The Impact of the Information Communication Technologies - Term Paper Example

The impact that the latest information communication technologies has made on the mass media is immense. The way media is influencing every realm ofcontemporary life has much to do with the innovations in the methodologies for the extension of media into the common public. Moving through resources of radio, television, mobile phones and internet the deliverance process of media is today even using to their best, the technologies like video conferencing and satellite broadcasting. The role that internet has played to turn itself a popular tool, has made it a much used medium for media. Based on the strength of this medium, many derivative mediums did also come up making media available at the tip of the fingers. The technological advancements did give media a different face by the dawn of the new millennium. By the year 2000, more than 15000 songs could be stored in a small handy device with battery life of 60 continual days; Phone calls with the most of clarity could be made any where across the globe using tailor made software; the personal computers could store tremendous amount of information and the television networks were made available in packages (DAW, 2002). It has been predicted that the growth of technology is to further take media more personalized for its target audience. By the next decade, the media would be targeting the virtual communities which are resultants of web based technologies. More personalized versions of television services like having access to programs as per the time and wish of the viewer would come in popularity (DAW, 2002). The clear message is that the influence of technology on media is going to grow with time and so would be its combined impact on the society. The objective of this essay is to critically analyze both the positive and negative impacts of media related technology on the society. The elements that these technologies pertaining to media affect have been dealt in detail. The impact on children Information Communication Technologies are playing huge role in the educational process of children. Technologies pertaining to media can be well used as medium for education. The access to information in the latest mode of media like internet and customized television packages are very much user friendly. In this context, Internet can be used by the students to search for information which would be educative. Many academic modules have been extended through the media especially through the ones working online. This facility would make information available for children to and extend they want. Another factor that the media related technologies would offer is that the children would be able to interact with their counterparts across the globe. The interactive mode of the modern media promotes this facility as well. This interactive mode has a social and cultural aspect as well. The children get exposed to cultures all across the globe which would help them to globally more social. With relevance to children, one of the most time-consuming areas for them is information sourcing for their academic purposes. The online resources extended by information communication technologies provide the children with numerous possibilities of fast information sourcing. To cope up with the soaring developmental needs of children as posed by the modern curriculum and peculiarities of the society, an instant access to developmental resources has become inevitable for children. Internet, digitalized versions of media and other online and offline resources come handy for children in these cases. On the other side information communication technologies can make serious negative impacts as well as children are concerned. The latest media options expose children to obscene content. The regulations on the media using latest of information communication technologies have not been standardized globally. Thus the regulations on the content extended by the media are not standardized. This runs the risk of children getting exposed to violence, pornography and other culturally unacceptable content. As far as the impact on the societal factors is concerned, it is possible that the information communication technologies may prompt children to stay restricted within a virtual community. This would actively hinder the possibility of their social networking and would turn as a concern for the next generation. The increased availability entertainment media through latest technologies make children spend much time using media sources. However the increased time spent by children on information communication technologies technology is a matter of major concern as it may affect them adversely. Children are found to spend an increasing amount of time with information communication technologies technology at schools and even at home. This development of recent years should be read together with the fact that the healthy physical, psychological and social development of children requires their active involvement in a variety of physical and social activities. This fact has been averred by Benson, P.L (1997,p.32-33) as he has stated that for the children to be healthy, happy, and productive, the integration of their physical activities, social interaction and the love and guidance offered to them by the caring adults is a necessity. The misbalance in between the time children spend in front of screens of any type and the time they spend for the social and physical activities are found to be alarming. It is often observed that information communication technologies are eating up a disproportionate amount of their day. ‘Too much time in front of a screen can deprive children of time for organized sports and other social activities that are beneficial to child development’ (AAP,1992,p.1002–04). Impact on Women and equity in access The scope of Information communication technologies as a tool for empowering women has been realized by many research studies. The Expert Group Meeting (EGM) comprising of The Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the International has opined the possibility of utilizing Information communication technology enhanced media as an effective device for promoting gender equality (DAW, 2002). The Expert Group Meeting (EGM) has suggested that economic empowerment of women can be imparted through Information communication technologies. Media with the latest of technologies has been identified as a tool to increase womens participation in public life. Media can also be utilized for the capacity building of women in the areas of education and health (DAW, 2002). However, when media becomes highly technology oriented, the access of women to the same becomes a concern. As far as the rural and developing world is concerned, a huge divide exists in the capacity of women to handle technology. Thus women would not be able to access media as easily as the other gender does. This problem is not only relevant with the specification to women but also can be generic while comparing the urban and the rural world. The cost of technological equipments through which media are extended is another major concern. This may not equally affordable for all realms of people. Thus technology can resultantly cause an economic divide to the access to media considering the affordability of related technologies. Adding to this problem, the connection to the mainstream network distribution of media may not be the same in all places. An ideal example for this would be that the facility of internet may not be available at all places at the same speed and accuracy. The variance in the availability of a particular cable network in different pats of the world is another typical example for the inequality in access. Language is one another problem which would to the inequity in access to media. The growth of media utilizing the latest technologies has made its approach a universal one. This would mean that latest media resources would be utilizing a common language. The inexperience and lack of knowledge in this globally accepted language can deny the ideal utilization of media to that population. Though the local media is also increasingly utilizing technologies the quality measure cannot be equated to that of the globally recognized media. Physical impacts of media related technology Information communication technologies have accelerated the mechanization process of many activities which demanded much amount of physical exertion. Even this has reached a level in which one does not have to go to a store to get access to media, but can have media of any kind accessed from home itself. A major count of children who used to spend more time on physically excreting outdoor games show a tendency to quit those and games and restrict themselves to multimedia games and television channels. However a study by Subrahmanyam et al. (2000,p.125) indicated that those who play computer games showed an improvement in their visual intelligence which would further help them in carrying out many physical activities with added efficacy and would also aid the process of further computer learning. However excessive use and dependency on Information communication technologies can cause serious negative physical impacts. When people spend excessive time in front of screens they automatically avert themselves from other physically exerting activities like games and other outdoor hobbies. When the limited resources of media gave people chances for outdoor leisure activities which involved enough physical exertion in the past, the limitless resources of information communication technologies are persuading people to stay indoors, which leaves literally no room for proper exercise. This state of the body can cause obesity. Obesity is a condition in which an abnormal increase in body weight is observed. This condition is caused due to the accumulation of fat in the body which is a resultant of imbalance in the utilization and intake of calories. Obesity can further cause serious health problems. More than that obesity to a higher extend affects ones personality and his mobility as well. The fact that there is a notable decrease in the physical activities of people due to increased use of Information communication technologies is averred as Magarey, Daniels and Boulton (2001,p.561-564) has suggested an increase in cases of obesity especially among children and adolescents in the recent past. The excessive use of media can badly affect eyes, backs, and wrists’. (Alliance of Childhood, 2000). Though not a direct impact, by reducing the chances for exercising, extensive use of Information communication technologies would indirectly reduce the possible chances of preventing complexities like cardiovascular diseases, back pain, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes and even certain kinds of carcinogenic diseases. Studies indicate that ‘playing computer games and other media tools can cause expose to a number of physical risks, including seizures, hand injuries, and changes in heart rate’( Glista, Frank, & Tracy, 1983,p.588). Impact on communication and social linkage The impact of information communication technologies have made on the personal attributes and relationship status of people are substantial. Resources of information communication technologies open up the possibilities of easy and cheap global level communication. There are researches which have suggested that media resources can influence the relationships within the house environment. An obvious change in the traditional parent-child relationship has been observed. When a technology savvy child talks with parents and people of higher authority on media related technology, it is found that the child play a role of a teacher to the parent. (Kiesler, Lundmark, , Zdaniuk, et al. 1998.) . Several studies have found that “teenagers are more likely to help their parents with information communication technologies than parents are to help their children with boys disproportionately helping their fathers and girls disproportionately helping their mothers” ((Kiesler, Lundmark , Zdaniuk, et al. 1998.) The same study have further hypothesized that the equality feature offered by information communication technologies helps the amendment of authority structures within the family. Mitchell (1985, p.121-135) analyzed 20 families who had new access to information communication technologies and found that this improved the family relations as they actively shared ideas and had more interesting interactions while using media tools. However on the other side, the information communication technologies and its applications can adversely affect the social behavior of the people. Excessive reliability on information communication technologies can have serious impact on their behavioral aspects. People who are extensively exposed to media content having high violence have been observed to be aggressive and reflect negative attitude within in a society. This is confirmed by the behavioral principle that an imbalance of time spent on any particular leisure activity while negotiating on the time required for other activities would hamper social and educational development. This point has been further supported by evidence which suggests that ‘repeated playing of violent computer games may lead to increased aggressiveness and hostility and desensitize children to violence’ (Provenzo,1991). Furthermore, it has been found that ‘children who have a preference for and play aggressive computer games demonstrate less pro-social behavior, such as donating money or helping someone’.( Chambers & Ascione,.1987,p. 499–505) Conclusion The growth of media utilizing the technological advancements like internet, satellite transmission etc has made considerable impact in the society. The generic changes in the approach of the media related industries have been concentrated on accessibility and accuracy. The dissemination process extended by the media has changed a lot with relevance to the technological advancement that the industry has had. Despite the fact that the technological advancement of media has made available information and entertainment at the tip of the fingers, it also has had negative impacts on the society as well. The primary of it is the inequity in the accessibility of media considering the cost and technological complexities. The impact that these technological advancement has on children and women is also a concern. The increased dependency that the information communication technologies create also creates many physical and sociological ill effects. Care has to be taken to optimize the huge scope of these technologies while initiating measures to check the negative impacts of the technology supported media. References Benson, P L 1997, All kids are our kids: What communities must do to raise caring and responsible children and adolescents. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco: pp. 32–33 American Academy of Pediatrics, 1992, ‘Fitness, activity, and sports participation in the preschool child’, Pediatrics (December 1992,) vol. 90, pp.1002–04. Subrahmanyam, K; Kraut, R.E; Patricia, M; Elisheva , G & Gross,F.,2000, ‘The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children’s Activities and Development’, The Future of Children: Children And Computer Technology, vol.10, no.2, pp. 125 Magarey,A M; Daniels, L A & Boulton, T J ,2001. ‘Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian children and adolescents: reassessment of 1985 and 1995 data against new standard international definitions’ Medical Journal of Australia, vol.174, pp.561-564 Alliance for Childhood.,2004, ‘Overview Preparing Children for a New Century Tech Tonic: Towards a New Literacy of Technology, Alliance for Childhood , College Park, MD:,p.1 Glista, G G; Frank, H G; and Tracy, W.F., 1983, ‘Video games and seizures’ Arch Neurology ,vol. 40, pp.588 Kiesler, S; Lundmark, V; Zdaniuk, B et al. 1998.’Troubles with the Internet: The dynamics of help at home’. Unpublished manuscript. Carnegie Mellon Mitchell, E. 1985.’The dynamics of family interaction around home video games. Special issue: Personal computers and the family’, Marriage and Family Review, vol. 8, pp.121– 135. Provenzo, E F, 1991, Jr. Video kids: Making sense of Nintendo, Harvard University Press, Cambridge Chambers, J H & Ascione, F R,1987 ‘The effects of pro-social and aggressive videogames on children’s donating and helping’, Journal of Genetic Psychology vol. 148, pp.499–505 Division for Advancement of Women, 2002, Information and communication technologies and their impact on and use as an instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women, Expert Group Meeting, Republic of Korea, 11 - 14 November 2002, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,United Nations Read More