Session 5 was focused on
Information and Communications Technology and how it changed the
world. The lesson started with the introduction of the evolution of
the internet. The shift from Web 2.0, where the the user communicates
to the system, towards Web 3.0, where the systems communicates to
other systems and users. This new system will allow greater
integration of technology into our daily life by allowing the various
devices we use to communicate to one another, allowing our
information and preferences and location to be essentially stored in
the “clouds”. This will be about a revolution of how we interact
with technology and certainly bring about great convenience. However,
this systems will also potentially expose us to more risks as well.
Since the bulk of our personal information are stored on the web,
there will be significant privacy and security concerns, where
government or otherwise, will potentially tap into this vast reserve
of confidential information to control, censor or take advantage of
users. Then again, all new technology comes with risk and potential
for abuse. We must then determine to what extent do we want our life
to be integrated into the cloud.
If you consider status quo, we
are already, to a great extent living in the cloud. Since the advent
of social media firm, we are already in the process of ceding, to a
certain degree, our private, confidential information to the web.
Facebook, Twitter dictate our social life while LinkedIn, XING
portray our professional image. The rise of such firms has already
changed social interaction. The rise of social media and other forms
of ICT have allowed us to keep in touch with more people more easily.
Such convenience has promoted the the spread of ideas and ideals. One
prime example would be how social media was used to circumvent
oppressive regimes such as during the Arab Spring or in Tibet.
Kofi Annan, Former
Secretary-General of the United Nations said “Today’s real
borders are not between nations, but between powerful and powerless,
free and fettered, privileged and humiliated.” The expansion and
lowering cost of access to ICT in the world can in help the
powerless, fettered and humiliated to cross that border. Cheaper and
faster access to information has helped lower poverty in many
countries. ICT has facilitated the spread of ideas and technology,
where the technological innovations from first-world countries would
eventually filter to the third-world countries. Farmers in China now
use wireless technology to gain access to up to date prices and value
of their crops so that they will not get ripped off by wholesalers.
Access to weather information allowed them preempt and prepare for
any potential natural disasters coming their way. Freedom of access
to information has increased accountability and transparency of both
government and corporations. In many ways, the borders are shrinking.
However, there's still much we
can do. There are still many in the world living without ICT and are
unable to benefit from the revolution of information accessibility
and adoption. With the world moving at such a rapid pace, the gap
will only get bigger. Also, ICT have also been exploited to restrict
and control information. As seen in oppressive countries like China's
Great Firewall. Even in democratic countries like the US and UK, ICT
have allegedly been used to conduct surveillance on its own citizens.
This session was highly
informative and very interesting. I give this session 8/10.
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