Smartphone Technology Moral and Ethical Implications - Term Paper Example

 Smartphone Technology Moral and Ethical Implications Every coin has two sides. Similarly, every technology holds both positive and negative aspects[Min10]. However, it is the use of the technology that makes it a constructive or destructive one. The modern day technology blessed humanity with a wide range of products. Nevertheless, smartphones are one of the most influential technologies which made communication an easily accessible part of humans’ daily life and bestowed next generation with an opportunity to socialize virtually, expanding their reach worldwide. According to the teachings of profound scholars, technology is neutral in an ethical perspective[Gou12]. However, its use determines its positivity or negativity. At the same time, it is important to note that every invention is made for the betterment of human life. However, humans often explore the darkest side of any product. Therefore, a product cannot be held responsible for the way it is used. Nevertheless, the user can be. This logical argument provides support to the presumption that humans are mainly responsible for the negative utilization of smartphones, which were designed to facilitate information exchange. However, the nature of this information depends on people. On the other hand, every individual possesses his or her own judgment about various facets of life, which significantly influence his or her decisions[Nic11]. It is the case with the use of smartphones, as some people consider them as mean of education and others take them as entertainment. Nevertheless, there is no doubt concerning smartphones’ successfulness, because they introduced the e-guidance, e-shopping and e-health. Along with these benefits emerged the luxury of e-socializing, which revolutionized the art of information sharing. At the same time, information technology is growing rapidly, transforming the world into a global village[Mar12]. However, in this era of technology, mobile phones are among the most fascinating advancements, which made it possible for people to experience the warmth of their close ones regardless of how far they are. Notably, smartphones not only let us make phone calls but also provide a facility of game console, along with a wide range of applications such as word processing and other similar capabilities. At the same time, these little devices can store and process large amounts of data. Because of this reason, they are considered as mini-computers. Smart-phones are also featured with a browser, which provides a great help while travelling – it makes possible to have access to traffic updates, directions and other similar kinds of information. In the light of this observation, smartphones can be considered as sources of stress relieving in human life. On a professional front, smartphones are playing a significant role by providing instant information sharing facility. Therefore, every businessperson keeps a smartphone as a means to deal with issues around. However, during student life, these devices are distraction in the path of active learning because youngsters do not have a logical and ethical point of view[Bro10] and, therefore, readily indulge in indecent activities such as watching pornography. On the other hand, students think that they can multi-task, but in reality, they cannot. Perhaps, these individuals cannot achieve their long-term goals of becoming effective professionals. The above literature signifies smartphones’ numerous functions and applications. On the other hand, smartphone’s unethical use leads to the destruction of values in societies. However, technology keeps on developing rapidly. This continually leads to new ethical problems. People were also living an active life in the period of limited technology. Therefore, people’s physical and mental health was in excellent condition in olden times. However, as the technological intervention increased during late 1990s, people began to give up their exercises, and, therefore, their physical activity shrunk with the passage of time. Due to this, the number of patients suffering from lethal diseases such as heart and respiratory illnesses has increased. Nevertheless, ethical ramifications of a new technology should be highlighted along with its introduction in order to inform people about its hazardous effects on human life, so that people can take necessary steps to minimize the threats associated with a new device. At the same time, it is the due responsibility of the government to compel organizations to disclose all of the hazardous effects of a technology on human existence. Nevertheless, humans are living in the world rich in technology which can record and store vast amounts of data. However, the primary moral concern while collecting, storing, and accessing information is privacy, which is the primary right of every individual. Nevertheless, it is painful to note that this right is often overlooked in modern day commerce activity. On the other hand, many users want information readily accessible, user-friendly and cost-efficient. Smartphones are playing a significant role in integrally satisfying these needs. Nonetheless, in the quest of lowering accessibility costs, companies are found to be compromising information security. Therefore, it is imperative to cellular and mobile companies to enhance their data security systems in order to provide highly secured data to their customers. This strategic decision will also help cellular organizations to better their market image. In parallel, 21st century is accelerating so fast that building long-term relations with society is becoming a considerable challenge for individuals and organizations. However, the role of smartphones in bridging the deficiency of social interaction is admirable. On the other hand, digital information technology is providing an efficient means of sharing information across the world without any physical obstacle. At the same time, smartphones and other similar devices should be programmed in such a way as to restrict the users from distributing porn and other indecent materials. Therefore, understanding the role of moral values in information technology is indispensable to the design and use of these technologies. Most importantly, the usage of smartphones and other communication devices must be transformed into a productive one through public awareness programs in order to save the young generation from moral and ethical degradation. It is believed that an individual with good conscience never performs undesirable activities. Therefore, it is imperative for educational institutions to foster an excellent sense of right and wrong among their students. Technological sins become irrational. When people have faith in morality and ethics, they will enjoy responsibly. A mediocre mind will always approach technology with the worst possible ethical agenda, whereas a capable mind will take it as an opportunity for sharing knowledge and information across the globe to broaden his or her intellectual capabilities. On the other hand, spreading information technology has forced us to rethink a simple notion of privacy into more complex theories that recognize both the benefits and risks of communicating in all manners. However, the primary moral values under concern are privacy, ownership, trust and the veracity of the information respectively. This paper studied the role of smartphones in the society. However, this is clarified that smartphones are the easiest way for users to maintain their daily activities most conveniently. On the other hand, negative use of this device is causing moral standards to degrade throughout the globe. At that, smartphones are considered a main cause of distracting people from their professional endeavors. At the same time, this handheld device is making the young sluggish. As far as national significance is concerned, the young form a strong pillar of each country. However, games, unnecessary chats and fake profiles are influencing the life of youngsters adversely. On the other hand, the adverse effects of technology which were only limited to desktops in the past, have been able to spread virtually everywhere through laptops and smartphones. These devices carry all the features of a personal computer. Therefore, it is imperative for global society to train its next generation with the renewed sense of morality in order to prevent them from psychological degradation. At the same time, it is logical for the governments to block unethical content on the web, so that people can be saved from moral degradation. Along with this, a proper age restriction should be imposed for acquisition of a smartphone. Additionally, smartphones are the brightest means of escaping from boredom. Nevertheless, escaping from boredom can also result in the waste of precious time which could have been spent on academics. Therefore, smartphones engulf people in useless activities and destroy the ethical perspectives of humans. Having taken all this into consideration, one may ask why smartphones are so easily available. The government should impose an age-restriction on those wishing to buy smartphones in order to protect the young from psychological and ethical threats of smartphone technology. References Min10: , (Mingers & Walsham, 2010), Gou12: , (Gouvea, Linton, Montoya, & Walsh, 2012), Nic11: , (Nicholson, 2011), Mar12: , (Martin, 2012), Bro10: , (Brooks, 2010), Read More