CONTEMPORARY INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY EFFECTS AND REMEDY.

Topic Delivered on: May 2015.
By Fidelis-Mary Osaibo

ICT is the use of the computer and any other device, portable, stationary or mobile, to obtain useful and concise information. It involves gaining access to the internet/networks or World Wide Web through search engines or queries to gather data that is processed into information we need.

ICT has made life and living easy. Every aspect of our lives has been affected by technology, for example – communications (we use to go to a phone booth, pay phone to make call but now we use mobile phone right in the privacy of our rooms); also we must go to cyber-café to have access to the internet but now its optional as we have computing ability and power of the internet right in the palm of our hands. A mobile phone now has so much processing power than earlier computer systems.

SOME SECTORS WHERE THE ICT is being used includes:

·         Government (to process documentation faster and payment of taxes and dues to government etc.)

·         Education (to enhance e-learning, distant or online learning, gaining access to wide range of information or library etc)

·         Security/Crime fighting (Security homes and business, locking out of criminals, monitoring and preventing crimes, arresting criminals through finger printing and DNA or forensic identification of criminals with a database)

·         Communications (Email, mobile phones, video conferencing, remote control access, GPS and data encryption etc)

·         Entertainment (Digital Satellite TV/Transmission, Online streaming, music download, radio and gaming etc.)

·         Research and Development (Availability of tons of resources on the information highway through the use of search engines like Google, Bing etc.)

·         Business (Online presence of business and store, makes it easy to buy and have good delivered without stepping outside your home or office)

·         Banking (Online account money transfer, transactions and Withdrawal from ATM machines)

·         Manufacturing (Ease of having a stream-less flow of turnout of products, made to specifications through programming and quality control etc)

·         Scientific Research

·         Religion (For Evangelisation, administration, digitalisation of the Scripture and documents presented in multimedia format that can easily be made available to people anywhere in the world over the internet or other means)

·         Personal uses of ICT apart from those mentioned above include: translator (communicate in a foreign language), mathematical functions, appointment/time keeper, Journal or diary, entertainment, learning aid, emails, sms, pitting, chatting etc.

ADVANTAGES OF ICT: ICT enables us to do work faster (speed), effectively, efficiently, more volume of work is done, there is accuracy, repeated tasks can be done without diminishing, and things can be more clearly and easy to understand.

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ICT: The following (but not limited to) are the adverse effects of ICT:

·         Lack of privacy – stealing of personal information (identity theft, financial information, hacking, cyber stalking). The information we put on the internet are available for anyone to have access to using the right program or search engine.

·         Over-dependence on technology especially by students and young people leads to laziness, damping of our brain power, poor retention and learning of the basic Mathematics, English and spellings.

·         Poor inter-personal interaction/relationship problems – this can lead to loss of family life, poor social interaction with real people instead of virtual friends online. Many marriages are having problems because some spouses spend more time online rather than with each other leading to breakdown of communication and suspicion.

·         Health problems – Eye defects may arise due to prolong fixing of the eye on computer, phone or television screens. Other health issues such as obesity, deafness (due to using ear piece with loud music), sleep disorder and even death can occur when it becomes excessive.

·         Moral decadence – Over-dependence on the internet exposes the younger minds to immoral materials and contacts. Some of the videos, images and music uploaded on the net and also some chat sites contain mundane information that contradicts sound morals

·         Loss of Faith/Religions – Most sites contain false propaganda and teachings that brainwash the feeble minds.  Such sights are programmed with contents that can pollute the mind and rub us of our faith.

·         Psychological disorder – Excessive exposure and involvement with the virtual reality of the computer and internet games makes people to lose touch with reality and their local environment.

·         Fraud and Piracy – Stealing of information and money from accounts (via Yahoo-yahoo (419)) when you respond to Spam mails from fraudulent sites and contacts, digitalised propriety works of artists (music); authors (books) and producers (movies) have been stolen online by very clever fraudulent people.

REMEDIES:

Technological issues are resolved technologically, but as individuals we have the final choice on how to use ICT devices so that they do not influence us negatively. It is a case of garbage in garbage out, it is what we put into the computer that it reproduces for us. Technology is a tool which if in the right hands, can be used for good and useful purposes and when in the wrong hands can be used for evil purposes. We can protect and help ourselves when we use ICT devices.

We must make it our personal responsibility to discipline and control ourselves with the use all the forms of ICT; get to know the proper use of the device and follow it.

We must apply the following precautions when using ICT devices;

·         Limit or reduce our dependence on technology and allow our brain to do some basic things in order not to dull the brain.

·         Reduce the frequency of usage and the number of hours and spent using ICT devices for example don’t bring your work home after spending more than 12 hours at the office on the PC; reduce the time spent watching TV, staring at the phone, iPad, tablet screen.

·         Do outdoor activities that take your mind and activities off techs.

·         Read a physical book

·         Come to gatherings like this where you will meet same like minds and share ideas.

·         Don’t put out too much information about you on the internet especially on Facebook (some information put out there may be regretted later) so try to remain anonymous and maintain a private profile.

·         Stop downloading free stuffs into your computer or mobile devices that you use to access personal and private information as they could download dangerous viruses and Trojans that can corrupt your delicate information.

·         Do not visit every site especially those that are suspicious and ensure you update your anti-virus programs and security to help block out these intrusions

·         Don’t use your phone or PC on a free Wi-Fi, it could be used to fish out your information and gain access to your data.

·         Don’t open all emails sent to you or mails that claim you have won one thing or the other either on your phone or laptop, they are dangerous.

·         Avoid pornographic sites and anti-Catholic propaganda sites.

·         Be very cautious of what you click, the sites you visit and what you allow yourself to view, just as there is censorship on what we read with respect to books, we must  also place censorship on ourselves with respect to internet usage.