Data Security and Privacy

Information Technology's Effect On Society

Technology has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on our day-to-day lives. Indeed, the role technology continues to play in the enhancement of efficiency in our modern society cannot be overstated. Although advances in technology have in some instances been blamed for a number of societal ills, I remain strongly convinced that the benefits of technology in this case by far outweigh the costs.

To begin with, thanks to technology, the cost of doing business has decreased significantly. Further, technology has also enhanced efficiency in the conduct of business. For example, unlike was the case a few decades ago, it is now easier to conduct business across the globe using various technological platforms such as ecommerce. Ecommerce according to Sharma and Gupta (as cited in Lubbe, 2003) "is defined as buying and selling of information, products, and services via computer networks or Internet" (p. 34). With ecommerce, sellers do not have to interact physically with the buyers of goods and services. In addition to making it possible for individual buyers to search for products online without having to visit brick and mortar premises, advances in technology have availed to shoppers a wide range of alternatives to choose from in seeking to offer payment for goods and services bought in this virtual environment.

Next, technology has led to the automation of various processes particularly in the health sector. For instance, unlike was the case a few decades ago, tumors, bone disorders, and a host of other diseases can today be easily diagnosed using a CT scan. Technology has also revolutionized record keeping in most health facilities, leading to the enhanced efficiency of the record keeping and retrieval process. In that regard therefore, technology has contributed significantly to the improvement of patient care and hence the well-being of the entire society. Apart from the health sector, the automation of various processes in many other sectors has made life for many people easier. For example, with regard to transportation, the modernization of our railway transport systems means that people can move from one place to another faster than before.

Third, it is also important to note that technology has made it possible for us to enjoy a level of convenience and comfort that only a few of us would have imagined two or three decades ago. For instance, thanks to technology, we can now use the more convenient microwave to warm our food, the more efficient washing machine to wash our clothes, and the more expedient vacuum cleaner to help in house cleaning. Advanced entertainment systems including but not limited to Plasma and 3D television sets have also taken our entertainment a notch higher. Clearly, this is a new level of convenience and comfort that has been accorded to us by technology. For many of us, life today is more enjoyable and convenient than it was several decades ago.