to commerce. However, significant privacy and security problems have emerged due to the broad adoption of technology. In this essay, we'll look at how the widespread use of technological solutions and the subsequent explosion in collected data affects our right to privacy and security.

Data Mining and Privacy Concerns

Risk of Cyber Attacks and Data Loss

The Widespread Use of Encryption and Other Safety Mechanisms

The Privacy and Security of the Future in a Globalized Information Age

Obtaining and Using Individual Information

The acquisition and use of private information is a significant cause for privacy alarm in the digital age. Data about their customers' online habits, interests, and personal information is a valuable commodity for many internet firms. Besides tailored advertising, this information may be used for other, less desirable things like identity theft or cyber assaults.

Moreover, many individuals need to be made aware of what data is being gathered from them or how it is being utilized because of the lack of transparency around gathering personal information. Privacy and data security have become increasingly contentious as a result.

Data breaches and other forms of cyber-attack pose a severe risk.

The risk of cyber assaults and data breaches is another big issue of worry. More people are using more devices, which means more opportunities for cybercriminals to steal private information like credit card numbers and other identifying data. This may cause monetary damages and harm one's reputation or identity.

Many high-profile data breaches have occurred in recent years, exposing the personal information of millions of individuals and raising serious concerns about the safety of this information. Companies and governments have responded to this problem by adopting new security methods like encryption and multi-factor authentication.

Many businesses now use encryption and other security measures to protect themselves from cybercriminals and data thieves. Encryption keeps sensitive information hidden by encoding it so that only those possessing the corresponding key can decipher it. This prevents private information like bank account numbers or social security numbers from falling into the wrong hands.

Firewalls, virus scanners, and two-factor authentication are all additional security precautions that may be used with encryption. While these safeguards do much to stave against cyber assaults, they are not entirely impregnable, and data breaches are still possible.

The Future of Privacy and Security in a Technologically Advanced World

There's little doubt that concerns about privacy and security will persist even as technology improves. There must be strict safeguards to secure people's private information as more and more of it is transferred and kept digitally. To achieve this goal, it may be necessary to implement novel technologies and heightened levels of protection and to revise the rules and regulations regulating the collection and storage of private information.

Individuals and businesses are understandably concerned about the security and privacy consequences of widespread technological use and data collecting. There are numerous obstacles to overcome in a society where technology plays an increasingly important role, from acquiring and using personal data to the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches. Companies and governments must keep spending money on security measures and working to educate people about the significance of privacy and security if personal data is to remain safe.

In conclusion, technology has profoundly impacted virtually every aspect of our lives, including society and culture, ethics, work, education, personal relationships, and security and privacy. The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning has presented new ethical considerations, while automation is transforming the future of work.

In education, technology has revolutionized the way we learn and access information. At the same time, our dependence on technology has brought new challenges in terms of personal relationships, communication, security, and privacy.

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The Impact of Digital Technologies

Technologies can help make our world fairer, more peaceful, and more just. Digital advances can support and accelerate achievement of each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals – from ending extreme poverty to reducing maternal and infant mortality, promoting sustainable farming and decent work, and achieving universal literacy. But technologies can also threaten privacy, erode security and fuel inequality. They have implications for human rights and human agency. Like generations before, we – governments, businesses and individuals – have a choice to make in how we harness and manage new technologies.

A DIGITAL FUTURE FOR ALL?

Digital technologies have advanced more rapidly than any innovation in our history – reaching around 50 per cent of the developing world’s population in only two decades and transforming societies. By enhancing connectivity, financial inclusion, access to trade and public services, technology can be a great equaliser.

In the health sector, for instance, AI-enabled frontier technologies are helping to save lives, diagnose diseases and extend life expectancy. In education, virtual learning environments and distance learning have opened up programmes to students who would otherwise be excluded. Public services are also becoming more accessible and accountable through blockchain-powered systems, and less bureaucratically burdensome as a result of AI assistance.Big data can also support more responsive and accurate policies and programmes.

However, those yet to be connected remain cut off from the benefits of this new era and remain further behind. Many of the people left behind are women, the elderly, persons with disabilities or from ethnic or linguistic minorities, indigenous groups and residents of poor or remote areas. The pace of connectivity is slowing, even reversing, among some constituencies. For example, globally, the proportion of women using the internet is 12 per cent lower than that of men. While this gap narrowed in most regions between 2013 and 2017, it widened in the least developed countries from 30 per cent to 33 per cent.

The use of algorithms can replicate and even amplify human and systemic bias where they function on the basis of data which is not adequately diverse. Lack of diversity in the technology sector can mean that this challenge is not adequately addressed.

THE FUTURE OF WORK

Throughout history, technological revolutions have changed the labour force: creating new forms and patterns of work, making others obsolete, and leading to wider societal changes. This current wave of change is likely to have profound impacts. For example, the International Labour Organization estimates that the shift to a greener economy could create 24 million new jobs globally by 2030 through the adoption of sustainable practices in the energy sector, the use of electric vehicles and increasing energy efficiency in existing and future buildings.

Meanwhile, reports by groups such as McKinsey suggest that 800 million people could lose their jobs to automation by 2030 , while polls reveal that the majority of all employees worry that they do not have the necessary training or skills to get a well-paid job.

There is broad agreement that managing these trends will require changes in our approach to education, for instance, by placing more emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and maths; by teaching soft skills, and resilience; and by ensuring that people can re-skill and up-skill throughout their lifetimes. Unpaid work, for example childcare and elderly care in the home, will need to be better supported, especially as with the shifting age profile of global populations, the demands on these tasks are likely to increase.

THE FUTURE OF DATA

Today, digital technologies such as data pooling and AI are used to track and diagnose issues in agriculture, health, and the environment, or to perform daily tasks such as navigating traffic or paying a bill. They can be used to defend and exercise human rights – but they can also be used to violate them, for example, by monitoring our movements, purchases, conversations and behaviours. Governments and businesses increasingly have the tools to mine and exploit data for financial and other purposes.

However, personal data would become an asset to a person, if there were a formula for better regulation of personal data ownership. Data-powered technology has the potential to empower individuals, improve human welfare, and promote universal rights, depending on the type of protections put in place.

THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media connects almost half of the entire global population . It enables people to make their voices heard and to talk to people across the world in real time. However, it can also reinforce prejudices and sow discord, by giving hate speech and misinformation a platform, or by amplifying echo chambers.

In this way, social media algorithms can fuel the fragmentation of societies around the world. And yet they also have the potential to do the opposite.

THE FUTURE OF CYBERSPACE

How to manage these developments is the subject of much discussion – nationally and internationally – at a time when geopolitical tensions are on the rise. The UN Secretary-General has warned of a ‘great fracture’ between world powers, each with their own internet and AI strategy, as well as dominant currency, trade and financial rules and contradictory geopolitical and military views. Such a divide could establish a digital Berlin Wall. Increasingly, digital cooperation between states – and a universal cyberspace that reflects global standards for peace and security, human rights and sustainable development – is seen as crucial to ensuring a united world. A ‘global commitment for digital cooperation’ is a key recommendation by the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation .

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Sustainable Development Goals

The Age of Digital Interdependence: Report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation

ILO | Global Commission on the Future of Work

Secretary General’s Address to the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly

Secretary General’s Strategy on New Technology

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Promises and Pitfalls of Technology

Politics and privacy, private-sector influence and big tech, state competition and conflict, author biography, how is technology changing the world, and how should the world change technology.

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Josephine Wolff; How Is Technology Changing the World, and How Should the World Change Technology?. Global Perspectives 1 February 2021; 2 (1): 27353. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gp.2021.27353

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Technologies are becoming increasingly complicated and increasingly interconnected. Cars, airplanes, medical devices, financial transactions, and electricity systems all rely on more computer software than they ever have before, making them seem both harder to understand and, in some cases, harder to control. Government and corporate surveillance of individuals and information processing relies largely on digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and therefore involves less human-to-human contact than ever before and more opportunities for biases to be embedded and codified in our technological systems in ways we may not even be able to identify or recognize. Bioengineering advances are opening up new terrain for challenging philosophical, political, and economic questions regarding human-natural relations. Additionally, the management of these large and small devices and systems is increasingly done through the cloud, so that control over them is both very remote and removed from direct human or social control. The study of how to make technologies like artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things “explainable” has become its own area of research because it is so difficult to understand how they work or what is at fault when something goes wrong (Gunning and Aha 2019) .

This growing complexity makes it more difficult than ever—and more imperative than ever—for scholars to probe how technological advancements are altering life around the world in both positive and negative ways and what social, political, and legal tools are needed to help shape the development and design of technology in beneficial directions. This can seem like an impossible task in light of the rapid pace of technological change and the sense that its continued advancement is inevitable, but many countries around the world are only just beginning to take significant steps toward regulating computer technologies and are still in the process of radically rethinking the rules governing global data flows and exchange of technology across borders.

These are exciting times not just for technological development but also for technology policy—our technologies may be more advanced and complicated than ever but so, too, are our understandings of how they can best be leveraged, protected, and even constrained. The structures of technological systems as determined largely by government and institutional policies and those structures have tremendous implications for social organization and agency, ranging from open source, open systems that are highly distributed and decentralized, to those that are tightly controlled and closed, structured according to stricter and more hierarchical models. And just as our understanding of the governance of technology is developing in new and interesting ways, so, too, is our understanding of the social, cultural, environmental, and political dimensions of emerging technologies. We are realizing both the challenges and the importance of mapping out the full range of ways that technology is changing our society, what we want those changes to look like, and what tools we have to try to influence and guide those shifts.

Technology can be a source of tremendous optimism. It can help overcome some of the greatest challenges our society faces, including climate change, famine, and disease. For those who believe in the power of innovation and the promise of creative destruction to advance economic development and lead to better quality of life, technology is a vital economic driver (Schumpeter 1942) . But it can also be a tool of tremendous fear and oppression, embedding biases in automated decision-making processes and information-processing algorithms, exacerbating economic and social inequalities within and between countries to a staggering degree, or creating new weapons and avenues for attack unlike any we have had to face in the past. Scholars have even contended that the emergence of the term technology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries marked a shift from viewing individual pieces of machinery as a means to achieving political and social progress to the more dangerous, or hazardous, view that larger-scale, more complex technological systems were a semiautonomous form of progress in and of themselves (Marx 2010) . More recently, technologists have sharply criticized what they view as a wave of new Luddites, people intent on slowing the development of technology and turning back the clock on innovation as a means of mitigating the societal impacts of technological change (Marlowe 1970) .

At the heart of fights over new technologies and their resulting global changes are often two conflicting visions of technology: a fundamentally optimistic one that believes humans use it as a tool to achieve greater goals, and a fundamentally pessimistic one that holds that technological systems have reached a point beyond our control. Technology philosophers have argued that neither of these views is wholly accurate and that a purely optimistic or pessimistic view of technology is insufficient to capture the nuances and complexity of our relationship to technology (Oberdiek and Tiles 1995) . Understanding technology and how we can make better decisions about designing, deploying, and refining it requires capturing that nuance and complexity through in-depth analysis of the impacts of different technological advancements and the ways they have played out in all their complicated and controversial messiness across the world.

These impacts are often unpredictable as technologies are adopted in new contexts and come to be used in ways that sometimes diverge significantly from the use cases envisioned by their designers. The internet, designed to help transmit information between computer networks, became a crucial vehicle for commerce, introducing unexpected avenues for crime and financial fraud. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, designed to connect friends and families through sharing photographs and life updates, became focal points of election controversies and political influence. Cryptocurrencies, originally intended as a means of decentralized digital cash, have become a significant environmental hazard as more and more computing resources are devoted to mining these forms of virtual money. One of the crucial challenges in this area is therefore recognizing, documenting, and even anticipating some of these unexpected consequences and providing mechanisms to technologists for how to think through the impacts of their work, as well as possible other paths to different outcomes (Verbeek 2006) . And just as technological innovations can cause unexpected harm, they can also bring about extraordinary benefits—new vaccines and medicines to address global pandemics and save thousands of lives, new sources of energy that can drastically reduce emissions and help combat climate change, new modes of education that can reach people who would otherwise have no access to schooling. Regulating technology therefore requires a careful balance of mitigating risks without overly restricting potentially beneficial innovations.

Nations around the world have taken very different approaches to governing emerging technologies and have adopted a range of different technologies themselves in pursuit of more modern governance structures and processes (Braman 2009) . In Europe, the precautionary principle has guided much more anticipatory regulation aimed at addressing the risks presented by technologies even before they are fully realized. For instance, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation focuses on the responsibilities of data controllers and processors to provide individuals with access to their data and information about how that data is being used not just as a means of addressing existing security and privacy threats, such as data breaches, but also to protect against future developments and uses of that data for artificial intelligence and automated decision-making purposes. In Germany, Technische Überwachungsvereine, or TÜVs, perform regular tests and inspections of technological systems to assess and minimize risks over time, as the tech landscape evolves. In the United States, by contrast, there is much greater reliance on litigation and liability regimes to address safety and security failings after-the-fact. These different approaches reflect not just the different legal and regulatory mechanisms and philosophies of different nations but also the different ways those nations prioritize rapid development of the technology industry versus safety, security, and individual control. Typically, governance innovations move much more slowly than technological innovations, and regulations can lag years, or even decades, behind the technologies they aim to govern.

In addition to this varied set of national regulatory approaches, a variety of international and nongovernmental organizations also contribute to the process of developing standards, rules, and norms for new technologies, including the International Organization for Standardization and the International Telecommunication Union. These multilateral and NGO actors play an especially important role in trying to define appropriate boundaries for the use of new technologies by governments as instruments of control for the state.

At the same time that policymakers are under scrutiny both for their decisions about how to regulate technology as well as their decisions about how and when to adopt technologies like facial recognition themselves, technology firms and designers have also come under increasing criticism. Growing recognition that the design of technologies can have far-reaching social and political implications means that there is more pressure on technologists to take into consideration the consequences of their decisions early on in the design process (Vincenti 1993; Winner 1980) . The question of how technologists should incorporate these social dimensions into their design and development processes is an old one, and debate on these issues dates back to the 1970s, but it remains an urgent and often overlooked part of the puzzle because so many of the supposedly systematic mechanisms for assessing the impacts of new technologies in both the private and public sectors are primarily bureaucratic, symbolic processes rather than carrying any real weight or influence.

Technologists are often ill-equipped or unwilling to respond to the sorts of social problems that their creations have—often unwittingly—exacerbated, and instead point to governments and lawmakers to address those problems (Zuckerberg 2019) . But governments often have few incentives to engage in this area. This is because setting clear standards and rules for an ever-evolving technological landscape can be extremely challenging, because enforcement of those rules can be a significant undertaking requiring considerable expertise, and because the tech sector is a major source of jobs and revenue for many countries that may fear losing those benefits if they constrain companies too much. This indicates not just a need for clearer incentives and better policies for both private- and public-sector entities but also a need for new mechanisms whereby the technology development and design process can be influenced and assessed by people with a wider range of experiences and expertise. If we want technologies to be designed with an eye to their impacts, who is responsible for predicting, measuring, and mitigating those impacts throughout the design process? Involving policymakers in that process in a more meaningful way will also require training them to have the analytic and technical capacity to more fully engage with technologists and understand more fully the implications of their decisions.

At the same time that tech companies seem unwilling or unable to rein in their creations, many also fear they wield too much power, in some cases all but replacing governments and international organizations in their ability to make decisions that affect millions of people worldwide and control access to information, platforms, and audiences (Kilovaty 2020) . Regulators around the world have begun considering whether some of these companies have become so powerful that they violate the tenets of antitrust laws, but it can be difficult for governments to identify exactly what those violations are, especially in the context of an industry where the largest players often provide their customers with free services. And the platforms and services developed by tech companies are often wielded most powerfully and dangerously not directly by their private-sector creators and operators but instead by states themselves for widespread misinformation campaigns that serve political purposes (Nye 2018) .

Since the largest private entities in the tech sector operate in many countries, they are often better poised to implement global changes to the technological ecosystem than individual states or regulatory bodies, creating new challenges to existing governance structures and hierarchies. Just as it can be challenging to provide oversight for government use of technologies, so, too, oversight of the biggest tech companies, which have more resources, reach, and power than many nations, can prove to be a daunting task. The rise of network forms of organization and the growing gig economy have added to these challenges, making it even harder for regulators to fully address the breadth of these companies’ operations (Powell 1990) . The private-public partnerships that have emerged around energy, transportation, medical, and cyber technologies further complicate this picture, blurring the line between the public and private sectors and raising critical questions about the role of each in providing critical infrastructure, health care, and security. How can and should private tech companies operating in these different sectors be governed, and what types of influence do they exert over regulators? How feasible are different policy proposals aimed at technological innovation, and what potential unintended consequences might they have?

Conflict between countries has also spilled over significantly into the private sector in recent years, most notably in the case of tensions between the United States and China over which technologies developed in each country will be permitted by the other and which will be purchased by other customers, outside those two countries. Countries competing to develop the best technology is not a new phenomenon, but the current conflicts have major international ramifications and will influence the infrastructure that is installed and used around the world for years to come. Untangling the different factors that feed into these tussles as well as whom they benefit and whom they leave at a disadvantage is crucial for understanding how governments can most effectively foster technological innovation and invention domestically as well as the global consequences of those efforts. As much of the world is forced to choose between buying technology from the United States or from China, how should we understand the long-term impacts of those choices and the options available to people in countries without robust domestic tech industries? Does the global spread of technologies help fuel further innovation in countries with smaller tech markets, or does it reinforce the dominance of the states that are already most prominent in this sector? How can research universities maintain global collaborations and research communities in light of these national competitions, and what role does government research and development spending play in fostering innovation within its own borders and worldwide? How should intellectual property protections evolve to meet the demands of the technology industry, and how can those protections be enforced globally?

These conflicts between countries sometimes appear to challenge the feasibility of truly global technologies and networks that operate across all countries through standardized protocols and design features. Organizations like the International Organization for Standardization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and many others have tried to harmonize these policies and protocols across different countries for years, but have met with limited success when it comes to resolving the issues of greatest tension and disagreement among nations. For technology to operate in a global environment, there is a need for a much greater degree of coordination among countries and the development of common standards and norms, but governments continue to struggle to agree not just on those norms themselves but even the appropriate venue and processes for developing them. Without greater global cooperation, is it possible to maintain a global network like the internet or to promote the spread of new technologies around the world to address challenges of sustainability? What might help incentivize that cooperation moving forward, and what could new structures and process for governance of global technologies look like? Why has the tech industry’s self-regulation culture persisted? Do the same traditional drivers for public policy, such as politics of harmonization and path dependency in policy-making, still sufficiently explain policy outcomes in this space? As new technologies and their applications spread across the globe in uneven ways, how and when do they create forces of change from unexpected places?

These are some of the questions that we hope to address in the Technology and Global Change section through articles that tackle new dimensions of the global landscape of designing, developing, deploying, and assessing new technologies to address major challenges the world faces. Understanding these processes requires synthesizing knowledge from a range of different fields, including sociology, political science, economics, and history, as well as technical fields such as engineering, climate science, and computer science. A crucial part of understanding how technology has created global change and, in turn, how global changes have influenced the development of new technologies is understanding the technologies themselves in all their richness and complexity—how they work, the limits of what they can do, what they were designed to do, how they are actually used. Just as technologies themselves are becoming more complicated, so are their embeddings and relationships to the larger social, political, and legal contexts in which they exist. Scholars across all disciplines are encouraged to join us in untangling those complexities.

Josephine Wolff is an associate professor of cybersecurity policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Her book You’ll See This Message When It Is Too Late: The Legal and Economic Aftermath of Cybersecurity Breaches was published by MIT Press in 2018.

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Stories From Experts About the Impact of Digital Life
3. Fifty-fifty anecdotes: How digital life has been both positive and negative

1. The positives of digital life
2. The negatives of digital life
About this canvassing of experts
Acknowledgments

A number of these experts wrote about both sides of the story, taking the time to point out some of the ways in which digital life is a blessing and a curse. A selection of these mixed-response anecdotes follows.

James M. Hinton , an author, commented, “Having grown up in the pre-internet era, my childhood was spent in a substantial monoculture. There was a single shared set of values and beliefs that everyone was expected to conform to. As someone who did not fit into that set of shared expectations (and only grew further apart from them as I aged) this created a substantial sense of isolation and even oppression. The advent of internet technologies – and particularly the ability to communicate instantly, inexpensively, across the planet – has given me access to like-minded individuals who have eased that sense of isolation. This makes it sound as though my answer should have been that these technologies have created, and will continue to create, a substantial improvement for my well-being. However, the very technologies that have created these opportunities have exposed me to even more of the general hostility of the surrounding culture to those like myself. Rather than a small, local community isolating me, now there is sense that a substantial portion of the world, establishment and orthodox belief systems are actively opposed to my positions. Perhaps, to take things to a bit of an extreme, I could compare it to being sent to the Warsaw Ghetto. I am, at last, surrounded by a large number of people like myself, but with an impending sense of dread at what is waiting just beyond the fence to eventually come down and wipe us out.”

Technology improves the lives of people who can avoid being dominated by it and forced into debilitating addictions to it. Frank Kaufmann

Frank Kaufmann , a scholar, educator, innovator and activist based in North America, commented, “Technology improves the lives of people who can avoid being dominated by it and forced into debilitating addictions to it. Technology allows me to grow and benefit from loving relationships among friends and family who can now be close despite geographical distance. Tragically it prevents the addicted from growing and benefiting from the most exquisite types of encounter, namely being in the physical and personal presence of another.”

Eric Royer , a professor based in North America, said, “Digital technology has fundamentally reshaped higher education, to the point where lectures are being replaced with online courses and information is readily available at the click of fingertip. This means that knowledge is no longer the domain of the ‘Ivory Tower’; however, I hold concerns over the effect of the internet on actual learning and a love for education itself. As a consequence of digital technology, education has become a commodity, and students view it as a means to an end.”

Sasha Costanza-Chock , associate professor of civic media at MIT, said, “On the one hand, digital technology has been used by progressive social movements to rapidly organize an enormous mobilization wave after the election of Trump. We’ve seen digital media used as a key tool to turn out hundreds of thousands of people with very short notice to protest the Muslim ban, attacks on LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, the Women’s March, #MeToo, continued #BlackLivesMatter mobilizations, and more. At the same time, digital media are also used to surveil social movement actors in increasingly sophisticated ways; to propagate well-funded disinformation campaigns; and they are also used by far right movements.”

Barry Chudakov , founder and principal of Sertain Research and Streamfuzion Corp., wrote, “As a researcher with colleagues in the communications sphere, I hear a recurring conversation about the new world realities of ‘Me, Inc.,’ made possible by ubiquitous digital technology. The good news is that concept-generation, creativity, programming, publishing or musical performance is no longer in the hands of indifferent gatekeepers – the greybeard editors of various industries who decided which voice and talent was worthy. But this coin has another side.

“Digital technology has, in many areas, hollowed out apprenticeship and expertise. Anyone with a tool (a digital camera or smartphone, editing software, some programming chops) can now be an expert and build an app or a reputation. Older communicators may marvel that newer digital tech tools enable fresh ideas, ingenious approaches and direct versus staged or canned presentations. On the other hand, in the ‘Here Comes Everybody’ world of digital tool mayhem, just having the tool is readily equated with expertise. Many people see in this the breakdown of ‘guild wisdom’ – learning a craft that took years of mentorship and trial and error, which results in reduced standards of excellence and quality. Often there simply are no standards. When there are no real experts, everyone can present her/himself as an expert.

“The impact on workers’ well-being is profound: from relying on buzz words to explain approaches that are highly conceptual but lack experience, to relying on data summations that cannot be clearly articulated as beneficial to outcomes but provide a cloud of information that appears to be relevant – I see a high degree of insecurity and a struggle for clarity and standards. Whether you call yourself a designer, a programmer, a social media expert, a storyteller, a data analyst, a market research professional – you can now go through any door that is near you to get a job or build a career. But the mentors, for many, are gone. You will come up with brilliant insights that were ho-hum years ago; you will propose fuzzy solutions that appear to you clearly superior but are hollow as a dead tree; you will eventually consider your career and brand far more important and worth spending time on than your client’s job – following the dictum that ‘Me, Inc.’ means Me First.

“My friends’ lives in regard to well-being feel permanently insecure. The framework of progression, succession and apprenticeship is gone. ‘Me, Inc.’ rules. It’s me and my software and my digital technology. But, of course, a new apprenticeship will likely appear and then gatekeepers and filter governors will once again be part of the scene, albeit in different form – probably algorithms. This is because newer digital tools enable cooperation and increased socialization, even if it happens through screens, platforms and crowds.”

[the beaten trail]

Seth Finkelstein , consulting programmer at Finkelstein Consulting, wrote, “When the Net was younger, many users of it were easily able to have *substantive* open forums where anyone could join. I very much enjoyed being able to have discussions with people who were at a status level far greater than I could have communicated with beforehand. On the other hand, that meant people at a correspondingly higher status level could be personally offended by what I wrote. In retrospect, for me, the trade-off was not worth it. This is now writ large in social media today. There’s much more of a potential for becoming internet-famous, which can be a blessing or a curse. But it’s possible that there are many more and powerful curses around than blessings.”

Christian Huitema , a technology developer/administrator based in North America, appreciates the internet but commented that being disconnected is still occasionally quite important, “We now have a new checklist item before going out to dinner: We make sure that none of us is carrying a phone.”

Our greatest strength can also be our greatest weakness, and our human relationship with technology is a classic testament to that. Andie Diemer

Andie Diemer , journalist and activist user, wrote, “I use technology in almost every aspect of my life, as everyone I know does. It helps me make quicker, more-informed decisions and it can connect me to anything or anyone at any given moment. However I’ve also noticed the compulsions that come along with having technology so engrained in my life; the dopamine hit when you see you are receiving likes, the soothing feeling that can come from looking at photos of baby animals. Technology can make us feel anything whenever we want – all we need to do is hit search. As much as it’s great to plug in and be connected and feel limitless, there is no real total opposite of that in our society anymore. There is no way to totally shut it off or opt out. Most jobs require you to be computer-literate or to have a cellphone that can be on your person at all times. Our greatest strength can also be our greatest weakness, and our human relationship with technology is a classic testament to that.”

Colin Tredoux , a professor of psychology at the University of Cape Town, commented, “The advantages of digital technology are clear, but there are also disadvantages. One memorable advantage was being able to track and keep in contact with my two young children, ages 12 and 7, when they were lost on a train in Germany. I was able to get them to approach passersby, and get them onto a train that would get them to a designated location even though I was in Cape Town at the time. However, I can also tell stories about how much the ubiquity of digital technology has made everybody feel unsafe – the slightest disappearance of children or friends or adults from instant communication makes everybody highly anxious, almost always for no good reason (last year my daughter, now 20, went offline in Paris, and we spent six hours fretting, worrying, etc.). In other words, we need to weigh up the cost of worrying versus the benefit of making safe. My sense is that the former occurs with 100-times-greater frequency than the latter, so then the important question is what weight to put to the two.”

Simeon Yates , professor of digital culture at the University of Liverpool, wrote, “Digital life can be dominated by email and time-management tools. Even using these well leads to a significant increase in workload. This is not matched by changes in organisational structure and management practice to address this workload. This has long-term health impacts. But digital life is also good. Nearly everything we do for enjoyment has been helped by tools and apps: Going climbing (using an app for route guidebook), reading (endless access to books), music (endless access to music), film (endless access to film and TV), keeping in touch with friends and family, organising time together. All of these are much easier.”

Daniel Schultz , senior creative technologist at the Internet Archive, commented, “This morning I rolled out of bed to see a note from a constituent on Twitter, an email from a public school think tank about the extreme need for more effective communication with parents, I logged onto Slack to catch up on notes from my coworkers and friends, and received a FaceTime from my daughter downstairs as a reminder that it was time to eat breakfast with her. The end of this story actually captures both the benefits and risks of technology. I was immediately drawn into my phone after waking up – I got information, some of it adding to my pile of tasks and increasing my stress, some of it enabling human connection, but it was also at the expense of spending my first moments with my family. My life would not exist in its current form without digital technology. I work from home, and as a result I am able to see my family any time of the day. My professional collaborations are coordinated and executed online. A large portion of my civic engagement and advocacy is done through the creation or use of technology to share a message or make a point.”

Leora Lawton , lecturer in demography and sociology and executive director of the Berkeley Population Center at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote, “In positive ways I have close friends that I met online through email lists, colleagues that I communicate with and the ease of doing business or personal matters no matter where I am in the world. I love being able to check things in Google on my iPhone as the thought occurs. I like apps on my phone. I get to listen (or watch) baseball and other sports anywhere. However, I dislike the continuing demise of radio and print newspapers. Online sources are a different experience. They have their pluses, but there’s a reason why people still like vinyl over CDs. I feel the same way about radio. I take 25 hours off each week from the digital world – sometimes more – for religious reasons. Without the religious imperative I’m not sure I would do it, but I’m so glad I do. It’s such a relief! My co-religionists all agree. Even the teens often agree (not always of course, but they are teens).”

Daniel Berleant , author of “The Human Race to the Future,” commented, “We all remember the days when any group was subject to interruptions as someone’s cellphone rang. Text messaging and email have made communication even easier, while alleviating the interruption factor imposed by a ringing phone. At the same time, it has presented a disadvantage: people often will not answer a phone call, especially young people. This has produced an adjustment problem in my own experience, whereby I would sometimes like to call a family member on the phone, but cannot get through because they prefer a text message that does not interrupt them. I, and others, need to adjust expectations and tactics to the realities of modern cellphone-based communication.”

Charles Ess , professor, department of media and communication at the University of Oslo, said, “An obvious example is the use of digital technologies to communicate with family and friends around the globe. On the one hand, all of this makes it wonderfully easy and convenient to stay in touch – including during critical life moments such as the birth of a new grandson, a sibling’s loss of a job, a serious illness or death, et cetera. At the same time – as someone who grew up writing letters, e.g., the ones I wrote to my parents while working and then traveling through Germany and Europe in 1971 – I’m acutely aware of what is NOT communicated through digital channels (researcher Sherry Turkle addresses this more eloquently). First of all, such a letter demanded extended attention and focus – and, as research over the past 10 years or so has confirmed, the process of handwriting slows one down so as to open up silences and spaces for reflection that we elide quickly over if only using a keyboard. There is also the materiality of the letter. To not only see the words – but to hold in one’s hand a piece of paper that existed with me and then with those close to me at a specific time and place decades ago – is utterly distinctive. I receive hundreds of emails a day and write 10 to 20 or more. My professional and personal life turn on them, along with many other digital and communication technologies, of course. But I strongly doubt that my children will be interested in or find much value in trawling through even just the emails sent to them after I am gone. While they have their own affordances – first of all, speed and convenience – they also suffer from a kind of immateriality and, usually, brevity. By contrast, I suspect they’ll find my physical letters to be far more valuable and precious. I don’t think this is just nostalgia. Rather, it resonates with the so-called ‘death online’ research, which – alongside evidence for the many benefits of grieving and mourning via social media, memorial sites, etc. – also documents how for some number of people, precisely young people, there is the discovery that grief requires embodied co-presence. This is ramified by the unpleasant sides of online grief, e.g., postings from ‘friends’ who ignore you the next day, etc. Again, there is some indication of not necessarily rejecting ‘the digital’ entirely in favor of ‘the analogue’ (with all the caveats those terms require) – but rather of attempting to find a better balance.”

Nathalie Coupet , an internet advocate based in North America, said, “My first thought in the morning, having just awaken, is: ‘Do I have any emails?’ The internet has taken over my life and made me a 24-hour-a-day-connected pod to its mother ship. Without my smartphone, I dare not venture in the Big World out there. What if someone was trying to contact me? Ironically, I still remember the day when, sitting comfortably in a tram in Zurich, I had vowed to never carry a cellphone with me. To jealously safeguard my independence. To daydream in peace and be deliciously idle. Not to be so engaged all the time in a stressful awareness of place and time, people and events. To be left alone. It has now become a goal.”

Craig J. Mathias , principal for the Farpoint Group, wrote, “I’ve benefitted from email, other messing services including voice and video communications, access to a wide array of information via the Web, and access to many services I use regularly, like banking and health care. All of these are good, but I do worry about security and privacy, which still receive far too little attention. Stronger penalties are required for those who compromise these vital requirements.”

Kathleen Hayes , a technology specialist based in North America, commented, “For the good, my 91-year-old mom checks emails and uses her tablet when she travels so she can stay connected. She uses the caller ID on her home phone to ward off robo calls. For the not-so-good, on her new car some of the controls were difficult for her to figure out. What used to be a knob is now a screen with a vague description of what it may or may not do.”

A professor at a major U.S. state university said, “I am able to share information with my family who live in other states more easily. We are able to see photos and share news to groups that would have taken longer in the past. I do often wonder if we really want photos of our children online, however. I feel concern about safety and well-being of children.”

Theodora Sutton , a Ph.D. candidate at the Oxford Internet Institute, wrote, “… Digital technology is interwoven into my daily life as it is with everyone I know. The first thing I do when I wake up is usually check my iPhone for messages and news or scroll through Twitter on my laptop to help wake myself up. I find it to be an extremely useful and relaxing way to see what’s happening in the world without necessarily engaging. I also often use resources online when I’m struggling to fall asleep, as there is a rich library of calming content and most of it is free. A problem that I have with my digital technology is the way that boundaries are blurred. For example, context collapse on social networking sites, which make posting content a minefield, and can cause unnecessary anxiety. Another way that similar boundaries are blurred is in the activities I use the laptop for – both working and relaxing can be provided by the same ‘portal’ of my laptop screen, which I find unhelpful, as when I’m working there is always a distraction available, and when I’m relaxing it’s always possible to quickly check my work email, both things which can hinder the task at hand.”

Richard Padilla , a retired system administrator, said, “Tech has changed the development of the lives of everyone. A need to refine its processes for better growth is now the requirement.”

Michele Walfred , a North American communications specialist, said, “I have witnessed family members unable to join conversations, sit at a table and not bring their phones with them, etc. Social media platforms have provided everyone with a forum to express views, but, as a whole, conversations are more polarized, tribal and hostile. With Facebook for instance, there has been a huge uptick in fake news, altered images, dangerous health claims and cures, and the proliferation of anti-science information. This is very distressing and disturbing. People are too willing to share without doing their due diligence and fact-checking first. People now get their news from sources that are only aligned with their belief systems or ‘tribe’ and freely shut out any information that they don’t like or agree with. On a positive note, if one is interested in diverse opinions and views, the ability to make informed opinion and decisions is at one’s fingertips. I learn something new on the internet every day. GPS, maps, navigation have transformed my personal transportation. It has changed the way I shop, source local materials, find out what is going on in my own community, or – when I travel – immediately connect me to inside information about a new town or city. I used to bring along a Rand McNally map. Now I use Google Maps and, while I miss looking at maps, the technology now is so accurate and convenient. I am an avid photographer, and the multitude of editing apps is astounding. I have 40 installed on my iPad and they have transformed my artistic efforts. My grandson lives three and a half hours away in a very large city – not a pleasant drive for me, so being able to FaceTime him is a development I treasure.”

Timothy Leffel , a research scientist at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, one of the largest independent social research organizations in the U.S., said, “I probably spend more waking hours looking at a screen than not. And this seems to be the new normal, which is a bit jarring. If you’d told me 10 years ago that this is what everyday life would be like today, I’m not sure what I’d think. I’m not sure what I think today, even. I have superficial knowledge of any topic at my fingertips, which is incredible. But with that knowledge comes a highly addictive and hidden reward system that probably leads me to overestimate the positive impact of computers on my life.”

Bouziane Zaid , an associate professor at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco, wrote, “Changes in quality of life, whether positive or negative, cannot be reduced to our uses of technology. It is a human tendency to idealize a past that probably was never as good as we think it was. Well-being is improved and lessened due to hyperconnectivity.”

Kathleen Harper , an editor for HollywoodLife.com, said, “GPS has changed my life – for the better. It sounds dramatic, but I honestly don’t know what I would do without it. I am what they call ‘directionally challenged,’ and I’d forever be lost without my handy-dandy smartphone (and my backup portable charger of course). Living in New York City can be intimidating, and it’s quite easy to get lost. Without step-by-step GPS and my subway app, I definitely wouldn’t be able to explore the city, attend events, and try new things as much as I do. Playing devil’s advocate though, maybe without it, I’d be forced to actually learn and/or memorize the city, which would in turn expand that part of my brain and make me a more well-rounded person.”

Mark Richmond , an internet pioneer and systems engineer for the U.S. government, wrote, “Twenty years ago my daughter met a man 8,000 miles away. Yes, it was via internet. They married and she has lived there ever since. Despite the distance we are able to stay in regular contact, including routine video chatting. My other children and grandchildren use social media either very little, or sometimes way too much. It helps to keep up with what everyone is doing, the joys and pains in their lives, but it also exacerbates things, especially for the younger ones. Every minor disagreement seems to be a major production, lived out on a stage. I am hopeful that as they learn, they will also learn moderation.”

I love meeting many new people from across the world through digital mediums. But I have noticed culturally a decrease in actual face-to-face human interaction or even a voice phone call with emotion and true connection, accuracy and depth. John Senall

John Senall , founder of Mobile First Media Group, said, “Digital technology has offered additional career opportunities and advancement to me. However, the type of career opportunities for me and countless others usually involve sitting at a computer screen, working more hours and being stuck to a smartphone. All have made communication more seamless and constant, but have, in part, played a role in decreasing my health quality. I love meeting many new people from across the world through digital mediums. But I have noticed culturally a decrease in actual face-to-face human interaction or even a voice phone call with emotion and true connection, accuracy and depth. I ponder what it all may mean for my young children and their friends and classmates, down the road when there will be deeper technology and more communication changes. The benefits of a hyperconnected life are amazing and rewarding. Yet, I think many of us yearn, at least occasionally, for a simpler, less digital time.”

William J. Ward , president of DR4WARD, said, “After spending a lot of time on digital I found my physical and mental health declining. I now spend much less time on digital and much greater time doing physical activity like yoga to counteract the damage to the body that spending too much screen time inevitably causes. I also invest more time in face-to-face and social activities and finding a balance where digital is helpful but does not distract from relationships.”

Cliff Zukin , a professor and survey researcher at Rutgers University, commented, “The only way I can reach my children is by texting; this is disjointed asynchronous communication, not conversation. However, I can walk out of the house not knowing how to get where I’m going or needing a map, which I love.”

Christopher Wilkinson , internet pioneer, wrote, “I do not agree with the epithet ‘hyperconnected.’ We are far from it. Life-changing events: 1) Word processor spell/grammar checkers in several languages. 2) Sending SMS by Skype (disgracefully discontinued by Microsoft). 3) Negative: Demise of the handwritten letter.”

A selection of anonymous responses

An internet activist from Europe said, “Great for keeping in touch across oceans, but across the city people’s tendencies to substitute text for voice is not always good. It is great to be able to look things up instantly, but this may lead to shallow understanding of answers.”

An internet pioneer and social and digital marketing consultant commented, “On one hand, I can be in close communication with my 12-year-old daughter and not have to wonder where she is as she goes about her day, and can remind her to bring things home from school. I can also be in contact with friends through social media, which helps as I live in a city where I don’t have many social outlets. On the other hand, I’ve found that too much time spent online, particularly on Facebook, can make me feel depressed. Either I catch myself comparing my life to the posts that others make, or I get overwhelmed by the toxic political atmosphere currently playing out.”

A senior lecturer in media studies wrote, “There are both positive and negative consequences from being always-on. Being always-on means that I can be in constant contact with my family who live on the other side of the world, but it also means that I receive work emails all throughout the day.”

A senior lecturer based in Southeast Asia said, “Time wasted on social media is negatively affecting well-being; positively, social media helps to bring people close, so that it helps to make a lively environment with intimate people. In education, it has been a good platform as well as a resource.”

A chief of staff for a nonprofit organization wrote, “FOMO (fear of missing out) is a problem, but digital life is also useful for communicating with loved ones far away.”

A retired professor and research scientist said, “Good impacts of digital life: Immediate and extensive answers and how-to advice; quick, easy access to books and movies. Bad impacts: Reduced conversations with wife, especially at mealtime – just Google it.”

A vice president at a major entertainment company in the United States commented, “Clearly, collective action (good or bad) happens with much more ease and speed. I marvel at the ease of organizing things that result in greater connectivity with my family – from renting a house in a far-away place for vacation to helping my children.”

A research scientist said, “On the one hand, I can communicate with friends who decades ago I would not be able to stay in touch with. On the other hand, we have a white supremacist in the White House.”

A professor of English wrote, “What has been positive is the ability to follow along with positive facets of others’ lives – birthdays, anniversaries, etc. This has been positive. Yet, again, a birthday card, a phone call, a conversation would be more meaningful.”

A futurist based in North America wrote, “Generally, very positive is the access to information. It is easier to do research, find out about current events, etc. Among the negatives are kids immersed in digital devices; staring at a screen as an acceptable activity.”

A professor from North America said, “I’ve cut off from lots of digital media. I realized it was consuming lots of my time. It didn’t make me feel good – what I was seeing and reading made me mostly angry and depressed. It was feeding negativity. I am happier without it. However, a friend who has a child with a chronic medical condition has monitoring so that medical personnel are notified when parameters are exceeded so interventions can occur rapidly. The child gets fast feedback, too, so they can change behavior or take action in a way that would not have been possible five years ago.”

An entrepreneur based in North America wrote, “I feel like technology has made our life better (instant access to information) and worse (instant access to entertainment).”

A professor based in Europe wrote, “When I replaced my mobile I gave the used, but still quite powerful one to my granddaughter aged 10. She made nice pictures with it, which I appreciated. But she also got obsessed with certain internet games, leading to conflicts.”

An assistant professor of political science at an Ivy League university wrote, “As a parent this is easy. My kids (ages 4 and 7) are steeped in technology. They have iPads in their classrooms (which help with engaging them and I think are a net good), but they also want to be on iPads at home (which may not be as good). They think every screen is a touch screen. Even at 4 years old, my son’s first instinct when he doesn’t know something bit of information is to Google it or ask Siri. My kids love to read books on Kindle (and much prefer it to paper books) so even the educational activity of reading is now deeply intertwined with technology. In some ways that is good, on Kindle they can highlight the words they don’t know as they read and – something that has proven very important for my 7-year-old – they cannot see how thick the book is, so they tend to read more without lamenting about length. At the same time, they have little interest in libraries and miss out on books that are not available via Kindle. They can FaceTime family who live far away, but sometimes they see that as a substitute for actual visits. In short, there is good and bad but there is little doubt that technology structures our daily life in profound ways.”

An executive director of a tech innovation firm said, “Looking at my kids; they’re connected and informed. And they spend too much time online.”

A director of technology based in North America wrote, “In a positive way it has allowed me to keep in touch more easily with friends that live far away. In a negative sense it has provided a distraction to what is happening in the moment.”

A professor based in Europe wrote, “My working days are longer! I wake up and check email and I am habituated like one of Pavlov’s dogs to check my email regularly throughout the day and into the evening. Even though my boss has banned us from sending work emails after 6 p.m., I still check my email. As a result, I never truly feel disconnected from work – even during vacations.”

A professor from North America said, “For me (in my 50s) digital life has been positive – a way to keep up with old friends. However, for my teens, it can create sadness and feelings of being/having less than peers.”

An associate professor at a U.S. university said, “My ability to stay connected to family and friends brings me great joy. And I’m able to connect to other academics when I am not on campus, which is more often than not. However my husband feels that I am too connected! In this regard it may be hurting our relationship. At times using technology can border on addiction. For me that is.”

A North American researcher wrote, “Technology has changed my life because I now work for a company in a different state. My contributions are made at my home, via telecommuting. This is both good and bad – on the good side, I’m able to help take care of my disabled son and to help my wife through a battle with cancer. But, on the down side – there’s no opportunity for the water cooler discussions that can speed up development work. There’s no opportunity for facetime with managers and VPs to get that all-important rapport with senior management. In other words, there are no opportunities to exercise and grow the ‘soft skills’ necessary to progress in the organization.”

An anonymous respondent wrote, “It has made work communication easier but often less thoughtful since constant connectivity fuels the expectation of an immediate response. It also has diminished the opportunities to disconnect from work for a proper break, but it does give me flexibility to not be tied to my office.”

A college student said, “I am not too proud to admit that I also suffer from the FOMO (fear of missing out) that comes from living a hyperconnected lifestyle. I hold lengthy Snapchat streaks with friends to bond with them, I check my social media accounts for approximately three to four hours daily. Daily I catch myself peering at my phone the moment I awake to learn about the events I may have missed while I slept. While my Snap streaks do provide a satisfying, quick dopamine hit each time I respond, overall, I cannot say that living a hyperconnected lifestyle has enhanced my life in any way. But I would also argue that it has not hurt my mental well-being either. While I am willing to admit I struggle in certain areas to balance my digital distractions with the important things in life; overall, I don’t think that it has had a negative effect on my life. I do think that some people are negatively impacted, but most will work to find a balance after some trial and error as new tools for digital life continue to appear and we adjust.”

A clinical assistant professor at a major U.S. university wrote, “I am old enough to see the effects that cellphones have had on family dinners. In a positive light, some arguments are resolved more quickly – Wikipedia can often provide resolution to many debatable points and repair faulty recollection, leading to much more productive conversations. More negatively, the interruptions caused by text messaging and email often divide the attention of those dining together and can sometimes diminish the quality of time spent together.”

In the negative, the ‘always-on’ capabilities are big triggers for my anxiety around perfectionism and performance. In the positive, when working with my therapist on ways to bring myself more forward in relationships, social media was a key tool. A teen library specialist

A teen library specialist wrote, “I have had both positive and negative impacts in my personal mental health courtesy of hyperconnection of digital connectivity. In the negative, the ‘always-on’ capabilities are big triggers for my anxiety around perfectionism and performance. In the positive, when working with my therapist on ways to bring myself more forward in relationships, social media was a key tool. She described Facebook (at the time that was the dominant tool) as disastrous for her work with narcissists but a dream for working with folks like me. I have grown more comfortable with expressing myself and I feel more visible in this format than in others within my communities. And I don’t mean that I have more friends online than I have in the real world. I mean my ‘real-world’ relationships are richer because I share with the people in my workplace or family or church via social media in a way I never before did and still rarely do face to face.”

An anonymous respondent commented, “We are able to keep in touch with family all around the globe. On the other hand, our family wouldn’t have been so spread out in the first place without the internet.”

An academic leader based in Australia wrote, “Digital technology has provided unthinkable access to information. Systems for doing business have enabled us to perform tasks and obtain and share information like never before. At the same time, digital transformation has meant each individual spends a lot more time navigating systems and doing work that previously would have been performed by other experts.”

[The good:]

There is so much pressure to publish research even when it’s greatly flawed… Moreover, in many ways our techniques and standards of rigor have improved over time, so I don’t want to sound completely hopeless about scientific progress in my field. A research scientist based in North America

A research scientist based in North America commented, “I’m 26, so the internet changed pretty much everything, right? It grew up with me, more or less. In fifth grade, I remember writing a research report about the gray whale. We had to go through all these crazy steps – finding books, writing down facts on notecards, putting them in those little clicky boxes that held notecards. Now, when was the last time you saw one of those? We were allowed to have internet sources, I think, but there were all these requirements about what constituted an appropriate source, as well as strict limits on how many internet sources could be used. The assumption was that somehow, finding information on the internet did not constitute real research, and this was our teacher’s way of preparing us for the research we would be doing in the future. Fast forward to now, where I’m finishing up my Ph.D., and I do research practically every day. Do you know how often I have to seek out resources that I can’t find online? It’s never. Literally never. My dissertation uses about two, neither of which I sought out – just some books my advisor just unceremoniously handed me one day. Admittedly, my academic field is quite young comparatively, and there may be fields with more emphasis on works that cannot be found online, but still, this is mostly a good thing for my well-being, as well as for the productivity of my field. However, there are also more insidious consequences of the increased volume and availability of research. The most prominent consequence I observe is that there is simply more research than we as a field are able to deal with. There is so much research that is redundant or contradictory, and our field doesn’t currently have the structure in place to reconcile it all. Hundreds of papers are published every day, and most of these will never be read, let alone cited (and that’s assuming people are actually reading what they cite – ha!). There is so much pressure to publish research even when it’s greatly flawed, as well as to frame every finding with a theoretical impact it cannot actually have. Instead of a gradual forward trajectory, we’re sitting on an unmanageable mound of contradictions. This research machine I live in is so unimaginably wasteful, with such deeply entrenched and utterly misguided incentives that I do not know how we will ever overcome it. This is not to suggest that this is entirely the fault of digital technology, although it certainly has enabled this trend. Moreover, in many ways our techniques and standards of rigor have improved over time, so I don’t want to sound completely hopeless about scientific progress in my field. I think to an outside observer my field is flourishing, and we have much to offer the world. However, if we do not find ways to restructure and rethink what progress looks like, we will be crushed by our own weight.”

A solutions consultant based in North America wrote, “Hyperconnection via text messaging has helped in a world where physical proximity and time constraints make it more difficult to connect. For me, a quick text, letting my husband know that I’m thinking about him or giving him a heads-up on something important – is amazingly positive, and helpful. And it does so without detracting from my day. Same when I communicate with my son, who spends 50% of his time at his father’s house, and 50% with me. It helps us stay in touch and positively connected. But we also do not overuse it – perhaps we are not as ‘hyperconnected’ as other users of technology, although, my mother, who is 80, says that the text messaging is ‘just too much!’ She believes that is hyperconnectivity.”

[Advanced Research Projects Agency Network]

An anonymous respondent wrote, “Twitter is the greatest time-sink ever but a great source of interesting news and entertainment. However, I waste too much time on it when I could be reading the newspaper or a book.”

A post-doctoral fellow at Stanford University commented, “My family and I use our smartphones to send photos, video chat and send text messages on a daily basis, allowing us to stay in contact more frequently we did back when letter writing and telephone calls were our ways to stay in touch. On the negative side, I look at headlines way too much as a form of stimulus any time I have a second to spare – even when I’m with my children. I’d say I’m less present, less able to focus on reading long form text, than I was before my smartphone came into my life.”

A series of scenarios tied to potential future concerns of digital life

Peter and Trudy Johnson-Lenz, owner-operators of Pathfinding Smarter Futures and participants in this canvassing, submitted in response to the request for anecdotes the following series of scenarios they wrote in 2005 in order to spark discussions of potential issues.

Auto Angel I: Your commute co-pilot

You’re yawning as you slowly merge into the through lane on the long ride home. Your comfy biofueled hybrid-electric car is programmed to keep you alert and relaxed. The new ATM (autonomous traffic management system) keeps everything flowing smoothly without slow-downs or jam-ups, but you still have miles to go before you sleep. The music seems to keep pace with the flow of traffic, and you slip into a kind of driving flow state. The ATM is intelligent, but not smart enough to have autonomous lanes to do the driving for humans, nor do most people want that. Crack! The burst of sound and light, and the gentle spray on your face, with the aroma of peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary, brings you back to full alertness. Damn! You’d nodded off again. Fortunately, it was only a second, thanks to Auto Angel, your co-pilot on the two-hour commute from the agile economy enterprise zone to the only affordable housing in the tri-county area. Too bad your insurance doesn’t cover that latest wakefulness drug that’s all the rage.Auto Angel advises you to pull over as soon as possible and take a short power nap. You can set Angel’s alarm so you won’t sleep longer than 20 minutes and get groggy. You start looking for a safe place to stop and rest.

Auto Angel II: The high price of Drowsiness

The e-alert from your doctor’s office is surprising.“We’re concerned. Please come in at your earliest convenience. Press star for an immediate appointment.” What could possibly be the matter? What do they know that you don’t?At the clinic, you’re confronted with a stark, unforgiving choice. Auto Angel has reported one too many instances of drowsiness for your automobile insurance company to allow you to continue to drive under your existing policy. Either you must get the much more expensive hazardous driver rider or be treated immediately for “driving drowsiness” (suspected narcolepsy or sleep apnea, now on your medical and insurance e-records).If you’re actually diagnosed with narcolepsy, your doctor must report it to the department of motor vehicles. You’ll be subject to random monitoring for treatment compliance.Your health insurance doesn’t fully cover this treatment because driving is now considered an elective activity. There are drugs available, but they’re not on your formulary list. You’re advised to take public transportation.Of course, some can still afford fully private transportation, just they can afford health care and higher insurance premiums. You’re not one of them. And the public transit system doesn’t extend all the way out to your community yet.

HealthGuardian

You’re in Mexico City on your way to your next business appointment. “Señor, amigo, come with us — NOW! You’re at risk for a heart attack. We’re from HealthGuardian. We’ll get you to the hospital pronto.” Your HealthGuardian biosensors are supposed to provide alerts of impending medical emergencies.Uniformed men with insistent voices grab you by both arms and hustle you toward an official-looking van. Are they really from your HealthGuardian monitoring service, or are they kidnappers? How can you verify their identity? Are you really in danger?!?Your heart races and your head spins. You feel pressure in your chest, and it’s hard to breathe. What’s going on?!?

Alexi, ever-faithful e-valet

Soft chimes announce his voice. “Sir?” Alexi, your e-valet, continues close to your ear. “May I suggest that you eat something soon? You’re moving into your danger zone.” His interruption irritates you as you walk briskly along the crowded sidewalk. “Sir, the bistro four doors up on the right fits your dining profile and has two very nice specials today. Or I can recommend the Thai restaurant around the next corner.” Your blood sugar level is dropping precipitously close to where even deciding to eat, let alone where, is becoming a chore. “Sir?” “OK, OK, Alexi,” you say to yourself. Your gait slows, you check the bistro menu in the window, and go inside. What ever would you do without Alexi’s constant and respectful attentiveness?

Your privacy – priceless!

[radio-frequency identification]

Scrambling your identity

At WuMart’s self-service checkout, you’re fuming. You’ve ducked into the store on your lunch hour to pick up a few essentials for this afternoon’s flight, and you’re in a real hurry. Nothing is scanning right. The dental care travel kit scans as reading glasses, vitamin C as laxatives, and deodorant as antacid. You call loudly for a supervisor. The young man sighs. “Yeah, it looks like somebody in the store hacked our RFID tags again and scrambled the data. It’ll get straightened out when the machines go through their data consistency and reliability power cycle in about 10 minutes. Sorry about that.” He puts an obviously used, dog-eared “Out of order – please try again later” sign on the scanner. “If you’ll just step through the electronic gate over there, we’ll have you on your way in no time.” You stride through the metal archway with your goods, and the human checker enters the products numbers to ring up your purchases. The finger touch system debits your account. Finally! You have just enough time to get back to the office. Later, when you try to enter the restricted area to get the data reports you need for your trip, you’re stopped cold. Your implanted VeriChip doesn’t properly authenticate your identify, and security forces are there in moments. Missing your flight will be the least of your problems.

The mall knows you better than you do

As you stroll through the environmentally controlled mall, your mobile flashes a steady stream of personalized messages from nearby merchants. “Jeans tops – 30% instant discount!” “Free skin-care consultation!” “Shakira CDs all on sale!”The automated ads have no way of knowing that the RFID-tagged jeans, derma-repair cream, and pop diva CD in your shopping bag are purchases for other members of your extended family. You’re not interested in more purchases like them or to go with them. You’re done.Nearby, the animated window display of dancing cookware catches your eye, and you linger a few moments, watching with great amusement. Flying frying pans? Flipping spatulas? Spinning plates? What were they thinking?!? The mall looks more like an amusement park every time you come here.But now the stream of messages is all for cookware, tableware, stemware, cooking schools, and related products and services. You’re beginning to feel you’re being stalked instead of enticed with great offers. How did they know what you were looking at? What else do they know about you? And how do they know it?!?This is creepy.

Who is responsible?

The distinctive ring on your mobile is your daughter’s. “Waaah! The bus didn’t come, and it’s our last practice before Saturday’s big match! You’ve gotta drive me NOW. Plueeease???” Just then the mobile beeps twice. “Just a sec, sweetie.” It’s an automated request for you to approve entry of your new drug prescription into the GVS Registry database. You’ll deal with that later. “OK, I’m back. I’ll try to get someone to cover for me. Pick you up in 15 minutes, OK?”The next evening in a heavy rainstorm, a drunk driver ploughs into your Viridian hybrid. As they stabilize you on the way to the Trauma Center, the EMTs read your implanted VeriChip to get your updated medical information.In the ER, your condition suddenly worsens in a most peculiar way, and the doctors suspect a bad drug interaction. But how could that have happened? Did the EMTs make a mistake? Were you taking something they didn’t know about?Right now they’ll save your life. What happened and who’s responsible will come later.

Shopper’s Revenge

“Undecided shopper’s discount! Pick up prod, put back 2x, RFID shelf reader -> instant 25% off coupon.” Intrigued by this alert from Shopper’s Revenge (“Don’t get mad – get bargains!”) on your mobile screen, you check for something you actually want, walk over to the right shelf, pick it up, and put it back. Rinse, repeat. Voila! This is too easy. … A month later, the store catches on and raises the bar. You still get the coupon if you pick up the product, wait for over a minute, and put it back three times. A little tedious, but worth it for some pricier items. That works for three more weeks. A few days later, your Shopper’s Revenge e-coach tells you to vary the pattern so you’ll look more “natural” – to fit the store’s learning agent’s evolving model of an undecided shopper. Thanks to Shopper’s Revenge, you’re saving money, outwitting the technology, and looking more and more like a very hesitant shopper every day.

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Digital technology has profoundly affected the ways that businesses design and produce goods, manage internal communication, and connect with customers. But the next phase of the digital revolution raises a new set of questions about the relationship between technology and the practice of management. Managers in the digital era must consider how big data can inform hiring decisions, whether new communication technologies are empowering workers or unleashing organizational chaos, what role algorithms will play in corporate strategy, and even how to give performance feedback to a robot. This collection of short, pithy essays from MIT Sloan Management Review , written by both practitioners and academic experts, explores technology's foundational impact on management.

Much of the conversation around these topics centers on the evolving relationship between humans and cognitive technologies, and the essays reflect this—considering, for example, not only how to manage a bot but how cognitive systems will enhance business decision making, how AI delivers value, and the ethics of algorithms.

Contributors Ajay Agrawal, Robert D. Austin, David H. Autor, Andrew Burgert, Paul R. Daugherty, Thomas H. Davenport, R. Edward Freeman, Joshua S. Gans, Avi Goldfarb, Lynda Gratton, Reid Hoffman, Bala Iyer, Gerald C. Kane, Frieda Klotz, Rita Gunther McGrath, Paul Michelman, Andrew W. Moore, Nicola Morini-Bianzino, Tim O'Reilly, Bidhan L. Parmar, Ginni Rometty, Bernd Schmitt, Alex Tapscott, Don Tapscott, Monideepa Tarafdar, Catherine J. Turco, George Westerman, H. James Wilson, Andrew S. Winston

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What the Digital Future Holds : 20 Groundbreaking Essays on How Technology Is Reshaping the Practice of Management By: MIT Sloan Management Review https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.001.0001 ISBN (electronic): 9780262345354 Publisher: The MIT Press Published: 2018

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[ Front Matter ] Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0025 Open the PDF Link PDF for [ Front Matter ] in another window
Series Foreword By Paul Michelman Paul Michelman Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0001 Open the PDF Link PDF for Series Foreword in another window
Introduction: Tales from the Digital Frontier By Paul Michelman Paul Michelman Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0002 Open the PDF Link PDF for Introduction: Tales from the Digital Frontier in another window
1: Managing the Bots That Are Managing the Business By Tim O'Reilly Tim O'Reilly Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0003 Open the PDF Link PDF for 1: Managing the Bots That Are Managing the Business in another window
2: Digital Today, Cognitive Tomorrow By Ginni Rometty Ginni Rometty Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0004 Open the PDF Link PDF for 2: Digital Today, Cognitive Tomorrow in another window
3: Rise of the Strategy Machines By Thomas H. Davenport Thomas H. Davenport Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0005 Open the PDF Link PDF for 3: Rise of the Strategy Machines in another window
4: Predicting a Future Where the Future Is Routinely Predicted By Andrew W. Moore Andrew W. Moore Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0006 Open the PDF Link PDF for 4: Predicting a Future Where the Future Is Routinely Predicted in another window
5: Using Artificial Intelligence to Set Information Free By Reid Hoffman Reid Hoffman Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0007 Open the PDF Link PDF for 5: Using Artificial Intelligence to Set Information Free in another window
6: What to Expect from Artificial Intelligence Technology By Ajay Agrawal , Ajay Agrawal Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Joshua S. Gans , Joshua S. Gans Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Avi Goldfarb Avi Goldfarb Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0008 Open the PDF Link PDF for 6: What to Expect from Artificial Intelligence Technology in another window
7: The Shifts—Great and Small—in Workplace Automation By David H. Autor David H. Autor Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0009 Open the PDF Link PDF for 7: The Shifts—Great and Small—in Workplace Automation in another window
8: How Blockchain Will Change Organizations By Don Tapscott , Don Tapscott Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Alex Tapscott Alex Tapscott Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0010 Open the PDF Link PDF for 8: How Blockchain Will Change Organizations in another window
9: Is Your Company Ready to Operate as a Market? By Rita Gunther McGrath Rita Gunther McGrath Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0011 Open the PDF Link PDF for 9: Is Your Company Ready to Operate as a Market? in another window
10: The End of Corporate Culture as We Know It By Paul Michelman Paul Michelman Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0012 Open the PDF Link PDF for 10: The End of Corporate Culture as We Know It in another window
11: Do You Have a Conversational Interface? By Bala Iyer , Bala Iyer Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Andrew Burgert , Andrew Burgert Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Gerald C. Kane Gerald C. Kane Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0013 Open the PDF Link PDF for 11: Do You Have a Conversational Interface? in another window
12: Unleashing Creativity with Digital Technology By Robert D. Austin Robert D. Austin Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0014 Open the PDF Link PDF for 12: Unleashing Creativity with Digital Technology in another window
13: Rethinking the Manager’s Role By Lynda Gratton Lynda Gratton Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0015 Open the PDF Link PDF for 13: Rethinking the Manager’s Role in another window
14: The Three New Skills Managers Need By Monideepa Tarafdar Monideepa Tarafdar Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0016 Open the PDF Link PDF for 14: The Three New Skills Managers Need in another window
15: A New Era of Corporate Conversation By Catherine J. Turco Catherine J. Turco Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0017 Open the PDF Link PDF for 15: A New Era of Corporate Conversation in another window
16: Ethics and the Algorithm By Bidhan L. Parmar , Bidhan L. Parmar Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar R. Edward Freeman R. Edward Freeman Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0018 Open the PDF Link PDF for 16: Ethics and the Algorithm in another window
17: Why Digital Transformation Needs a Heart By George Westerman George Westerman Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0019 Open the PDF Link PDF for 17: Why Digital Transformation Needs a Heart in another window
18: The Jobs That Artificial Intelligence Will Create By H. James Wilson , H. James Wilson Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paul R. Daugherty , Paul R. Daugherty Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Nicola Morini-Bianzino Nicola Morini-Bianzino Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0020 Open the PDF Link PDF for 18: The Jobs That Artificial Intelligence Will Create in another window
19: Tackling the World’s Challenges with Technology By Andrew S. Winston Andrew S. Winston Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0021 Open the PDF Link PDF for 19: Tackling the World’s Challenges with Technology in another window
20: Are You Ready for Robot Colleagues? By Bernd Schmitt , Bernd Schmitt Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Frieda Klotz Frieda Klotz Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0022 Open the PDF Link PDF for 20: Are You Ready for Robot Colleagues? in another window
Contributors Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0023 Open the PDF Link PDF for Contributors in another window
Index Doi: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11645.003.0024 Open the PDF Link PDF for Index in another window
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Essay on Information Technology in 400 Words

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Essay on Information Technology: Information Technology is the study of computer systems and telecommunications for storing, retrieving, and transmitting information using the Internet. Today, we rely on information technology to collect and transfer data from and on the internet. Say goodbye to the conventional lifestyle and hello to the realm of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

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Paragraph on Information Technology

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With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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16 Essays About Technology For Your Next Writing Project

Consider these 16 ideas for essays about technology to write your next paper.

Technology is central to almost every task performed in daily life, today. Using an alarm clock on a phone to wake up. Preparing a presentation for work. Relying on your laptop to present the slides. Liaising with clients, students or peers. Even researching and writing essays! The list is endless.

Technology also makes an interesting starting point for an essay topic. If you are assigned to write a technology essay, decide what type of technology you wish to write about, and pick a topic within a specific area. To help, here are 16 ideas for essays about technology that can jumpstart your thinking to get you started on your writing.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

1. Is Artificial Intelligence Safe?

2. can video games make people smarter, 3. how technological advancement is improving daily life, 4. how modern technology makes communication more difficult, 5. how the rise in smartphones impacts education of today’s children, 6. the effects of technology on nature, 7. how social media impacts mental health, 8. how to view technology as a useful servant, 9. is automation helping or hurting people, 10. how communication technology helps non-verbal individuals, 11. the use of virtual reality in education, 12. how technology impacted the industrial revolution, 13. does modern technology help or hurt our quality of life, 14. is cell phone addiction real (and is it dangerous), 15. is artificial intelligence the last human invention, 16. technology in the car industry.

With many movies that show robots taking over the world, people may have a little bit of fear of artificial intelligence. In your essay, you can explore whether AI is safe technology or not. You can explore the modern gadgets that have AI and are already a part of people’s lives, and you can discuss the potential ethics of improving artificial intelligence and machine learning technology.

If you decide that artificial intelligence can be safe, look at ways to protect humans from technology as it develops. If you decide that it is risky, consider what people can do to protect themselves from the existing AI. Consider concluding that artificial intelligence is already here, and the real answer to this question is what can we do to keep it safe. You might also be interested in these essays about video games .

Are video games a waste of time, or do they have potential benefits? You may be surprised to know that many video games actually have cognitive benefits . They can improve attention span, decision-making skills, problem-solving skills, and overall learning.

This topic is a great persuasive essay because it goes against most people’s thinking. In your essay, show some of the benefits of gaming, and how people can choose games that will have this cognitive benefit.

If you need help, learn more about what is persuasive writing .

Essays About Technology: How technological advancement is improving daily life?

Think about your average day. How many times do you rely on technology? Chances are, the number is quite high. Do those technologies improve your daily life?

The impact of technology on daily life can be quite positive. It can make simple tasks easier, faster, and more efficient. Explore how technology makes your everyday life easier in this easy.

Social networking and social media sites are supposed to keep people more connected, but it is actually making communication more difficult. Many people are becoming so connected to social media and the instant feedback it provides that they struggle to stay connected during in-person conversations . You can explore this phenomenon in your essay.

Not only that, but modern technology involves a lot of texting and typed conversations. These can be difficult to read because they do not contain facial expressions or tone of voice. This fact leads to miscommunications regularly, and you can weave this into your essay as well.

More and more kids are carrying cell phones today than ever before and at younger ages. How is this impact them on the educational side? Is it making it easier or harder for kids to learn?

On the one hand, smartphones make it easier for students and teachers to stay connected, and phones can also be a research tool to access study materials when writing a research paper or working on another project. On the other hand, mobile phones reduce attention spans and impair learning during educational lectures, so this can hurt educational outcomes. Explore the positive and negative sides of smartphones in the classroom in your essay.

Does technological progress have a positive or negative effect on the natural world? You will find research on both sides of this question, so consider this as you write your research paper. Some technology today focuses on preserving and protecting our natural resources, but some technology actually creates more emissions and pollution that impact the environment negatively.

In this essay, you can also discuss how to choose new technology that will positively impact the environment. Remember, technology is a central part of 21st-century life, so the best solution to this question is finding technology that positively impacts nature.

Social media is supposed to be fun and relaxing, but it actually negatively impacts human life and relationships. In your technology essay, you can explore how social media and depression, anxiety, and loneliness are linked . The more time people spend on screens, the less happy they are with life.

Yet social media is here to stay, so what can you do? In your essay, consider exploring ways to set up boundaries around social media use, so that people can enjoy this aspect of technology without damaging their mental health.

Technology has clearly defined negative effects, but the importance of technology can’t be ignored. These negative effects don’t mean you need to throw away your iPhone and laptop computer. Yet balance is necessary.

So how can people strike a balance? Your essay can discuss how technology should be a “useful servant,” not a dictator. People can use technology more effectively when viewing technology as something that helps go about daily life more conveniently.

More and more daily activities can be automated using modern technology. Your essay can discuss whether you view this as a good thing, or a bad thing, for people. Are we forgetting how to do things for ourselves when we rely on technology to do it all for us, or is his simply a way to make life easier, so we can focus on less mundane tasks.

Your essay needs to look at automation and determine if it helps or hurts people. Then, back up your answer with your research to show why it was what you chose.

The impact of technology on communication has much research behind it, and much of that impact is negative. However, for non-verbal individuals, communication technology can be a huge benefit. Communication devices can give these individuals the ability to communicate their needs and wants with family members, significantly improving their quality of life.

This informative essay topic will look at what communication devices are and how they work. It will discuss the positive effects of these devices on non-verbal individuals. You can even look at the future of communication technology for this particular population of people.

Virtual reality is a fun video game, but it can also have an impact on education . With virtual reality, teachers can take students to far-off places and help them experience those locations more intimately than simply with pictures or video. On the college level, virtual reality can assist with letting people practice hands-on procedures, like delicate surgeries in medical school, without risk.

Your essay can explore different uses of virtual reality in the classroom. You can indicate whether or not you think this is a positive change. However, like all technology, there are potential drawbacks to this as well. You may find teachers fighting against VR in the classroom because they fear being replaced by technology, so you can also address this side of the technology.

Technological innovation is not really new. It was technology that created the atmosphere for the Industrial Revolution. Steam engines, electricity, and communications technology all came into the scene during the 1800s, and each of these contributed to the Industrial Revolution.

Your essay can explore different technologies that led to the Industrial Revolution. You can explain why these technologies transformed the economic scenario to change the face of the economy.

This essay question has multiple answers. Modern technology has the ability to hurt and help your quality of life. Explore both of these in your essay to create a well-rounded argument.

For example, modern technology can reduce the amount of work people have to do each day. This can improve the quality of life by making work more efficient. However, it can make people lazy, which can hurt your quality of life. Explore examples like this, and then draw a conclusion about whether tech helps or hurts.

Cell phone addiction occurs when people turn to the cell phone for an endorphin or dopamine fix. The instant feedback that people get from social media and other apps can be addicting. Explore this fact in your essay, and then discuss whether or not this is dangerous.

Why is it dangerous to use a cell phone excessively? At what point does cell phone use become dangerously addictive? These are the questions you can answer in your essay as you write about this important topic. You can also discuss the warning signs of cell phone addiction and when treatment is necessary.

Artificial intelligence is a definite technological advancement, but some have argued it is the last human invention. When AI becomes smart enough, it may replace the work of humans and drive innovation… or will it?

Use your essay to discuss this theory and decide if you agree with it, or not. Will AI replace the need for innovation from people, or will there always be a human component to innovation? Answer these questions, and back the answers with research, as you craft your essay.

In the transportation industry, technology is taking center stage too. From the complex computers, GPS, and safety systems on vehicles to the advent of self-driving vehicles, innovation keeps coming to this industry. You can discuss some of these innovations in your technology essay.

You can also explore whether these technological advancements have helped or hurt the safety of drivers. Do GPS and infotainment systems distract drivers or keep them safer? The answers to these questions can make an interesting essay.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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Internet matters: Essays in digital transformation

This compendium is organized around a collection of essays by experts from the McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey’s High Tech Practice, and McKinsey’s Business Technology Office that tackle the theme of digital transformation as part of our continuing major research program on the economic impact of information technology. This volume also explores how Web standards are evolving, how the Internet is infiltrating all enterprises, and how the Internet is creating new playing fields with “Big Data”, “nowcasting”, and innovative models of competitive intelligence.

The essays are organized into four sections. The first section— The Internet at scale —drills into how Internet technologies at large (that is, the Web, social technologies, cloud computing, etc.) enhance competitive stance, translating into significant macro-economic performance in both mature and developing economies. The essays also consider how those companies that are morphing their organizations to networked-based structures are reaping the largest benefits of this Internet revolution.

The second section— The “Big Data” revolution —looks at how the flurry of data materializing from digitization creates major economic surplus, on top of Internet technologies. This data, provided it is used wisely and with the consent of its “owners”, can be used to build new and real time competitive insights. It has also inspired the creation of new sciences, such as nowcasting.

The third section— Impact on TMT —translates all of the above into case studies from the telecom, media, and high-tech industries. The last section— Outside voices —features interviews with Internet leaders that were originally published in The McKinsey Quarterly .

Expert interviews include: Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt; visiting researcher with the Intelligent System Lab at the Palo Alto Research Center, Brian Arthur; MIT professor, Erik Brynolfsson; Cloudera co-founder, Jeff Hammerbacher; Butler University basketball coach, Brad Stevens; and Proctor & Gamble CEO, Robert MacDonald.

Internet matters: The Net's sweeping impact on growth, jobs, and prosperity

Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity

Essay on Digital Technology

According to (Shiozawa, 2020), technology evolution is globally meant to be a simple process to bring health and economic growth. The discourse over advanced technology affects almost everyone in the present society who lives globally; people in different nations have interacted with an example of modern technology at some point. Technology has accelerated in the last two decades, transforming the way almost an entire generation views things and interacts with the world around them. Things like virtual reality became a reality after only a mere illusion only 30 years ago; metadata is now just a click away.

In our recurring quest to build wealthier, smoother, and wholesome societies, a new wave of a foundation upon which to build around cloud computing offers us enormous potential. The most powerful of these, artificial intelligence(AI), can transform the output of individuals and organizations in every industry. AI will enhance inherent human attributes like inventiveness and selectivity in ways that will allow us to fix, heretofore daunting tasks, potentially increasing our economies’ productivity by up to 40%. (Joliat et al., 2018) in hospital-based issues, surgeons are primarily concerned with systems and approaches; new strategies that influence system performance have numerous advantages for patients, care providers, and health systems. Enhanced Recovery After (ERAS) surgery is a substantiated and institutionalized postsurgical conceptual framework based on the available proof. Seemingly, the changing social order created due to the technological revolution began with the advancement and interconnection of digitalization and now affects all facets of society. Although technology is of use, health-wise, what are the effects on the planet and people? Does it harm or preserve? Does it break the bond between humans and nature.?

Health technologies

The Global Commissioner’s office is responsible for overseeing and boosting the nationwide mobilization of integrated electronic health record systems and other digital health initiatives. The office’s provisional goal is to have widely available, secure, and standardized remedies for obtaining present and prospective research findings and perceptions deployed for patient care by authorized parties within one year. The American Healthcare Society, a federal advisory body chartered to offer the Secretary of HHS suggestions on boosting the advancement of health information systems, was founded as part of this approach . According to scholars (Kruse et al., 2017), as telehealth has proven to be a viable patient care model, its use is constantly increasing. Pioneers are using telehealth to provide a high degree of self. Patient satisfaction is a crucial indicator of how well the telemedicine methodology met the preconceptions of the patients.

Technology has brought about the issue of robotic surgery. There are many conditions where the use of robots in surgery is necessary, for instance, heart servery, urological surgery, thoracic surgery, head, and neck surgery. Robotic surgery is one of the most significant surgical advancements in the last dozen years. Although there is a shred of slight evidence supporting the use of robotic surgery over traditional microsurgery, it has been recommended that robotic surgery has a faster learning curve. (Marcus et al., 2017) the diagnostic implication is that robotic surgery allows many surgeons to perform microsurgical approaches to advanced processes that would otherwise require invasive procedures.

Many advocacy organizations are conscious of the environmental and health impacts of genetically modified crops. Is organic food truly superior to food that has been genetically altered? Regrettably, there is increased support for genetically modified foods among those who believe they can provide environmental benefits while also helping to alleviate food shortages. Despite the higher initial costs of genetically modified seeds, genetically modified crops are less expensive to grow. Modified crops appear to be more durable, withstanding more climate variability, and necessitate less expensive pesticides and herbicides (which is a good thing). Plus, they need less day-to-day Tender loving care. Fewer individuals regularly inclined the crops is a significant chase. (Bawa & Anilakumar, 2012) Human and ecological safety, labeling, particular implications, copyrights, ethics, food security, alleviating poverty, and nature stewardship are common topics of debate and serious interest in nagging foods and crops.

Although there can be a lengthy debate about the advantages and drawbacks of healthcare technology, nobody can ever refute that google glass for public health is revolutionizing the medical field. (Jiang et al., 2019) augmented reality(AR) can aid doctors in clinical evaluation, intraoperative guidance, postoperative assessment, and medical training. Modern medicine includes oral medicine as a major branch. AR can improve a doctor’s visual cortex, creating the inner core of the oral cavity more visible and reducing the complexity of oral surgery. AR will play a vital role in oral contraceptives, with real-time monitoring, licensing, showcase, and interactive technologies. Among them, registration technology has emerged as a critical criterion for assessing AR systems and the primary backlog limiting the current AR system’s stability and applicability.

Vaccine invention has resulted in the near extirpation of several significant diseases and has had a considerable impact on public health at a minimal price. Most monoclonal antibodies in use currently, on the other hand, were developed using methods that were evolved more than a century ago yet do not portray the field’s complete capacity. The incorporation of genetic engineering has bolstered significant progress in vaccine new tech, resulting in the launch of innovative products to the market. Due to the obvious traditionally simple method of immunizations, choices for using vaccines in care delivery were limited in history. (Zhang et al., 2020) In December 2019, a pneumonia eruption exacerbated by a memoir coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome (sars syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), erupted in China and many other countries around the globe, resulting in a severe pandemic. More than 460,000 reported cases have been assessed in nearly 190 countries, resulting in over 20,000 mortalities globally. The pandemic is still extending, and there are no ways of preventing infection at this time. Vaccines are the most efficacious and cost-effective way of preventing and controlling viral infections.

According to the world health organization (WHO), digital technology has played a significant role in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19) (Khan et al., 2021). The memoir coronavirus (COVID-19) is a solitary ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus exacerbated by the acute respiratory syndrome ( sars syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). 1 People transmission of RNA viruses has been demonstrated via respiratory secretions, both airborne and on fomites, according to established evidence. New technology has fought the virus through AI to identify, track and forecast outbreaks, the role of big data to the profound database that aid in decision making, the Internet of Things for intelligent patient care management.

As technology advances, fertility changes, and technological improvements let people have more children and choose how and when they want them. We have viewed sociocultural trends shift dramatically over the last few decades, with couples marrying back and having kids later. (Nayan et al., 2018) Urologists scrutinize men’s criterion fertility issues, offer management approaches, and advise couples experiencing fertility issues. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) like intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) are used to treat recognized sexual dysfunction factors (IVF). This universal rule and other factors are exacerbating the global downturn in fertility rates. Organizations have identified an immense potential to provide techniques and products to aid them in thinking about the future as science progresses. Technology has eliminated the main factors that lead to infertility; improved the level of education on infertility.

New technologies have come forth with an answer to infertility; penile transplant, sperms production, squishing embryos to test their strength, transporting wombs to make pregnancy possible. Scholars (Akpandjar et al., 2018) states a positive correlation between electrification and fertility. By extracting exogenous differences in the entry frequency to electricity at the provincial level, we recognize the commitment of electrification to the rural-rural fluctuation infertility using the structure and dynamics regressions. According to our findings, electrification adds to a three-child reduction in exurban females’ libido.

War technologies

The effects of digital advancements on the behavior of warfare can be divided into several major trends, including the desire to extend the range of weapons, increase the volume and accuracy of fire, integrate systems, concentrate the highest firepower in small parts, and increase the field of battle disclosure. It was also a period of rapid technological advancement. Innovative types of weapons, such as the recurring gun and the submarine, were invented by pioneers and military people, and they forever altered the way battles were started. Discoveries like these altered not only the way people fought wars but also the manner they resided. (Chin, 2019) It is proposed that the solid strategic constraints formed by the atomic age prompted states to engage in a ceremonial style of warfare, in which presentation instead of the actual assault became highly relevant while exemplifying its military dominance, the state pushed the workflow of technological advancement in defense to its limits. This significant investment in technological improvement during peacetime had a significant effect on the nature of war, resulting in the development of new strategic forms. Most relevantly, the spread of military tech impacted the broader economic structure, resulting in a type of internal transitional period within states.

Due to the continuous increase in insecurity, technology has come up with a solution to succumb the issue as a comprehensive approach to minimize insecurity. Most developed countries like the USA are toned to nuclear weapons (atomic booms or nuclear warheads). The weapons have been used twice by the united stated and japans. The use of the weapon hurts the environment; the weapon produces ion radiation which hinders the life of human beings. (Roberts, 2020) since the Cold War, they have been taken to reduce the reliance on nuclear weapons by using arms control, cooperative threat reduction, technology control, and threats reduction.

Counterinsurgency is usually carried out using an amalgamation of regular combat activities and other methods, such as persuasion, psy-ops, and assassinations. Military, heavily armed, ideological, financial, mental, and civic intentions are part of counterinsurgency activities. There are many risks today, not just those associated with the army. The real danger of guerilla warfare activity must be given special consideration. (Dionysius, 2020) contemporary crisis intervention processes, particularly COIN (counterinsurgency), were also presumed to be a holistic approach to counter guerilla warfare activity.

According to (Hazelton, 2017) Discussions about how government agencies can destroy insurgent groups’ ebb and flow with global affairs have become especially heated when the US runs into difficulties supporting a counterinsurgent governing party. Frequently, the US approaches these issues as a zero-sum tournament in which the congress and insurgents contend for public help and commitment. Supporting liberalizing, democratizing reforms to alleviate famous grievances and pursuing a strategic plan that cautiously identifies insurgents while avoiding harming civilians has become the US remedy for achievement.

Conclusively, digital health presents vast potential for improving health and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including Universal Health Coverage in Africa; the advantages must be realized through the transition from donor-driven pilot projects to more self-sustaining and long-term national-owned initiatives. In order to prevent fracturing and waste of healthcare resources, this would necessitate the use of demand-driven rather than supply-driven people-centered approaches. The governmental system is also essential in ensuring the accessibility of an incentive, which includes national eHealth strategies, compliance, synchronization, and long-term funding mechanisms. Seemingly, technology has primarily impacted the global world in health, education, security, and people’s social well-being, either negative or positive ways. While reflecting on the new technology, Our society has become so reliant on technology that they are oblivious to the possibility that it will stop working one day, and they will be unable to continue living without it. We have grown accustomed to relying on technologies to create our lives simpler. Our lifestyles would be complicated afterward if our innovation disappeared, till everyone learned how to deal without it. My recommendation is that we begin the transformation as soon as possible. You can use a road map to get to your desired location if you have basic planet skills.

In the foreseeable future, addressing the nature of knowledge and society is an excellent priority for the sound modernization of the world, one that must be addressed based on previous and civilized viewpoints while also sustaining a deep insight into the needs of the moment. The biggest question remains; what would the world be without technology?

References

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Bawa, A. S., & Anilakumar, K. R. (2012). Genetically modified foods: safety, risks and public concerns—a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology , 50 (6), 1035–1046. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-012-0899-1

Chin, W. (2019). Technology, war, and the state: past, present, and future. International Affairs , 95 (4), 765–783. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiz106

Denysiuk, I. (2020). Irregular Warfare and Modern Defense – Counterinsurgency Operations. Safety & Defense , 6 (2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.37105/sd.71

Hazelton, J. L. (2017). The “Hearts and Minds” Fallacy: Violence, Coercion, and Success in Counterinsurgency Warfare. International Security , 42 (1), 80–113. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00283

‌ Jiang, J., Huang, Z., Qian, W., Zhang, Y., & Liu, Y. (2019). Registration Technology of Augmented Reality in Oral Medicine: A Review. IEEE Access , 7 , 53566–53584. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2019.2912949

Joliat, G.-R., Ljungqvist, O., Wasylak, T., Peters, O., & Demartines, N. (2018). Beyond surgery: clinical and economic impact of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery programs. BMC Health Services Research , 18 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3824-0

Kruse, C. S., Krowski, N., Rodriguez, B., Tran, L., Vela, J., & Brooks, M. (2017). Telehealth and patient satisfaction: a systematic review and narrative analysis. BMJ Open , 7 (8), e016242. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016242

Khan, A., Alahmari, A., Almuzaini, Y., Alturki, N., Aburas, A., Alamri, F. A., Albagami, M., Alzaid, M., Alharbi, T., Alomar, R., Abu Tayli, M., Assiri, A. M., & Jokhdar, H. A. (2021). The Role of Digital Technology in Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic: Saudi Arabia’s Experience. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy , Volume 14 , 3923–3934. https://doi.org/10.2147/rmhp.s317511

‌ Marcus, H. J., Hughes-Hallett, A., Payne, C. J., Cundy, T. P., Nandi, D., Yang, G.-Z., & Darzi, A. (2017). Trends in the diffusion of robotic surgery: A retrospective observational study. The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery , 13 (4), e1870. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcs.1870

Nayan, M., Punjani, N., Grober, E., Lo, K., & Jarvi, K. (2018). The use of assisted reproductive technology before male factor infertility evaluation. Translational Andrology and Urology , 7 (4), 678–685. https://doi.org/10.21037/tau.2018.06.08

‌‌Roberts, B. (2020). On Adapting Nuclear Deterrence to Reduce Nuclear Risk. Daedalus , 149 (2), 69–83. https://doi.org/10.1162/daed_a_01790

Shiozawa, Y. (2020). A new framework for analyzing technological change. Journal of Evolutionary Economics , 30 (4), 989–1034. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00191-020-00704-5

Zhang, J., Zeng, H., Gu, J., Li, H., Zheng, L., & Zou, Q. (2020). Progress and Prospects on Vaccine Development against SARS-CoV-2. Vaccines , 8 (2), 153. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8020153

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Essay Samples on Information Technology

The benefits of information technology: empowering the modern world.

This essay has examined the myriad benefits of information technology, emphasizing its transformative impact on various sectors and aspects of modern society. As IT continues to evolve, its potential to further enhance our lives and the world remains immense. Introduction The advent of Information Technology...

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Issues and Challenges in Information Technology: Exploring the Landscape

Introduction This essay has shed light on the array of issues and challenges that arise within the realm of Information Technology. It emphasizes the importance of proactive measures, ethical considerations, and collaborative efforts to navigate the complexities of the digital landscape. The rapid advancement of...

Modern Technology

Information Technology in Education: Empowering Learning in the Digital Age

This essay has explored the transformative role of information technology in education, emphasizing its potential to enhance learning experiences, foster collaboration, and prepare students for the challenges of the digital age. It underscores the importance of embracing technology as a catalyst for educational innovation and...

Technology in Education

The Future of Information Technology: Navigating the Digital Frontier

This essay has provided insights into the potential future of information technology, highlighting the transformative technologies and challenges that await us as we navigate the digital landscape. Introduction The landscape of Information Technology (IT) is continually evolving, shaping the way we live, work, and interact....

The Advantages of Information Technology: Transforming the Modern World

This essay has delved into the extensive advantages of information technology, highlighting its critical role in shaping various aspects of modern society. As IT continues to evolve, its potential to further enhance our lives and the world remains immense. Introduction In the modern era, information...

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Disadvantages of Information Technology: Navigating Digital Downsides

This essay has examined the various disadvantages of information technology, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to navigating these challenges. As IT continues to dominate modern life, understanding and addressing these issues will be paramount for individuals, businesses, and governments alike. Introduction Information Technology...

Digital Communication

The History of Information Technology: From Abacus to AI

This essay has explored the rich history of information technology, from its humble beginnings to the transformative technologies that define our modern world. It serves as a reminder of the incredible journey of human innovation and the boundless potential of technology. Introduction The history of...

The Ubiquitous Role of Information Technology in Daily Life

Introduction This essay has highlighted the far-reaching influence of information technology on daily life, underscoring its role in communication, convenience, entertainment, work, and more. As we navigate the digital landscape, it's essential to be mindful of its implications and maximize its positive impact on our...

The Evolution of Information Technology Entrepreneurship

Introduction Information technology has had a deep impact on the current era. Almost every aspect of globalization is highly dependent on it. It has become dominant in all aspects of globalization. Information Technology is the study of transmitting information in various ways through the means...

Effects of Technology
Globalization

The Ethical Behavior When Using Information Communication And Technology

The topic that I choose and I want to explain is about online harassment. Online harassment or known as cyber harassment and online abuse. Online means email, social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and messanging app like Whatsapp, digital platforms like Youtube. Actually there...

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Overview Of Information And Communication Technology In Bangladesh Context

Introduction: Information and communication technology (ICT) has become a part and parcel in today’s modern civilization. Although it was first adopted by private sector but now after seeing the potential and success rate, government of different countries are coping up with this magic wand. In...

Comsats Institute Of Information Technology

Green computing also known as Green IT, is the environmentally responsible and eco-friendly use of computers and their resources. In broader terms, it is also defined as the study of designing, engineering, using, disposing or recycling of computing devices in a way that reduces their...

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The Integration Of Information And Communication Technology In Education

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a catchphrase in the contemporary world where every single moment of humanity is monitored and anchored by technology. ICTs have made swift treads for the past three decades by bringing in new dimensions in the fields of transmission...

Education System

Best topics on Information Technology

1. The Benefits of Information Technology: Empowering the Modern World

2. Issues and Challenges in Information Technology: Exploring the Landscape

3. Information Technology in Education: Empowering Learning in the Digital Age

4. The Future of Information Technology: Navigating the Digital Frontier

5. The Advantages of Information Technology: Transforming the Modern World

6. Disadvantages of Information Technology: Navigating Digital Downsides

7. The History of Information Technology: From Abacus to AI

8. The Ubiquitous Role of Information Technology in Daily Life

9. The Evolution of Information Technology Entrepreneurship

10. The Ethical Behavior When Using Information Communication And Technology

11. Overview Of Information And Communication Technology In Bangladesh Context

12. Comsats Institute Of Information Technology

13. The Integration Of Information And Communication Technology In Education

Cyber Security
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Class Reflection
Disadvantages of Technology
Children and Technology

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Technology Essay

Essay on Technology

The word "technology" and its uses have immensely changed since the 20th century, and with time, it has continued to evolve ever since. We are living in a world driven by technology. The advancement of technology has played an important role in the development of human civilization, along with cultural changes. Technology provides innovative ways of doing work through various smart and innovative means.

Electronic appliances, gadgets, faster modes of communication, and transport have added to the comfort factor in our lives. It has helped in improving the productivity of individuals and different business enterprises. Technology has brought a revolution in many operational fields. It has undoubtedly made a very important contribution to the progress that mankind has made over the years.

The Advancement of Technology:

Technology has reduced the effort and time and increased the efficiency of the production requirements in every field. It has made our lives easy, comfortable, healthy, and enjoyable. It has brought a revolution in transport and communication. The advancement of technology, along with science, has helped us to become self-reliant in all spheres of life. With the innovation of a particular technology, it becomes part of society and integral to human lives after a point in time.

Technology is Our Part of Life:

Technology has changed our day-to-day lives. Technology has brought the world closer and better connected. Those days have passed when only the rich could afford such luxuries. Because of the rise of globalisation and liberalisation, all luxuries are now within the reach of the average person. Today, an average middle-class family can afford a mobile phone, a television, a washing machine, a refrigerator, a computer, the Internet, etc. At the touch of a switch, a man can witness any event that is happening in far-off places.

Benefits of Technology in All Fields:

We cannot escape technology; it has improved the quality of life and brought about revolutions in various fields of modern-day society, be it communication, transportation, education, healthcare, and many more. Let us learn about it.

Technology in Communication:

With the advent of technology in communication, which includes telephones, fax machines, cellular phones, the Internet, multimedia, and email, communication has become much faster and easier. It has transformed and influenced relationships in many ways. We no longer need to rely on sending physical letters and waiting for several days for a response. Technology has made communication so simple that you can connect with anyone from anywhere by calling them via mobile phone or messaging them using different messaging apps that are easy to download.

Innovation in communication technology has had an immense influence on social life. Human socialising has become easier by using social networking sites, dating, and even matrimonial services available on mobile applications and websites.

Today, the Internet is used for shopping, paying utility bills, credit card bills, admission fees, e-commerce, and online banking. In the world of marketing, many companies are marketing and selling their products and creating brands over the internet.

In the field of travel, cities, towns, states, and countries are using the web to post detailed tourist and event information. Travellers across the globe can easily find information on tourism, sightseeing, places to stay, weather, maps, timings for events, transportation schedules, and buy tickets to various tourist spots and destinations.

Technology in the Office or Workplace:

Technology has increased efficiency and flexibility in the workspace. Technology has made it easy to work remotely, which has increased the productivity of the employees. External and internal communication has become faster through emails and apps. Automation has saved time, and there is also a reduction in redundancy in tasks. Robots are now being used to manufacture products that consistently deliver the same product without defect until the robot itself fails. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technology are innovations that are being deployed across industries to reap benefits.

Technology has wiped out the manual way of storing files. Now files are stored in the cloud, which can be accessed at any time and from anywhere. With technology, companies can make quick decisions, act faster towards solutions, and remain adaptable. Technology has optimised the usage of resources and connected businesses worldwide. For example, if the customer is based in America, he can have the services delivered from India. They can communicate with each other in an instant. Every company uses business technology like virtual meeting tools, corporate social networks, tablets, and smart customer relationship management applications that accelerate the fast movement of data and information.

Technology in Education:

Technology is making the education industry improve over time. With technology, students and parents have a variety of learning tools at their fingertips. Teachers can coordinate with classrooms across the world and share their ideas and resources online. Students can get immediate access to an abundance of good information on the Internet. Teachers and students can access plenty of resources available on the web and utilise them for their project work, research, etc. Online learning has changed our perception of education.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a paradigm shift using technology where school-going kids continued their studies from home and schools facilitated imparting education by their teachers online from home. Students have learned and used 21st-century skills and tools, like virtual classrooms, AR (Augmented Reality), robots, etc. All these have increased communication and collaboration significantly.

Technology in Banking:

Technology and banking are now inseparable. Technology has boosted digital transformation in how the banking industry works and has vastly improved banking services for their customers across the globe.

Technology has made banking operations very sophisticated and has reduced errors to almost nil, which were somewhat prevalent with manual human activities. Banks are adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase their efficiency and profits. With the emergence of Internet banking, self-service tools have replaced the traditional methods of banking.

You can now access your money, handle transactions like paying bills, money transfers, and online purchases from merchants, and monitor your bank statements anytime and from anywhere in the world. Technology has made banking more secure and safe. You do not need to carry cash in your pocket or wallet; the payments can be made digitally using e-wallets. Mobile banking, banking apps, and cybersecurity are changing the face of the banking industry.

Manufacturing and Production Industry Automation:

At present, manufacturing industries are using all the latest technologies, ranging from big data analytics to artificial intelligence. Big data, ARVR (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality), and IoT (Internet of Things) are the biggest manufacturing industry players. Automation has increased the level of productivity in various fields. It has reduced labour costs, increased efficiency, and reduced the cost of production.

For example, 3D printing is used to design and develop prototypes in the automobile industry. Repetitive work is being done easily with the help of robots without any waste of time. This has also reduced the cost of the products.

Technology in the Healthcare Industry:

Technological advancements in the healthcare industry have not only improved our personal quality of life and longevity; they have also improved the lives of many medical professionals and students who are training to become medical experts. It has allowed much faster access to the medical records of each patient.

The Internet has drastically transformed patients' and doctors’ relationships. Everyone can stay up to date on the latest medical discoveries, share treatment information, and offer one another support when dealing with medical issues. Modern technology has allowed us to contact doctors from the comfort of our homes. There are many sites and apps through which we can contact doctors and get medical help.

Breakthrough innovations in surgery, artificial organs, brain implants, and networked sensors are examples of transformative developments in the healthcare industry. Hospitals use different tools and applications to perform their administrative tasks, using digital marketing to promote their services.

Technology in Agriculture:

Today, farmers work very differently than they would have decades ago. Data analytics and robotics have built a productive food system. Digital innovations are being used for plant breeding and harvesting equipment. Software and mobile devices are helping farmers harvest better. With various data and information available to farmers, they can make better-informed decisions, for example, tracking the amount of carbon stored in soil and helping with climate change.

Disadvantages of Technology:

People have become dependent on various gadgets and machines, resulting in a lack of physical activity and tempting people to lead an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Even though technology has increased the productivity of individuals, organisations, and the nation, it has not increased the efficiency of machines. Machines cannot plan and think beyond the instructions that are fed into their system. Technology alone is not enough for progress and prosperity. Management is required, and management is a human act. Technology is largely dependent on human intervention.

Computers and smartphones have led to an increase in social isolation. Young children are spending more time surfing the internet, playing games, and ignoring their real lives. Usage of technology is also resulting in job losses and distracting students from learning. Technology has been a reason for the production of weapons of destruction.

Dependency on technology is also increasing privacy concerns and cyber crimes, giving way to hackers.

FAQs on Technology Essay

1. What is technology?

Technology refers to innovative ways of doing work through various smart means. The advancement of technology has played an important role in the development of human civilization. It has helped in improving the productivity of individuals and businesses.

2. How has technology changed the face of banking?

Technology has made banking operations very sophisticated. With the emergence of Internet banking, self-service tools have replaced the traditional methods of banking. You can now access your money, handle transactions, and monitor your bank statements anytime and from anywhere in the world. Technology has made banking more secure and safe.

3. How has technology brought a revolution in the medical field?

Patients and doctors keep each other up to date on the most recent medical discoveries, share treatment information, and offer each other support when dealing with medical issues. It has allowed much faster access to the medical records of each patient. Modern technology has allowed us to contact doctors from the comfort of our homes. There are many websites and mobile apps through which we can contact doctors and get medical help.

4. Are we dependent on technology?

Yes, today, we are becoming increasingly dependent on technology. Computers, smartphones, and modern technology have helped humanity achieve success and progress. However, in hindsight, people need to continuously build a healthy lifestyle, sorting out personal problems that arise due to technological advancements in different aspects of human life.

The Digital Divide Essay: the Challenge of Technology and Equity – Essay Example

Introduction, what is the digital divide, causes of the digital divide, reducing the divide, digital divide: essay conclusion, works cited.

The invention of the computer and the subsequent birth of the internet have been seen as the most significant advances of the 20th century.

Over the course of the past few decades, there has been a remarkable rise in the use of computers and the internet. Sahay asserts that the ability of computing technologies to traverse geographical and social barriers has resulted in the creation of a closer knit global community (36). In addition to this, the unprecedented high adoption rate of the internet has resulted in it being a necessity in the running of our day to day lives.

However, there have been concerns due to the fact that these life transforming technologies are disparately available to people in the society. People in the high-income bracket have been seen to have a higher access to computer and the internet. This paper argues that the digital divide does exist and sets out to provide a better understanding of the causes of the same. Solutions to this problem are also addressed by this paper.

The term divide is mostly used to refer to the economic gap that exists between the poor and richer members of the society. In relation to technology, the OECD defines digital divide as ” the gap between individuals, households, businesses and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard both to their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to their use of the Internet for a wide variety of activities.” (5). As such, the digital divide refers to the disparities in access of communication technology experienced by people.

While the respective costs of computers and internet access have reduced drastically over the years, these costs still remain significantly expensive for some people in the population. As a result of this, household income is still a large determinant of whether internet access is available at a home.

Income is especially a large factor in developing countries where most people still find the cost of owning a PC prohibitive. However, income as a factor leading to the digital divide is not only confined to developing nations. A report by the NTIA indicated that across the United States, internet access in homes continued to be closely correlated with the income levels (3).

Education also plays a key role in the digital divide. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration indicates that in America, certain groups such as Whites and Asian Americans who possess higher educational levels have higher levels of both computer ownership as well as access to the internet (3). This is because the more educated members of the society are having a higher rate of increased access to computers and internet access as opposed to the less educated.

A simple increase in the access to computer hardware resources through the production of low cost versions of information technology which is affordable to many does not necessarily result in a reduction in the digital divide. This is because in addition to the economic realities there are other prominent factors.

The lack of technological knowhow has been cited as further widening the digital divide. This means that even with access to technology, people might still be unable to make effective usage of the same. Sahay best expresses this problem by asserting that “just by providing people with computers and internet access, we cannot hope to devise a solution to bridge the digital divide.” (37).

Another cause of the digital divide is the social and cultural differences evident in most nations in the world. One’s race and culture have been known to have a deep effect on their adoption and use of a particular technology (Chen and Wellman 42).

This is an opinion which is shared by Sahay who notes that people with fears, assumptions or pre-conceived notions about technology may shy away from its usage (46). As such, people can have the economic means and access to computers and the internet but their culture may retard their use of the same.

The digital divide leads to a loss of the opportunity by many people to benefit from the tremendous economic and educational opportunities that the digital economy provides (NTIA 3). As such, the reduction of this divide by use of digital inclusion steps is necessary for everyone to share in the opportunities provided. As has been demonstrated above, one of the primary causes of the digital divide is the income inequality between people and nations.

Most developing countries have low income levels and their population cannot afford computers. To help alleviate this, programs have been put in place to reduce the cost of computers or even offer them for free to the developing countries. For example, a project by Quanta Computer Inc in 2007 set out to supply laptops to developing world children by having consumers in the U.S. buy 2 laptops and have one donated to Africa (Associated Press).

Studies indicate that males are more likely than females in the comparable population to have internet access at home mostly since women dismiss private computer and internet usage (Korupp and Szydlik 417). The bridging of this gender divide will therefore lead to a reduction in the digital divide that exists.

In recent years, there has been evidence that the gender divide is slowly closing up. This is mostly as a result of the younger generation who use the computer and internet indiscriminately therefore reducing the strong gender bias that once existed. This trend should be encouraged so as to further accelerate the bridging of the digital divide.

As has been illustrated in this paper, there exist non economic factors that may lead to people not making use of computers hence increasing the digital divide. These factors have mostly been dismissed as more attention is placed on the income related divide. However, dealing with this social and cultural related divides will also lead to a decrease in the divide. By alleviating the fears and false notions that people may have about technology, people will be more willing to use computers and the internet.

A divide, be it digital or economic acts as a major roadblock in the way for economic and social prosperity. This paper set out to investigate the digital divide phenomena. To this end, the paper has articulated the issue of digital divide, its causes and solutions to the problem.

While some people do suggest that the digital divide will get bridged on its own as time progresses, I believe that governments should take up affirmative action and fund projects that will result in a digitally inclusive society. Bridging of the digital divide will lead to people and nations increasingly being included in knowledge based societies and economies. This will have a positive impact to every community in the entire world.

Associated Press. Hundred-Dollar Laptop’ on Sale in Two-for-One Deal. 2007. Web.

Chen, Wenhong and Wellman, Barry. The Global Digital Divide- Within and Between Countries . IT & SOCIETY, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 7. 2004, PP. 39-45.

Korupp, Sylvia and Szydlik, Marc. Causes and Trends of the Digital Divide. European Sociological Review Vol. 21. no. 4, 2005.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Falling Through the Net: Towards Digital Inclusion . 2000. Web.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Understanding the Digital Divide . 2001. Web.

Sahay, Rishika. The causes and Trends of the Digital Divide . 2005. Web.

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Home — Essay Samples — Science — Evolution — The Evolution of Technology

The Evolution of Technology

Categories: Dependence on Technology Evolution

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Words: 640 |

Published: Dec 18, 2018

Words: 640 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Technology Essay: Hook Examples

The Digital Revolution: In the 21st century, technology has reshaped every facet of our lives. This essay delves into the profound impact of the digital revolution, from smartphones to artificial intelligence, and how it continues to shape our world.
From Stone Tools to Silicon Chips: Human history is marked by technological advancements. Join us as we journey through time, exploring the milestones that have propelled humanity from the Stone Age to the Information Age.
The Ethical Crossroads: Advancements in technology bring forth ethical dilemmas. This essay examines the ethical challenges posed by emerging technologies, from genetic engineering to surveillance, and the need for responsible innovation.
Technology in Education: Education is undergoing a digital transformation. Explore how technology is revolutionizing classrooms, expanding access to knowledge, and reshaping the way we learn.
The Future Unveiled: What does the future hold in the realm of technology? In this essay, we’ll peer into the crystal ball of tech trends, from quantum computing to space exploration, and envision the world that awaits us.

Works Cited

Feeney, A. (2019). Overcoming Fear: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears and Embrace Change. John Wiley & Sons.
Seligman, M. E. (2006). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. Vintage.
Adams, S. K. (2019). How to Overcome Fear and Find Your Courage: Overcoming Fear, Gaining Confidence, Building Trust, and Improving Self Esteem. Independently Published.
Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Avery.
Knaus, W. J. (2006). Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear. American Management Association.
Chansky, T. E. (2014). Freeing your child from anxiety: Powerful, practical solutions to overcome your child’s fears, worries, and phobias. Harmony.
Lerner, H. G. (2015). Fear and other uninvited guests: Tackling the anxiety, fear, and shame that keep us from optimal living and loving. HarperCollins.
Rappaport, J. (2017). The Courage Habit: How to Accept Your Fears, Release the Past, and Live Your Courageous Life. New Harbinger Publications.
McGrath, C. (2018). The Psychology of Fear in Organizations: How to Transform Anxiety into Well-being, Productivity and Innovation. Kogan Page.
Gilbert, E. (2019). Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Riverhead Books.

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The Psychology of Short-Form Content: Why We Love Bite-Sized Videos

Updated: April 10, 2024

Published: April 09, 2024

Let me tell you the most challenging part of my job. Often, I will delete TikTok and Instagram from my phone because I can't help but waste time endlessly scrolling through these apps, watching dozens of short-form videos in one sitting.

A person watches a short-form video on their smartphone

Then, like clockwork, I redownload these apps because I must write about them for work. Thus, the cycle of endless scrolling continues.

Sure, I could blame the nature of the job, but my endless scrolling stems from the fact that I love short-form videos.

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And I'm not the only one. 73% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos to learn about a product or service, and 56% of marketers reported that short-form video was the top trend they planned to invest in in 2024.

So, why are short-form videos so popular? Turns out there are a few reasons, one of which involved a bit of psychology. Let's get into it!

What are short-form videos?

Why are short-form videos so popular.

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Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds in duration. However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. But, if you want my opinion, I would stick to the 60-second rule.

I take this stance because attention spans are getting shorter, but we'll get into that later.

Anyway, short-form videos deliver information in a digestible, bite-size format so viewers can quickly watch and bookmark the content if they're on the go or watch it multiple times.

There are a few reasons short-form videos are more popular than ever among consumers and marketers, and I‘ll visit those in a bit. For now, I want to get into the psychology of it all—that’s why we're here, right? Walk with me.

Consumer Attention Spans are Shrinking

Science tells us that one of the crucial reasons we love short-form videos is that our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

Dr. Gloria Mark, a psychologist, recently wrote a book called Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity , and she says her research indicates people's attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years.

Dr. Mark shared her findings on Speaking of Psychology , an American Psychological Association podcast.

Her findings came from a decades-long experiment she participated in, which was first conducted by shadowing participants and tracking their activities via stopwatches.

“We would record the start time and the stop time,” she said.

She explains, “So you're on a screen where you're working in a Word doc. As soon as you get to that screen, we click start time. As soon as they turned away and checked the email, we clicked stop time for the Word document and start time for the email.”

Over time, logging techniques became more sophisticated as technology advanced, and it only made the pattern of shrinking attention spans clearer.

“So back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average,” Dr. Mark recalls during the interview. “Throughout the years, it became shorter. So around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds.”

Dr. Mark says the number continued to dip as the years went on.

“And then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds—and others have replicated this result within a few seconds. So it seems to be quite robust,” she says.

And this trend of dwindling attention spans is affecting how we consume content. And I'm not just talking about social media videos — even television and film shots are getting more brief, according to Dr. Mark.

“They started out much longer. They now average about four seconds a shot length,” she says. “If you watch MTV music videos, they're much shorter. They're only a couple of seconds. So we've become accustomed to seeing very fast shot lengths when we look at TV and film.”

Dr. Mark explains during the interview that it‘s a chicken vs. egg situation — she’s unsure which came first or what's influencing the other.

However, the fact remains that we‘re becoming more accustomed to shorter bursts of content, and it’s bleeding into the kind of content we consume and what's being created.

Studies found that most consumers will only watch an entire video if it's less than 60 seconds long . Then you have apps like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels that push short-form videos to users in an infinite scroll format.

Furthermore, our 2024 Marketing Trends Report found that almost a third of marketing professionals say their company will leverage short-form video content in 2024, and 53% said they'll boost their investment in the content type this year.

This makes sense since most marketers in our survey say short-form video content yielded them the highest ROI last year.

In case you're curious, here are a couple more reasons why many of us love short-form videos.

1. They are cost-effective and easier to create than long-form videos.

With long-form videos, marketers and creators must work extra hard to keep their audience engaged. That means strengthening the content with dynamic shots, mood-setting music, and a long but compelling script.

All that takes more time, effort, and (most importantly) money.

Short-form videos are more to the point and often require fewer frills to be effective.

For example, language learning platform Duo Lingo's TikTok account has over 10.8 million followers and is one of the most well-known accounts on the app due to its short, funny, and slightly unhinged videos.

Its most popular video has 57.7 million views and is super simple in terms of execution.

It shows a plushy of the Duo Lingo owl getting tossed down the stairs at the company's office, sitting outside on a rainy day, and getting soaked in a shower.

The caption of the video is “When you ignore my notifications.”

The video was clearly shot on someone's smartphone without fancy angles or lighting. The music is from a viral song already available via its sound archives. So simple, so cheap, yet so effective.

@duolingo sad g(owl) hours #duoplushie #duolingo #languagelearning #emo ♬ Rio romeo - .𝖒𝖊𝖓'🎧★

2. They can provide valuable information in a short amount of time.

According to a recent Adobe Survey , 2 in 5 Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly 1 in 10 Gen Zers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine.

I even find myself taking to TikTok to look up recipes or figure out how to style a denim maxi-skirt (the trick is to experiment with different layers and silhouettes).

Between work, family, hobbies, and rest — time is precious, and short-form videos allow us to absorb the information we need in under a minute. Who doesn't love that?

3. You can watch them almost anytime, anywhere.

Bored on the train downtown? Scroll through TikTok. Need to kill some time in between classes or appointments? Pull up YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels on your phone.

Want to use your 5-minute break between meetings to figure out why everyone is talking about the latest JLo documentary? Let's circle back to TikTok.

Short-form videos are easy to watch almost anywhere and anytime from our smartphones.

Not only is this convenient for consumers, but it also helps marketers because it means we can repurpose our content on various platforms knowing someone will see it from somewhere.

There are different reasons to love short-form videos.

Some reasons are a little more concerning than others (seriously, why are our attention spans so short?), but no matter the reason, the fact remains the same —short forms aren't going away anytime soon.

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Sure, I could blame the nature of the job, but my endless scrolling stems from the fact that I love short-form videos. And I'm not the only one. 73% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos to learn about a product or service, and 56% of marketers reported that short-form video was the top trend they planned to invest in in 2024.

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