Environmental Problems
•Manufacturing computers and circuits can
cause pollution
•Hazardous toxins are involved in computer
manufacture
•Wireless devices can interfere in
hospital activities and with medical devices
•Used computers/monitors contain chromium,
cadmium, lead, mercury, PVC, and brominated flame retardants – all toxic
substances that must be disposed of properly
•Visual pollution
(“blight”) is created by the forest of wireless
towers, roof antennas, satellite dishes, etc.; birds and bats, other wildlife,
and vegetation are affected
•Nanotechnology carries possible risks on
the molecular level
Mental-Health Problems
•Isolation:
computer gamers may substitute online games for interpersonal interaction;
videogame and Internet addiction
•Online gambling is too easy
•Many users find computers stressful and
anger-inducing
Protecting Children
•Pornography
•The Internet
has allowed the widespread distribution
of sexually explicit material
•Online pornographers use pop-up ads, Internet
search engines to troll for new customers
•This means that children may be exposed
to porn when involved in innocent online searches
•Online blocking software, DVD filters,
the V-chip, and .xxx web addresses can be used to avoid/filter out pornography
Online Sexual Predators
•Prevention Strategies
•Monitor children’s Internet
use
•Be candid to children about threats
•Caution children about revealing too much
information
•Tell them not to engage in sexting
(online information and images NEVER go away; they are there forever)
Sexting
is use of a smartphone or other
mobile device to send sexually explicit photos or videos; sometimes it also
refers to sexually charged text messages.
•Can lead to dangerous behavior and
embarrassing experiences.
Cyberbullies
•Another example of how information
technology can negatively affect children
•When it happens:
•Save the evidence
•Block messages
•Contact an attorney or the police
•Cyberbullying can also occur in the
workplace
Workplace Problems
•Misuse of technology
•Playing online games, shopping, writing
personal emails, etc. interfere with workers’ productivity and can get them
fired
•Fussing with computers
•Dealing with hardware, software, and
network connections can waste a lot of time, as can dealing with spam and the
like
•Information overload
•With so much available technology, people
tend to work more hours and get swamped by too much information
Information Overload
•Term first used by Alvin Toffler in
1970: he predicted that the rapidly
increasing amounts of information being produced would
eventually cause people problems.
•Although computer processing and memory speed and capacity are increasing all the time, the brain that
humans must use to process the information is not getting any faster.
What are some of the signs of information overload?
•Increased cardiovascular stress owing to a rise in
blood pressure.
•Weakened vision.
•Confusion and frustration.
•Impaired judgment based on overconfidence.
•Irritation with others owing to an environmental
input glut (which may also account for part of the “brusqueness” that is
commonly attributed to big-city dwellers).
What can be done about information overload? For
example:
•Spend less time on information that is nice to
know and more time on information that
you need to know now.
•Focus on getting relevant information, not on
getting information faster, and focus on
quality of information, rather than
quantity.
•Learn how to create better information. Be
direct in what you ask people, so that they
can provide short precise answers.
•Understand the tools you have and don’t switch tasks
very often (single-tasking keeps the mind focused on one issue at a time).
•Avoid interruptions.
•Have quiet
periods, when you disconnect.
•Take breaks.
