Understand the impact of developments in computing on an organisation

It’s an understatement to say that the use of technology and computing has done a lot to shape modern society and if you asked 100 people which development in computing they believed had the greatest effect on society you’d probably receive 99 different answers. There are several developments in computing that have worked to reshape the way in which society communicates with each other and in that respect I believe that the introduction of mobile phones has been one of the key technological landmarks that has helped to shape the world as we know it. Whether we like it or the way in which we as a society communicate has changed forever, we are far removed from the times where we were reliant on postal mail and landlines and at a point where there are more open lines of communication than ever. This blog post will look to explore the effects that mobile phones have had on overall society and assessing what the consequences of their introduction can be.

Assess the potential ethical and environmental impacts of developments in technology.

The reliance on technology has done wonders for society however there is no denying that there has been an impact on the environment as a result with one of the largest impacts being electricity consumption. Electricity is a vital component of all technological item and so we have become reliant on it to power and charge our many devices. In order for the power station from which we get out electricity to run, they are required to use fossil fuels as a method to generate it. Unfortunately, the burning of fossil fuels is one of the most powerful ways in which humans are contributing the damage on our atmosphere as the pollution generated is extremely harmful. With such pollution finding its way into the ozone layer, locations such as the north and south poles are seeing some of devastating effects such as the ice melting, which then causes dangerous effects for the rest of the world.

The focus on creating clean energy is becoming more and more important as the number of devices and technological items increases, we are now at a point where organisations are beginning to invent in energy sources such as wind and solar power. Even consumers are reaching a point at which they are using solar panels to power their own homes as an attempt to both save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

Another way that we can combat some of the environmental impact that technology is causing is by improving the efficiency of computer devices. Traditionally it would be thought that as the power of computer components increase, the more power they will need to consume in order however many component manufactures are working to change this. Commonly measured in kilowatts manufactures have put a lot of effort into improving the amount of energy used in comparison with the amount time that said component has been used for. Mobile phones are key example of a device that is heavy reliant on good battery life. Due to the portable nature of mobile phones they cannot be plugged at all times, however they are also more powerful than ever before, instead of changing the amount of power that is put into the device, developments in mobile computing processors have placed emphasis on improving computing power whilst also attempting to reduce electrical consumption. Power supply units especially are now being developed with consideration for the constant demand from new and improved graphics card and high-end processors.

With the current demand for new technology, not many give much thought into what happens to the old devices and components that are discarded once new ones are put in place. From the perspective of organisations, they need to be able to be accountable for the waste materials that they produce. The answer to many will be recycling however the harsh reality is that much of the components that are no longer of good use will likely end up in a landfill. From the perspective of consumers, they have less accountability for the waste that they produce, more often than not if a phone no longer works the average consumer will throw it away and get a new one without a second thought and then once again it will more than likely end up in a landfill site. As technological advancements improve and appear faster, the pressure put on landfills to house unwanted waste materials will only increase.

As previously mentioned one of the key ways to reduce the number of discarded components ending up in landfills that can become harmful to the environment is by recycling. Recycling is becoming a better and better way of ensuring that components are discarded and used in the best ways from a consumer and organisational point of view. The components that make up devices are not useless just because they are old or not functioning correctly, often they can be stripped down and formed into new components that will be placed into new or refurbished devices. Motherboards for example can be melted down at various temperatures to assist in separating the precious metals and the plastics so that they can be once again used by manufacturers. Batteries specifically also contain harmful chemicals that can be dangerous if they end up in a landfill site; recycling is one of the only ways to ensure that the chemicals can be safely removed and disposed of in a way that is environmentally friendly.

Another form of recycling is finding use for items that are not necessarily faulty but have limited use within their current environment. The majority of the western world is fortunate enough to have access to some of the most up to date and cutting-edge devices, meaning that technology developed only a few years ago is not being used despite still being a solid set of devices. Recycling the third world refers to taking such devices and exporting them to areas of the world that are not as economically developed and do not have such devices to spared. Due to the increasing demand for computer skills for a number of profession third world countries face a significant disadvantage not being able to access some of the most up to date technologies. Recycling devices to such countries allows them the opportunity to improve their skill and despite the fact that the devices may be slightly outdated, it still permits for the foundations of devices to be learned.

There are however restrictions to recycling to the third world which make it more complicated than it may seem initially. Moving technology in large amounts to economically challenged areas can cause a knock-on effect, for example; the upsurge in technology will result in an upsurge in electrical usage which would require more power from electrical companies who will need to up prices to keep up with costs. This knock-on effect could result in people in these areas ending up with large bills or debts that they cannot afford.

Along with the environmental impact that come with the use of mobile device as well as other technological advancements there are also ethical issues that should also be considered with one of the biggest being access such technology. The digital divide is a term used to describe an economic or social inequality that affects the access to information and communication technologies; this can apply to individuals, organisations or even countries. Mobile phones have now become an integral part of western society to the point at which people’s professions can often rely on their ability operate such devices to their maximum ability. From entertainment to purchasing items, mobile phone are no longer devices manufactured solely for the purpose of making calls and it is because of this that the prices are sky rocketing as they become more and more advanced.

These factors are only amplified when thinking internationally about countries where computer literacy is not yet common amongst the average citizen. Outside of the western world children or even adults may not have the luxury of mobile devices making them incapable of using one should they ever need to. Combine this factor with the fact that the western world is accelerating at such a rate the divide between the fortunate and the less fortunate only looks increase as society continues to chase technological advancements.

Mobile phones can also be seen to create a divide between younger and older generations due to the fact that such devices are fairly new to society. It has been just over 30 years since mobile phones were first introduced and only around 20 since they were affordable enough for the average user. It is because of this that people who were already adults had lived their lives without the aid to mobile phones and many of these people felt like learning how to use these devices was not something that was needed. People who have had the privilege of growing up with technology around them will be able to pick up skills regarding devices much faster, their skill will be easier to transfer to other devices based on a solid understanding of previous devices they have used.

Another factor that plays a part in the divide between is the usability of devices, elderly people and people with disabilities may not possess the same quality of motor skills that younger able-bodied people do. Mobile phones specifically are at a point where touch screens are the most common form of input method, due to their size feature like onscreen keyboards and small text may not be ideal. Alternative features have been included in a number of devices to aid people who lack the ability to perform certain functions on devices, virtual assistants such as Siri or Bixby allow for users to perform commands through the use of speech recognition.

Another ethical issue that is of concern when referring to technological advancements in the issue of privacy. We are living in a time where data flows freely between devices and it is being constantly collected from a number of different devices which can result in concerns over privacy. Consumers naturally have concerns over the way in which their data is used and who will have access to the information that is being retrieved. Mobile phones are used for all types of tasks in today day and age from sending a text message to banking and it is for this reason that users are protective over their data. In order to respect the user’s privacy permission have been created to that users are able to specify what device functions are accessible by certain application. The camera for example, a feature that is built into the device often requires users to explicitly allow access before an application is able to retrieve any type of data. Application permissions are centred around consumer trust, users are likely to only provide applications access to the functions that they believe are reasonable on their device.

Just as important if not more than ethical issues are legal issues, the UK has a number legislations put in place to prevent the misuse of devices ranging from computers to mobile devices. Legislation such as the data protection act and the computer misuse act detail the specific ways in which computers must be used and how data must be handles and it is enforceable on both consumers and organisations however with each of them there have been instances where individuals or companies have not abided by the rules set in place and have had to endure a range of consequences.

The Data Protection Act is the law set in place to effectively govern how personal information can be used by organisations, business and the government. The Data Protection Act is applicable to anyone and everyone that responsible for using or handling the data of others and that everyone using data is require to follow a set of rules called “The Data Protection Principles” The data protection principles dictate that all information must be:

1.          used fairly and lawfully
2.          used for limited, specifically stated purposes
3.          used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive
4.          accurate
5.          kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary
6.          handled according to people’s data protection rights
7.          kept safe and secure
8.          not transferred outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection

If it is found that an organisation has breached the Data Protection Act there are a wide range of consequences that can range from fines to prosecution depending on the severity of the case

The Computer Misuse Act is comprised of three simple offences that include:

1. ·         Unauthorised access to computer material.
2. ·         Unauthorized access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences.
3. ·         Unauthorized modification of computer material.

The Computer Misuse Act was created to put in place to combat the increasing amount of hacking and viral attacks taking place. The Computer Misuse Act also provided a clear distinction between computer abuse and computer misuse. This legislation applies to the hacking of computer systems and the creation and distribution of malicious software.

Explain how lack of understanding or access to IT can disadvantage certain groups of people

We are in an age where computer systems are used for a growing number of tasks and part of using them correctly is understanding the potential issues and risks that surround their use. Organisation are now dependant on systems in way that has never been seen before and so being aware of such risks is crucial the survival of the company.

Pretty much the main concern for all computer systems surrounds the subject of security. Unfortunately, there is a growing need for awareness of the dangers that result from the way in which society and organisations depend upon the use on of computer systems on a day to day basis. As computers become used to run some of the most vital systems such as bank systems it is no surprise that they are becoming more of a target for criminals. Cybercrime is a form of online lawbreaking that does not seem to disappearing anytime soon and being aware of the of this allows for measures to be taken to ensure that personal or sensitive data is kept secure.

Cloud computing has become increasingly popular over the past few years as it provides a viable alternative to physical storage and solutions to a lot of the physical restrictions that using in house computing resources. The premise of cloud computing is that the majority of the data and resources in use would be internet based, most commonly a third-party data centre would hold the information and it would be readily accessible to the company via the internet. One of the primary benefits to this is the increase flexibility and speed of which people would be able to work due to there not being a specific location in which they have to work from, in addition to this cloud computing offers a much easier process for scaling up and down the amount of resources used when the demand for it varies.

The choice to use cloud computing also opens organisations up to a number of security risks that could harm the company in the long run. The network that houses all of this information will need to be highly secure, as data will be travelling back and forth between several locations it would not be unlikely for cyber criminals to attempt to intercept the data or alter it before it is able to get to its destination.

Due to the widespread increase of computer systems being used to store sensitive information cybercrime has increasingly become one of the more popular threats that many company’s face, however this does not mean that physical threats should be disregarded or overlooked in any way. Physical threats can include anything from the theft to the destruction of computer hardware both of which can be just as damaging as damaging as any cybercrime.

PC’s, Servers and even flash drives are examples of hardware that can be susceptible to physical threats that can be largely impactful. Theft is usually the main physical threat that companies prepare for due to the fact that not only is the hardware itself costly to purchase but it may also have sensitive information that should not be in the hands of those who are not authorised to see it. Protection against theft can come in a number of ways, however the use of manned security combined with alarmed systems are usually the way in which companies protect themselves against physical theft.

Although theft and destruction of computer systems are substantial threats, not all physical threats will be intentional. Accidental damage and destruction of computer systems should always be taken seriously as a possible threat, something as simple as an electrical fault could result in something as serious as a fire which can have devastating effects should it become large enough. The best way to ensure that you are protected against these kinds incidents comes in the form of ensuring that safety protocols are followed at all times, ensuring the correct insurance policies and procedures are in place and creating back-ups for all important information that can be easily accessed should a disaster occur.

In the majority of cases, external threats are fuelled by financial motivation and many cyber criminals will often steal, hack and alter systems as a tool to obtain money in a wide variety of ways. Alongside financial gain there are other possible motivations for cybercriminals to target a number of different organising including reasons such as political stance.

Politics can be extremely polarizing at the best of times and as a result of this organisations who have a political stance or who have aligned themselves with certain politicians may find that they will be targeted by people on the opposing side. Demonstrators and protest groups on opposing side will often resort to cybercrime as a method to gain information or data that could be damaging to the organisation reputation and income. Other motivations for external threats include but are not limited to religious motivations, difference in ethics and also as a form of warfare.

Analyse the benefits and disadvantages of the social impact of computing technology developments.

The way in which people choose to communicate has changed drastically over the past few decades, it has reached a point at which computer systems have often been used as a preferred method of communication over genuine human interaction. The rise and availability of social media and portable devices such as mobile phones has contributed heavily to this change; as it stands the social media platform Facebook has over 1 billion users and this is largely due to the ease of communication on the platform.

The use of social media and computer systems essentially make the world of communication smaller, it is now very easy to pick up a phone and message someone on the other side of the world and receive response almost instantly. There are however some negative effects of the fact that it is so easy to communicate with such ease online, primarily that it provides fewer opportunities for people practice social skills. Relying solely on online communication can alter people’s perception on what is socially acceptable and what is not and so when they are required to communicate with people in person they are less likely to communicate with the same effect. Factors such as this can result in people experiencing social anxiety and nervousness when faces with offline communication they are not comfortable with.

Lack of human interaction can also lead onto people isolating themselves from society, as effectively people are able to source a number of things online from entertainment to food it is now easier than ever for people to minimise the amount of contact they have with the outside world. As a result of this people may end up lacking the skills that at the very minimum make them employable by organisations. Another factor that should be considered is that the content on the internet can be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week meaning that people who invest much of their time online are more likely to upset their sleeping patterns and depend highly on energy drinks and sugar filled food to stay awake as and when needed.

With technology becoming more and more available and easy to access it is no surprise some of the older generation are realising how it can be used to benefit their needs. Many people have adopted tablets such as the iPad for their computational needs as it is simple to use and supports most social and internet-based functions outside of any hardcore computing. It is also favourable for the elderly and people with reduced motor skills as the touch screen requires less precision than a keyboard and a mouse.

The rate at which technology is advancing, as previously mentioned, is often difficult for elderly users to grasp as they have not grown up being taught the skills that would allow them to transfer adaptable knowledge to new systems. New systems and specifically those that have been completely redesigned can cause theses user to become frustrated as they are not familiar with how it works, this can lead onto feelings of isolation as they can quickly get the impression that they are being left behind by such advancement, whilst this is not always the case many people who do grew up without technology do feel this way.

There are however benefits that can be seen by both elderly users and those who have health issues that require medical attention. The use of technology allows for contact with medical professional easier than ever, the introduction of online web chats and video calls meant that people have access medical advise. In addition to the services available there are also additions to the hardware that can be extremely useful, the resent upsurge in wearable technology such as smart watches has meant that people are now able to monitor how their body is functioning, for example checking their pulse.

Evaluate the impact that the implementation of a specific development in computing technology has had on wider society

As previously mentioned I believe that the introduction of mobile computing has been one of the most influential developments to come out of computing over the past few decades. Not only has mobile computing worked to change the way we operate in our daily lives it has also changed the way that we are able to work professionally. There have been many changes made to working practices as a result of mobile computing and we are now at the point where many of these changes are considered as being the new normal.

Working away from a traditional desk is becoming more and more frequent among employees in recent years, no longer are staff members tethered to their offices in order to access certain files or speak with their colleagues. The majority of tasks ranging from accessing emails to updating databases can be done on the move now whether it is through the use of a laptop or sometimes even a mobile device is powerful enough. The one thing that is required for all of this to be possible is a stable internet connection, something that is becoming easier and easier to find in a time where even the trains and buses omit Wi-Fi connections. Remote computing has also allowed for working from new different locations easier for people are required to travel as part of their job, laptops are able to a take the place of a traditional desktop, so they can work anywhere from their house to other countries. Unfortunately, the availability of devices that can be used for work make it difficult to escape professional responsibilities at times, this can make the balance between personal and work life increasingly difficult as the boundaries of the office no longer exist.

Many employers will now provide their staff with work place devices including, but not limited to, a mobile phone and laptop so that they are always in a position to do their job. Whilst these devices may be used for personal activities there will be an understanding that the primary focus for such devices will be for work purposes. Alternatively, bring your own device (BYOB) schemes have also become popular amongst employers, this is where staff members are permitted to work using their own devices and the tools required for them to do their job will be provided more than likely through a wireless network. The concept of BYOD can be very cost effective for companies as they are not required to source a lot of the hardware that their employees will be working on and there for saving money.

The downside to this is that from the perspective of the organisation there is a limited amount of control that they have over the systems that are in use. In the case the issues arise with hardware or software sourced by an individual staff member IT support may have difficulty fixing issues if they are not familiar with such a system. In addition this restriction and barriers are a lot harder to put into place, as staff are using their own devices employers are not able to restrict or have much control over the content that is on their laptop meaning that there is a huge security risk.

With so many organisation becoming dependant on computer systems to run on a daily basis it is important for all to understand the consequences of a system failure and also how to react should something of this nature occur. There are different forms of system failure that can affect an organisation in different ways depending on the severity of the failure, the first being a software failure. This is when a piece of software crashes or is returning an error that is not easily rectifiable. Depending on the use for the software there could be various different action to take regarding how to correct the issue.