The Social, Economic, Legal and Moral Effects of ICT

The Social, Economic, Legal and Moral Effects of ICT

Computers have, and will continue to revolutionise every aspect of our

day-to-day living. If you try to imagine life without ICT and the

benefits it has brought you would need to go back to the time before

the Industrial Revolution when mankind did every task by hand with the

help of animals and the tools that he had to make himself.

The use of ICT has made massive improvements to our lives, and has

done a lot of good for mankind. However, the use of ICT does have its

downside.

In this report I am going to look at the positive and negative effects

of ICT in view of its social, economic, legal and moral implications.

Socially, the use of ICT has brought great advances within the world

of communications. It is now possible to contact friends and relatives

all over the world using land or mobile telephone, SMS or text

messages, email, in chat rooms or with the use of video conferencing.

It can be said that the use of new communications allows us to stay in

touch very easily.

It is possible for many of us to gain access to information. Instead

of going to libraries we can use interactive CD-ROMS or we can access

the Internet. Adults and children can learn on-line and be assessed on

what they have learned, then receive their qualifications. It is

possible to shop on-line now, not just for clothes and electrical

goods but also for the weekly food shopping.

With the advent of satellite television for sports and movies, video,

DVD and computer games consoles people can receive all of the

entertainment they want. Tele-working now allows employees to work

from home using computers linked to the Internet. So now it is

possible to carry out your whole life, virtually, without leaving the

house.

Modern technology has made vast improvements in the community with its

use in the Police Force for the prevention and detection of crime.

Information about all known criminals and offences in Britain can be