IT & Society - Literature review Example

IT & Society A central controversy that raised concerns among scholars studying the history of media or communication technologies is the extent to which technology conditions social change. Each of the scholars emphasize on different factors associated with technological change. Technological determinism gives the relationship between society and technology. However, in the past years, scholars have criticized the concept. It is worth noting that many social scientists regard the word ‘deterministic’ as negative. Modern sociologists usually use that word in reference to abuse (Chandler 2000, p1). Technology determinists state that changes in culture and society are driven by the advancement in media technology and the media content (Davenport, Larose, and Straubhaar 2011, p52). According to Chandler (2000, p2), the focus of technological determinism is on causality (causality is a cause and effect relationship). In other words, it is a focus usually linked with scientific explanations. Any examination of communications technology has to identify the “difficulty of isolating ‘causes’ and ‘effects’, or even in distinguishing causes from effects” (Chandler 2000, p2). Technological determinism entails reductionism and it aims at reducing a sophisticated whole to the impacts of one part upon another part. One reductionist orientation is the determination of technology with machines and tools. In other words, technology includes the whole of the human material culture and not only the machines and tools (Chandler 2000, p3). Technology determinists often attempt to account for everything in terms of technology; a perspective referred to as technocentrism (Chandler 2000, p4). Microchip technology is an example of IT product that supports the concept of technological determinism. Microchip technology is the latest phase in technological development and it entails the utilization of electronic microprocessors and numerical processes. This technological innovation facilitates continuous-process production and permits the automation of numerous production processes. This is done through the immediate collection and tabulation of data about production. Computer-assisted technology had adverse consequences on the knowledge and skills required in production (Hodson and Sullivan 2011, p165). Even before the extensive use of microprocessors, individuals such as Daniel Bell (an American sociologist) stated that new knowledge-based technology would change the characteristics of the society. Bell emphasized that knowledge would be the key thing or the core resource in society (Hodson and Sullivan 2011, p166). He foresaw that the economy would change from the goods production to the services production. Some of the predictions by Bell have become true and others have not (Hodson and Sullivan 2011, p166). For instance, majority of the companies today are majoring in production of services. A good example is the social network companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. In the 21st century workplace, workers are involved in the production of more goods and a variety of goods than before. The emergence of new technologies has had a positive effect on the production of goods. It has increased productivity and the ability to work for shorter hours. It has also increased safety, material abundance, and greater employment security for all the members of the society (Hodson and Sullivan 2011, p166). As stated before, the advancements in technology have made significant impacts on the society and how things are done. Communication through the invention of telephone has made communication faster than any other services such as trains, postal services, and stagecoach. Presently, telephone is a mobile device that enables one to reach people anywhere and at any time. Mobile phones connect to the cellular network (mobile network operators). Advances in mobile phone technology has seen telephones having other added features such as email, cameras, GPS, small applications, text messages and internet access. These phones possess advanced computing capabilities and they are referred to as smart phones (Computer Science Technology 2011, p1). Mobile phones have changed the way society associates and have made communication between individuals easier regardless of the location and time. The World Wide Web or the Internet has also greatly changed the manner in which the society operates. The Internet entails services such as web-based applications, inter-linked hypertext documents containing a variety of information, and electronic mail. Traditional communication media like film, music, television, and music are transforming the society and are refined by the Internet. Blogging and Websites have transformed the way books, newspapers and forms of print media transmit their information to the public. The Internet has made it possible for individuals to shop online without having to go to the store physically. These are among the changes that technology has brought to the society. Thus, technology has changed the way the society conducts itself (Computer Science Technology 2011, p1). Thus, proponents of technological determinism argue that changes in culture and society are driven by the advancement in media technology and the media content. However, this is not the argument according to the opponents of technological determinism. Those against technological determinism state that technology has no effect or it is neutral. According to Goguen (2004, p1) “technological determinism is the theory that technology is an autonomous force that changes society.” The theory offers explanations to the many changes that can now be observed in the society and it possesses a simple/cause effect form. However, Goguen disagrees with the theory and indicates that it is false. He states that the theory only looks at one part of the complex situation and ignores the complex social network that sustains the technology. Social determinism is a theory that the society is the autonomous forces that transforms or changes technology. This offers explanations to the many changes that can be seen in technology and it has a simple cause/effect form. Just like technological determinism, social determinism is also false. This is because the theory looks at one only part of the much complex situation and ignores other important technical aspects (Goguen 2004, p1). A special form of determinism is called the media determinism. Media determinism attempts to explain a number of social phenomena through the media properties employed. McLuhan claimed that writing and printing have changed the society for a long time and his ideology has been applied effectively in television, radio, and newspaper media. The same ideology has been applied in computer technology asserting that computer is the network. It is worth noting that media determinism is a type of technological determinism and thus a type of reductionism. It can be both soft or hard, misleading, oversimplified and it is indeed wrong (Goguen 2004, p1). The main problem with technological determinism is that is dependent on technology reification. Technology is thought of like a dues ex macina that establishes the human condition. This permits its supporters to propose a false universality and technical neutrality for their praxis and concepts. It also permits cultural and socio-economic dimensions in which there is marginalization of urban migration (Burgess 2007, p16). There are criticisms of technological determinism; some authors argue that technology does nothing and that the important thing is how the social actors prefer to use technologies. In other words, technology use is determined by social relationships (Kirby 2000, p27). Some argue that technology is value free or neutral, that is, it is neither bad nor good. They argue that what counts in the technology is the manner in which we select the use of the technology. The view of technology as ethically neutral is defined as an instrumental view of technology (Chandler 2008, p1). In other words, technology cannot be quantified as good or bad and the important thing it s how it is used by the society or how the society chooses to use it. An excellent example is the Internet; Internet was initiated as an American communications technology developed for military purposes. However, the use of Internet by civilians started but for those who had access to computers. They enjoyed communicating with one another through the cyber network. Internet has grown into a large and uncontrollable international phenomenon. Kirby (2000, p27) argues that “although commercial interests have tried to steer the use of the Internet in particular directions, it remains a technology which develops largely as particular individuals or social groups find new uses for it.” Therefore, there are bulletin boards, chat rooms, and websites to support any cultural activity, for example, listening to music, finding a soul mate, or following a certain football team. The utilization of Internet has promoted the development of new social rules or etiquettes, and new vocabularies that govern the interaction between users. For instance, certain individuals regard sending e-mail messages in capital letters to be rude. They argue that it is an equivalent of shouting at someone. If culture consists of customs and rules, and language, then one can state that new cultures are developed in association with electronic communications systems and the Internet. It can be argued that the Internet does not necessarily determine the new cultures. Internet culture develops as the social actors interact with each other using the technology. It is not the technology, that generates new culture but it is people, who generate new cultures (Kirby 2000, p27). Thus, how the society uses the technology is more important. References Chandler, D. (2000) Technological or media determinism [online]. Available from: [accessed 8 Nov. 2011]. Chandler, D. (2008) Technological or media determinism [online]. Available from: [accessed 8 Nov. 2011]. Computer Science Technology. (2011) Technology advancements change society [online]. Available from: [accessed on 8 Nov. 2011]. Davenport, L., Larose, R. & Straubhaar, J. (2011) Media now: Understanding media, culture, and technology, Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Goguen, J. (2004) Against technological determinism. Hodson, R. & Sullivan, T. A. (2011) The social organization of work, Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Kirby, M. (2000) Sociology in perspective, London, UK: Heinemann. Read More