CHAPTER 5: PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY 

PERSONAL DEVICES FOR IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY AT SCHOOL AND WORK 

 · “The war is over. Mobile is the new platform, and it is changing our behavior.
We are using it for everything, because we like doing things in the easiest way
possible”, says Scott Snyder 
 · Mobile devices such as the smartphone and the tablet have made large inroads
against laptop computers and are changing the competitive landscape for all
companies, no matter what the industry. 
 · The “new normal”, says Scott Snyder, president of a mobile app developer,
is “exposed identity” and constant sharing, because a smartphone always knows it’s
holder’s location. 
 · Seen this way, smartphones, tablets, and other mobile electronic gadgets can
provide wide-ranging benefits to us in school and in business, as well as to our leisure
pursuits. But they also gave risks to our security and privacy. 

USE OF SMARTPHONES: MORE THAN TALK! 

 · “There’s a digital land rush going on that make it possible to put more and more
tools of higher quality into phones”, says New York technology writer Steve Lohr. 
 · Lohr is referring to smartphones, cellphones with built-in applications, multimedia
capability, and internet access. 
 · There seems to be no end of features existing and forthcoming for mobile phones.
New smartphones have powerful graphic chips and good screen quality that allow
three-dimensional images, fast computing capabilities, realistic graphics, and fast
moving action that translate into powerful on-screen games. 
 · In the United States, students at the University of California, Santa Barbarapay
for parking stalls by charging the fee to an account through their cellphones. 
 · In Japan, customers can pay for purchase not with cash or credit cards but by
making electronic payments through smartphones. 
 · In South Korea, smartphones have been modified to allow diabetics to check their
blood-sugar levels, and the data can be sent to their physicians. 

HOW DO CELLLPHONES AND SMARTPHONES DIFFER? 

Cellphones 

 - Are designed for calls and perhaps texting 

 - Price is about $20-$150 

Smartphones 

 - Have advanced operating system and touch screens 

 - More expensive, price about $200-$350 
 - Have advance operating system (Apple’s iOS, Google’s android, Windows Phone
8) 

How a Mobile Phone Works? 

 · Cellphones or Smartphones contains many of the same attributes as a personal

computer, processor, memory, input/output devices, and operating system. 
 1. The Operating System and the Availability of Apps 
 - The OS (Operating System), which is stored in read-only memory (ROM) and is
run by the processor, provides you with the interface that allows you to store data,
change settings, and so on.

 - apps are small, specialized programs that can be downloaded onto mobile

devices. 
 2. Display Area, Shape, and Size 
 - Most screen sizes range from just over 2 inches to 5 inches, although more
smartphones are getting larger. 
 3. Storage 
 - The data you store in your phone, such as telephone numbers, is stored on flash
memory cards, which means that when you turn off the phone, the data does not
disappear. 
 - Smartphones come with as much as 64 gigabytes of memory in which you can
store your music, photos, videos, contact information, application, and the like.
An 8 gigabyte phone memory card can store about 2,000 songs. 

TEXT MESSAGING 

 · Text messaging, or texting or SMS (short message service) is sending of short

messages, generally no more than 160 characters in length (including spaces), to a
smartphone or other handheld device, including notebook computer. 
 · Text messages can also be sent to desktop computers and landline phones. 
 · Originally text messaging appeared during the days of mainframe computers,
when workers sitting at terminal would send short text messages to one another. In
internet world, these evolved into instant messaging and live text chat sessions. 
 · Today text messaging combines to portability of cellphone with the convenience of
email and instant messaging. 
 · Incidentally, texters need to be aware that it’s unwise to assume that when they hit
the Delete button, the messages are gone forever. 

USING MOBILE PHONES IN COLLEGE 

 · Mobile phones can be time wasters. It’s hard, when you have an idle moment, to
resist lighting up your phone to text, check messages, or play online games.  
 · But portable phones can also be tremendous productivity tools. For instance, many
of the personal organizing functions formerly found in personal digital assistants, such
as address book, schedule planner, and to-do-list – are now on smartphones. 
 · Moreover, smartphones are useful in college – and careers – for managing your
time and tracking your projects. 

THE SOCIETAL EFFECTS OF MOBILE PHONES 

 · Some positive attributes of mobile phones are: 

 - Parents can more easily monitor the safety of their children 
 - Police dispatchers can help people who are lost 
 - Information and amusement of all kinds are readily available 
 · However, people’s personal behavior in using such phones has not necessarily
been improved. 
 - Phone use by car drivers makes even young people drive erratically, moving and
reacting more slowly, and increasing the risk of accidents. 
 - People inadvertently dial numbers in their phone’s address book when they are
drunk. 
 - Camera-equipped phones have been used to take pictures of people in bathroom
stalls and clothing stores 
 - Pornography companies see cellphones as a new frontier. 
 · But just as technology can create unforeseen problems, perhaps technology can
also provide solutions. 

TABLETS AND E-READERS 

 · A tablet computer is a general-purpose computer contained in a single panel. 

 · More than 4 out of 10 (44%)Americans own a tablet on 2015, up from 30% in 2012.
Among people between the ages of 18 to 34, the ownership is rate is even higher,
reaching 54%. 
 · Tablets have already become popular multipurpose device for students. E-book
readers are also much in use, despite being single-purpose device, because they are
so good at one thing: displaying e-book content. 

THE TABLET: WHAT IT IS, WHAT IS DOES 

 · A tablet is a wireless, portable personal computer with a 7 to 12 inches multi touch

screen (one can manipulate the screen contents directly with one hands). 
 · Tablets are lightweight, thin, web-enabled, and portable yet powerful enough to do
most of the things a laptop can do. 
 · Tablets can also work with wireless external keyboards. Most have some form of
wireless connectivity to the internet via 3G or 4G cellular, Wi-Fi, or both. 
 This device support multimedia (music and movies), download e-books, access the
internet, play games, support email, and create and send documents. 
 · A tablet screen can be used both horizontally and vertically. Some screen will also
work with a digital pen or stylus instead of fingertip touch. 
 · Like smartphones, many tablets also have online access to a huge variety of apps,
allowing you to purchase, download, and then use them. 
 · Tablets basically range in price from $199 for Google’s Nexus, which is thin, light,
and responsive to the touch, to $1,500 for the Lenovo Horizon, which, with its 27-
inch screen, basically doubles as a desktop computer (running Windows 8) and,
when laid flat, as a table top game device than several people can use
simultaneously

THE E-READER: THE READING MACHINE 

 · How much content could you comfortably read online on a desktop or laptop? A few
paragraphs from a Wikipedia entry? Some gossip about a celebrity? An entire novel? A
textbook? 
 · Many people find it difficult to read at length on a computer screen, which is why
printed textbooks, for instance, remain more popular than online versions of the same
thing. In recent years, however, e-books and e-readershave begun to gain some
ground over paper-and-print version of the book. 
 · An e-book (electronic book) is an electronic text, the digital-media equivalent of a
conventional printed books. You can read an e-book on your personal computer, tablet,
or smartphone. 
 · E-readers (e-book reader) is an electronic device that can download e-books –
digital version of regular books, articles, and magazines from various suppliers. 
 the most well-known e-readers are Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s
Nook, but there are others, such as Kobo Glo and Sony Reader PRS-T2 
 · To get e-books into your e-readers, you most likely download them from an online
e-book store maintained by the device’s manufacturer, although you can also borrow e-
books from public libraries or from www.gutenberg.org or booklending.com  
 · Almost all e-readers allows Wi-Fi access, which take about a minute to download
an e-book, but some e-book readers require connecting to a computer for downloading. 

HOW AN E-READER WORKS 

 · What makes an e-books on e-readers easier to read than e-books viewed on your
laptop or tablet? 
 · Most monochrome e-readers use E Ink, a technology using positively charged
white particles and negatively charged black particles. 
 · The principal benefit of this technology is that images on the screen remain even
after the power is turned off; the power is used only when you turn the page, which is
why e-readers have long battery life. 
 · E-book allows us to adjust the type size and some even let you change fonts. To
turn pages, you use an on-screen tap or swipe. 
 · There are also control buttons for accessing menus, doing highlighting, and so on.
The e-book will automatically open to the page where you left off. 
 · Text in e-book can be searched automatically and cross-referenced. You can also
book-mark pages, search within your library, look up definition, and annotate text. 

THE HINDRANCES OF E-READERS 

 · Consumers have to weigh the risk of buying a reading appliance that may be easily
lost, damaged, stolen, or hacked compared to buying a regular book at a tenth or less of
its price. 
 · One also has to consider that the reader doesn’t actually own the e-book that are
downloaded to the e-reader, rather, they are like licensing a piece of software – you can
run them only on certain designated devices, and they usually can’t be resold or passed
on to someone else. 
 · One writer also found fault with the way photographs, charts, diagrams, foreign
characters, and tables appeared on the gray screen of the Kindle.  The beautiful
illustrations and drawings in the print version turned out to make out in the electronic
version. Tables in some medical book were garbled, and the color coding was lost. An
elaborate chart in a highly expensive engineering book was totally illegible in its
electronic form. 
 · Many students, both high school and college, are reportedly not always pleased
with e-books as textbooks. Some complain that the e-texts cost too much at the outset,
that they are awkward and inconvenient. 
 Peter Fader, co-director of the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative,believes that e-
reader will probably go the way of other single-use machines. 
 · In an age in which mobile phone doubles as cameras, music players, and
computers, Fader suggests, it is only a matter of time before electronic readers will be
embedded on mobile devices. 

10 ADVANTAGES OF E-READERS 

 1. One Device, Many books 

 2. Accessible everywhere 
 3. Easily updates 
 4. Shareable content 
 5. Augmented reality experience 
 6. Easy on the eyes 
 7. Read aloud features 
 8. Interactive elements 
 9. Environment friendly option 
 10. Affordable in the long run

PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYERS 

 · “I’ve called the iPod the first cultural icon of the 21st Century”, says Michael
Bull, an instructor in media and cultural studies at the University of
Sussex in England. 
 · Bull has spent years researching the societal effects of portable audio devices,
starting with Sony’s Walkman portable cassette player and extending to Apple’s iPod,
which is introduced in 2001. 
 · the iPod is an example of portable media player (PMP) or MP3 player, a small
portable device that enables you to play digital audio, video, or image files. 
 · PMPs are mostly of two types – music players and media players – but much of
that they do can also be done on today’s smartphones. 

TWO TYPES OF PMPs 

 1. MUSIC PLAYERS  
 - are small portable devices, typically weighing around 3 ounces, that are designed
primarily for playing music. 
 - music players feature controls for enhancing sound and adjusting playback, and
their 1 to 2 inch screens are best used to view playlists and menus. 
 music in music player are downloaded from music stores such as Apple’s iTunes
Music Store, which has 26 million songs. Alternatives are on-demand services
such as Spotify and Rhapsody. 
 - Storage in music players ranges from 512 megabytes to 64 gigabytes, which can
hold about 120 to 160,000 songs. 
 - Some music players have memory cards, with capacities ranging from 2
megabytes to 32 gigabytes. 
 2. MEDIA PLAYERS 
  - It allows you not only to listen to music but also to view videos, play games, browse
the web, check emails, access social network, read e-books, and even make phone
calls. 
 - Users’ of media players get download of music, books, movies, and video games
not only from iTunes and other music stores but also from subscription services such
as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. 
 - Most media players have Wi-Fi connections for downloading streaming content. 

 PMPs are also known as MP3 Players. MP3 Players is a format that allows audio
files to be compressed so they are small enough to be sent over the Internet or stored
as digital files. 
 · MP3 files are about one-tenth the size of uncompressed audio files. For example, a
4-minute song on a CD takes about 40 megabytes, but an MP3 version of that song
takes only about 4 megabytes. 

PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF MP3 PLAYERS 

 · The most famous of MP3 players are Apple’s iPods (such as the iPod Touch, the
iPod Nano, and the iPod Classics), although there are many others, such as
the Samsung Galaxy, the Sony Walkman, and the Cowan X7 and X9. 
 · The principal characteristics of MP3 Players are as follows: 
 a. Storage Methods – MP3 Players use two methods of storage – (flash memory
drive and hard-disk drive) 
 b. Sampling Rate – how many songs your MP3 player holds is affected not only by
storage capacity but also by the sound quality selected, which you can determine
yourself when you’re
 downloading songs from your computer to your MP3 Player (called ripping). 
 c. Transferring Files – when you buy an MP3 Player, it comes with software that
allows you to transfer files to it from your personal computer, using a high-speed port
such as a FireWire or USB port, Bluetooth, or via Wi-Fi from a compatible website. 
 d. Battery Life – battery life varies depending on player settings, but some will last
only 9 hours, while others can go on for 60 hours.  
 e. Display Screens – the smallest MP3 Players screen are about 1.8-2
inches; midsize 2-3.5 inches (there seems to be the most popular); and larger 4
inches or more. Most MP3 screens are color. 
 f. Other Features – all MP3 players comes with earphones (earbuds). Many MP3s,
particularly flash memory devices, offers FM radio reception. Some also have a small
internal microphone for voice recording, appropriate for capturing conversation or a
lecture but usually unsuitable for music. 

THE SOCIETAL EFFECTS OF MP3 PLAYERS

 · Unlike television watchers and commercial radio listeners, MP3 listeners can control
their own environment, expressing their individuality without intrusions from
advertisements, and sharing music files with friends, creating a sense of community. 
 · But is the increase in the use of these devices really a good thing? Many people
believe that personalized digital media are making us all more isolated, with less and
less face-to-face interaction, that they cut off individuals from the world. 
 · On the bus or train, at the gym, at work, at the grocery store, people are shutting
out the world around them and are beginning to feel that each of them is the only
person in the world. Some users also illegally download songs, effectively robbing
creators of income. 
 · In addition, hearing experts are concerned about the effects of hours of listening to
audio players. Because earbuds are placed directly in the ear, they can boost the sound
signal by as much as 6 to 9 decibels.  
 Although listening with earbuds for 90 minutes a day at 80% volume is probably
safe for long-term hearing, according to one study, softer is even better: you can safely
tune in at 70% volume for about 4 and hours a day. 
 · The risk of permanent hearing loss can increase with just 5 minutes of exposure a
day to music at full volume.

USING MP3 PLAYERS IN COLLEGE 

 · College instructors and students have found ways to expand the uses of the iPod
beyond just the enjoyment of music. 
 · For instance, portable media players can be used to store schedules, phone
number lists, and other personal information management software. 
 · “One of the most popular current uses of portable media players for educational
purposes centers on the practice of recording and disseminating lectures”, says one
writer. 
 There is a wide range of mobile computing devices available in the market today,
from smartphones to laptops, and there is as much variety in the sizes they come in. 
 · In fact, there might be too much choice that trying to decide which one to buy can
be pretty paralyzing. With most of the specs being equal, it sometimes comes down
finding the right size finding your need. 

PORTABILITY VS. PRODUCTIVITY 

 · Portability and productivity are two terms that may translate to different things for

different people. 
 · Portability, in general, refers to how conveniently you can carry a device around
with you. Often it refers primarily to the size of the device, whether it can easily fit in a
bag or in your pocket. 
 · Portability sometimes also refers to the weight of the device. Fortunately, these
days you can have a larger device that isn’t as heavy, but it isn’t always the case. 

 On the other hand, productivity refers to whether you can accomplish your intended

task on the device. Now this gets a bit more personal because different people have
different work requirements and work in different ways. 
 · In the final analysis, however, it can be simplified also to considerations on size,
whether you have enough screen to work with, and weight, when it comes to hardware
features packed inside.

1. LAPTOPS 
 - When it comes to matters of portability and productivity, laptops almost always
comes to mind. They are, after all, the epitome of portableproductivity as far as
computers go. 
 - But laptop also cause some of the biggest debates between the two ends of
spectrum. How big is too big? How small can you go? What is the perfect size? 
 As might have guessed, there is no perfect answer other than “it
depends”. Fortunately, the criteria for that is a bit clearer cut in laptops. 
 - Most laptops these days fall into 12/13, 15, or 17 inch size, with very few going to
smaller or even larger sizes. 
 - So when it comes to productivity, the decision usually revolves around screen real
estate and keyboard layout.
 - The portability side is a bit tougher. A true gaming laptop, for example, will never
be as lightweight and thin as a MacBook Air. 
 2. PHONES 
 - The situation with smartphone has curiously become less convoluted and almost
straightforward. 
 - Hardware is more standardized and more uniform in the smartphone market.
Weight and thickness is no longer a function of a hardware but of the design. 
 - The new question will be how much you’re willing to pay for a smartphone and
whether you want to still squeeze one into your slim jeans’ pocket. And, no,
smartphones are never going to get smaller. 
 3. TABLETS 
 - The tablet market, in stark contrast, is like the Wild West. Yes, their numbers are
dwindling but the few that are left are so varied and so different that it’s actually
harder to choose. 
 - There are different operating systems to choose from a different form factors and
different form factors to fit different needs. It is also in tablets that the tug of war
between portability and productivity is at its peak. 

NECESSITY VS. LUXURY 

 NECESSITY is an “indispensable things” – something that everyone needs such

as food, water, shelter, and clothing. 
 · Yet even within those categories, there’s a surprising amount of wiggle room. For
instance, you need food to live, but that doesn’t mean you need a gourmet meal at a
five-star restaurant. Or you need shoes to protect your feet, but that doesn’t mean
you need a $400 pair of Italian leather boots. 
 · Over the past decade, Gallup polls have tracked Americans’ access to “basic
necessities”. Gallup’s list of basic necessities includes 13 items, which can be
grouped into three broad categories: 
 1. Food 
 2. Housing 
 3. Health 
 A LUXURY isn’t just something that’s desirable – it also has to be expensive. This
suggest that luxuries are valuablenot just for the enjoyment they provide, but also a
sign of status. 
  · For example, a fur coat is valuable partly because it’s nice and warm, and an iPod
is valuable because you can store all your favourite tunes on it. 

CHAPTER 6- COMMUNICATION (Part 1)  

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, STAYING CONNECTED 

 · Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place,

person, or group to another. 
 · Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message, and a recipient.
They may sound simple, but communication is actually a very complex subject. 
 · The transmission of the message from sender to recipient can be affected by a
huge range of things. These include our emotion, the cultural situation, the medium
used to communicate, and even our location. 
 · According to Oxford English Dictionary, communication is the imparting or
exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium and the
successful conveying or sharing of ideas or feelings. 
 · As this definition makes clear, communication is more than simply the transmission
of information. The term requires an element of success in transmitting or imparting a
message, whether information, ideas, or emotions.  
 · A communication therefore has three parts: the sender, the message, and
the recipient: 
 - The sender ‘encodes’ the messageusually in a mixture of words and non-
verbal communication. It is transmitted in some way (for example, in speech or in
writing), and the recipients ‘decodes’ it. 
 · Of course, there may be more than one recipient, and the complexity of
communication means that each one may receive a slightly different messages. Two
people may read different message into the choice of words and/or body language. It is
also possible that neither of them will have quite the same understanding as the
sender. 

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION 

 1. VERBAL COMMUNICATION 
 - Verbal communication is the use of language to transfer information through
speaking or sign language.  
 - It is one of the most common types, often used during presentations, video
conferences and phone calls, meetings, and one-on-one conversations. 
 - It is important because it is efficient and it can be helpful to support with both
nonverbal and written communication. 
 - Some few steps to develop your verbal communication skills are as follows: 
 a. Use a strong, confident speaking voice 
 b. Use active listening 
 c. Avoid filler words such as “um”, “like”, “so”, or “yeah” 
 2. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION 
 - Nonverbal communication is the use of body language, gestures and facial
expressions to convey information to others. 
 - It can be used both intentionally and unintentionally. For example, you might
smile unintentionally when you hear a pleasing or enjoyable idea or piece of
information. 
 - It is helpful when trying to understand others thoughts and feelings. 
 - Some few steps to develop your nonverbal communication are as follows: 
 a. Notice how your emotions feel physically. 
 b. Be intentional about your nonverbal communications. 
 c. Imitate nonverbal communications you can find effective 
 3. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION 
 - Written communication is the act of writing, typing, or printing symbols like letters
and numbers to convey information. 
 - It is helpful because it provides a record of information for reference. 
 - Writing is commonly used to share information
through books, pamphlets, blogs, letters, memos, and more. 
 - Emails and chats are a common form of written communication today. 
 - Here are a few steps you can take to develop your written communication skills: 
o a. Strive for simplicity 
o b. Don’t rely on tone 
o c. Take time to review your written communication 
o d. Keep a file of writing you can find effective or enjoyable 
 4. VISUAL COMMUNICATION 
 - Visual communication is the act of using photographs, arts, drawings, sketches,
charts, and graphs to convey information. 
 - Visuals are often used as an aid during presentations to provide helpful context
alongside written and/or verbal communication. 
 - Because people have different learning styles, visual communication might be more
helpful for some to consume ideas and information. 
 - Here are few steps you can take to develop your visual communication skills: 
o a. Ask others before including visuals 
o b. Consider your audience 

COMMUNICATION PROCESS 

 · Communication is a continuous process which mainly involves three

elements: sender, message, and thereceiver. 
 · The elements involved in the communication process are explained in below detail: 
 1. Sender 
 - The sender or the communicator generates the messages and conveys it to the
receiver. He/she is the one who starts the communication. 
 2. Message 
 - It is the idea, information, view, fact, feeling, etc. that is generated by the sender
and is then intended to be communicated further. 
 3. Encoding 
 - The message generated by the sender is encoded symbolically such as in the form
of words, pictures, gestures, etc. before it is being conveyed. 
 4. Media 
 - It is the manner in which the encoded message is transmitted. The message may
be transmitted orally or in writing. The choice of medium is decided by the sender. 
 5. Decoding 
 - It is the process of converting symbols encoded by the sender. 
 6. Receiver 
 - He/she is the person who is last in the chain and for whom the message was sent
by the sender. Once the receiver receives the message and understand it in proper
perspective and acts according to the message, only then the purpose of
communication is successful. 
 7. Feedback 
 - Once the receiver confirms to the sender that he has receive the message and
understood it, the process of communication is complete. 
 8. Noise 
 - It refers to any obstruction that is caused by the sender, message, or receiver
during the process of communication. 

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 

 1. The use of over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms. 

 2. Emotional barriers and taboos 
 3. Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver 
 4. Differences in perception and viewpoint 
 5. Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties 
 6. Physical barriers to nonverbal communication 
 7. Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents 

 8. Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping 

 9. Cultural differences 

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION 

 · Have you ever wondered who’s responsible for the targeted social media ads you
see as you scroll through your feeds or the emails that let you know about events and
promotions you’re actually interested in? 
 · The professionals behind these marketing tactic works in digital communication
– a field that is indispensable to most organizations today. 
 · According to Mckinley Marketing Partners, digital marketing
professionals were the most hired roles among all professionals in 2018, and 59% of
marketing leaders plan to hire for these role in 2019. 
 · Simply said, digital communication involves an organization’s online
communication efforts. Most organizations today use a wide range of online channels –
from their website to mobile chat to blogs – to connect with current and prospective
customers, employees, and other stakeholders. 
 · Digital communications professionals are responsible for everything from
creating online brand assets to building an engaged social media audience. 
 · “Today, the options for getting a message out are much broader and quicker than
they were just a few decades ago. Digital communication professionals have to be
mindful about how to put forward these new tools in the right way,” say Dr. Edward
Powers, professor in Northeastern’s Master of Science in Corporate and Organizational
Communication and Bachelor of Science in Digital Communication and Media. 

TOP SKILLS FOR SUCCESS IN DIGITAL COMMUNICATION 

 · Employers across industries are looking for digital communication professional with
a variety of specific skill sets. The chart below highlights
the top skills hiring managers were looking for in 2017 
 · Along with the above areas of expertise, there are also many “soft skills” that will
serve you well in a digital communication career, including: 

 1. FLEXIBILITY 
 - Those who thrive in digital communication tend to be people who are highly
adaptable, as priorities in his discipline often shift quickly. 
 - “Flexibility is highly valued in these roles,” explained Dr. Powers 
 2. A COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING 
 - Ongoing education is important for staying marketable and at the forefront of the
field, Dr. Powers says: It’s impossible to predict future changes but the most successful
digital communication professionals are committed to lifelong learning to stay ahead of
the rapid pace of change. 
 3. A PASSION FOR STORYTELLING 
 - Digital communications are often rooted in the art of persuasion, and one of the
best ways to persuade your audience is by crafting a strong narrative. 
 4. EMPHATY 
 - Being a strong communicator involves gaining a strong appreciation for your
audience and what drives them. Once you’re able to put yourself in the shoes of other
people you’re trying to influence, you can establish more meaningful – and more
effective – connections with them 
 5. CURIOUSITY 
 - “Being curious will carry you a long way,” says Dr. Powers. “The best digital
communication practitioners are those who crave a deeper understanding of the people,
processes, and channels of communication. 

COMMON DIGITAL COMMUNICATION CAREER PATHS 

 · The Association of Data- Driven Marketing and Advertising recently identified

key growth opportunities for digital communications professionalsin areas such as: 
 1. CONTENT MARKETING 
 - These role involve the planning, creating, and sharing of compelling content to
engage key audience. Unlike traditional marketing, content marketing isn’t about
promoting a product or service but about being a credible source of information that
matters to potential customers. 
 2. DIGITAL ADVERTISING 
 - Digital advertising professionals develop and execute strategies to reach highly
targeted audiences through an array of online channels, from Google
AdWords to Instagram 
 3. DATA- DRIVEN MARKETING 
 - These roles involves testing various marketing approaches, analysing and
interpreting data, and measuring the results of marketing campaigns. 
 4. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO) 
 - Professionals in these roles implement, analyse, and continuously update
website content and technical features to increase an organization’s search engine
ranking. 
 5. SOCIAL MEDIA 
 - Social media professionals are responsible for developing and executing social
media marketing campaigns to influence a target audience, which includes the creation
and curation of visual and written content. 

Why earn a degree in digital communication? 

 · Securing a productive career in digital communication requires specialized

knowledge, a mastery of digital skills, and experience in applying those skills in the real
world. 
 · One way to gain this knowledge and experience is by earning a specialized degree,
such as Northeastern’s Bachelor of Science in Digital Communication and Media
Program, which offers a novel way for students to gain both the theoretical knowledge
and the hands-on experience they need to advance this field. 
 · In this program, students and a professor collaborate with an employer in a short-
term project that addresses a particular real-world problem their company has, enabling
 students to build their knowledge and skills through direct experiences outside
classroom. 
 · In Northeastern’s BS in Digital Communication and Media Program, you’ll also
have the opportunity to: 
 - Understand and apply the principles of marketing 
 - Hone your writing skills to persuade and inform 
 - Discover how to use design as a communication tool 
 - Apply fundamentals of visual communication 
 - Examine consumer behaviour 
 - Analyse and interpret data 
 - Explore the practice of public relation 
 - Learn about the many facets of social media communication 
 - Become well versed in web and mobile development and database management. 

EFFECTIVE EMAIL COMMUNICATION 

 · Although email is a valuable tool, it creates some challenges for writers.

Miscommunication can easily occur when people have different expectations about the
message that they send and receive. 
 · Email is used for many different purposes, including contacting friends,
communicating with professors and supervisors, requesting information, and applying
for jobs, internships, and scholarships. 
 · Depending on the purpose, the message you send will differ in their formality,
intended audience, and desire outcomes. 

When is email the appropriate form of communication to use? 

 · Email is a good way to get your message across when: 

 1. You need to get in touch with a person who is hard to reach via telephone or is not
located in the same part of the county 
 2. The information you want to share is not time- sensitive 
 3. You need to send someone an electronic file, such as a document for a course, a
spreadsheet full of data, or a rough draft of your paper 
 4. You need to distribute information to a large number of people quickly 
 5. You need a written record of the communication 

When is email NOT an appropriate form of communication to use? 

 · Email is not an effective means of communication when: 

 1. Your message is long and complicated or requires additional discussion that would
best be accomplished face-to-face 
 2. The information is highly confidential
 3. Your message is emotionally charged or the tone of the message could be easily
misconstrued. 

Who is your audience? 

 · People have different opinions what email should look like, so it is always helpful to
be aware of the expectations of your audience. 
 · For example, some people regard email as a rapid and informal form of
communication – a way to say “hello” or to ask a quick question. 
 · However, others view email as simply a more convenient way to transmit a formal
letter. Such people may consider an informal email rude or unprofessional. 
 · Making assumptions about your audience’s expectations increases the risk that
your message or its tone will be misinterpreted. 
 · To ensure that your message has its intended effect, use the following questions to
help you think about your audience and their needs: 
 · Who is your audience? How often does your audience use email to communicate? 
 · What is your audience relationship to you? 
 · What do you want your audience to think or assume about you? 
 · What kind of impression do you want to make? 

BASIC ELEMENTS OF AN EMAIL MESSAGE 

 · When you think of an email message, you might think of a person you’re sending it
and what you’re going to say. However, an effective email has many more elements
than these few. 
 1. SUBJECT LINE 
 · What is the email about? A good subject line summarizes the email and makes it
sound important enough for the reader to open. Subject lines like “Hello” or “Meeting”
are vague and make it difficult to know what the email will be about 
 2. SENDER 
 · The email address of the person who sent the message appears here. Most email
services display the person’s name before their email address to make it easier to
identify them. When you press “reply”, you email will only go to this person 
 3. RECEPIENT 
 · If you are receiving the message, your email address probably won’t appear hear.
Instead, you might see wording like “to me” 
 4. SALUTATION 
 · After the subject line, you email salutation or greeting is the next part that the
recipient will see. It should match the tone you’re trying to set in the rest of your email.  
 5. EMAIL BODY 
 · The email body contains the message of the email. Effective emails keeps their
email bodies short and add more extensive information to the attachments. 
 6. CLOSING 
 · If an email message is an electronic letter, it’s polite to end it with a closing. The
closing you choose should match the tone of the rest of the email. 
 7. SIGNATURE 
 · Friendly letters might sign off with the sender’s name. But many business email
accounts have signature section that includes the sender’s position, company, and even
company logo. 
 8. ATTACHMENTS 
 ·  An email might include an attachment that provides more information. The
attachment could be a document for review, a picture to share or any other file type. 

EIGHT TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE EMAIL COMMUNICATION 

By: Nancy Friedman, the Telephone Doctor 

 1. Practice being clear and concise with your message 

 2. Before sending, always reread you message and double check for grammar and
misused words 
 3. Copy back salient points when replying to an early message 
 4. Use specific subject line description 
 5. Realize that once your message is sent, it is difficult to recall 
 6. Practice the 24-hour rule when you’re upset 
 7. Avoid shortcuts and abbreviations in email messages 
 8. Don’t forward viral messages .

CHAPTER 7 – DIGITAL MEDIA (Part 1) 

DIGITAL MEDIA 

 · To define digital media, we can start by looking at the term itself: 

 - Digital is defined as any data represented by a series of digit. 
 - Media refers to a method of broadcasting or communicating information. 
 · So, in layman’s terms, digital media refers to any kind of information broadcast to
us through a screen. 
 · Digital media is also define as any form of media that uses electronic devices for
distribution. This form of media can be created, viewed, modified, and distributed via
electronic devices. 
 · Digital media is commonly used in software, video games, videos, websites,
social media, and online advertising. 
 · Even though digital media is part of our everyday culture, business owners still
find themselves uncomfortable with replacing their paper advertising with digital
marketing services. 
 · A weather app on a smartphone, a racing game on a video game console, and an
ultrasound imaging device in a hospital are all digital media products. All of these are
successful because they are engaging, easy to use (even fun in the case of games),
and deliver results. 
 · Digital media is also a blend of technology and content, and building digital media
products requires teams of professional with diverse skills including: technical skills,
artistic skills, analytical and production coordination skills. 
 · All of these skills need to be balanced on a team, with all team members focused
on creating the best user experience. 
 · The world we live in today is populated by digital media products, and these
products enable and deliver experiences in many industries, including industries that
aren’t typically associated with digital media – such as health, government,
and education. 
 · Digital media products can be found in: 
 - eCommerce 
 - games (console, online and mobile) 
 - website and mobile application 
 - animation 
 - social media 
 - video 
 - augmented reality 
 - virtual reality 
 - data visualization 
 - location- based services 
 - interactive storytelling 
 · You might think that digital media is a very broad term – and you’re right. In
practice, almost anything we access through a digital device can be thought of
as digital media. 
 · However, with the constant shifts in technology, one cannot deny the influence that
digital media has over our way of life. It changes the way we educate, entertain, publish,
and interact with one another
 on a daily basis. 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIGITAL MEDIA 

 a. FORMATS 
 1. AUDIO 
 - It refers to the digital media we listen to. We can listen to audio by streaming it
online, or listening to .mp3 or .mp4 (among others) offline. 
 - Some examples of digital audio include: 
 a. Song produced for video streaming sites (Youtube) 
 b. Songs that are sold digitally (iTunes and Google Play) 
 c.  Video or computer games soundtracks 
 d. Audio transmitted over the internet (VoIP) 
 2. VIDEO 
 - Video is both visual and auditory. Like audio, it can also be access online and
offline. 
 - Some examples of digital video are: 
 a. Videos produced for video streaming sites 
 b. Movies that can be streamed or downloaded from the internet 
 c. Live video 
 3. PHOTOS/ILLUSTRATIONS 
 - It can be found everywhere on digital devices. This type of static media is an
essential part of the user interfaces of computers, phones, and tablets. 
 4. TEXT 
 - Most digital media includes some kind of text. Text allows you to navigate through
the user interfaces of digital devices and software packages. Online, search engine
crawlers use text to help you locate webpages. 
 b. CONTENT TYPES 
 1. EBOOKS 
 - An e-book is a book published in a digital format. This could mean anything from a
10-page PDF on a weight loss to a work of literature sold digitally and accessed via e-
reader. 
 2. BLOG POST/ARTICLES 
 - Blog posts and article are another type of digital media. They are shorter than e-
books, can be accessed online, and can typically be read in 5 to 20 minutes. 
 3. SOCIAL MEDIA 
 - Popular social media network include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. On social
media, content can be posted by anyone. 
 4. ADVERTISING 
 - Online advertising is another example of digital media. Some types of digital media
ads include website banner ads, search ads, video ads, and social media ads. 
 5. DIGITAL ART 
 - Some digital media creators produce illustrations, videos, music, or photographs as
a form of art. Digital art can be sold or monetized on marketplaces such as Getty
Images (photos), iTunes (music), and Youtube (videos) 
 6. VIDEO GAMES 
 - Video games are designed for people’s entertainment. They are typically played on
a gaming console, though some types of games can also be played on a computer,
tablet, or smartphone. 
 7. VIRTUAL REALITY 
 - This is considered as a new type of digital media. Virtual reality involves wearing a
headset and viewing an immersive digital experience. This experience might include
colors, sounds, or highly realistic graphics, and videos.  

THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL MEDIA 

 · Computers were created a very long time before they finally became accessible to
virtually everyone. 
 · However, between the time computers were manufactured and when it became
possible for anyone to own them, their storage capacity, as well as their computing
powers greatly increased. 
 · The presence of smartphones and personal computers have made digital media
more effective for a reason. That reason can simply the ease with which digital media
can be shared, accessed, and modified. 
 · Although digital media can be said to be an uncomfortable replacement for print
media, its influence on the society can be likened to the influence that printing press had
when it first came into limelight. 
 · Just like print media, digital media require some skills before it can be effectively
enjoyed. When the print media became a phenomenon, people required the ability to
read and write before enjoying it. 
 · In addition to the ability to read and write which print media requires, digital media
requires its users to be able to browse through the internet conveniently and also
develop digital convent. 
 · Generally, the form of literacy which is required for people to be able to make use of
digital media is called digital literacy. 

DIGITAL GRAPHICS 

 - It is an electronic image that can be used for a variety of different things, however
the image does not always have to be used on electronic devices as it can be printed
and used. 
 - It can be used in a variety of ways, the most obvious being in the creation
of websites and video games. 
 - Typically, digital graphics will provide a better user experience and aid business in
creating and providing a website that can serve its purpose while remaining
professional. 

GRAPHIC DESIGN 

 - Uses visual composition to solve problems and communicate ideas

through typography, imagery, color, and form. 

EIGHT (8) TYPES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN 

 1. VISUAL IDENTITY GRAPHIC DESIGN 

 - It is the visual elements of brand identity that act as the face of the brand to
communicate those intangible qualities through images, shapes, and colors. 
 - Designers that specialize in this type collaborate with brand stakeholders to create
assets like logos, typography, color palettes, and image libraries that represent a
brand’s personality. 
 - Visual identity design is the most common type of graphic design.  
 - Visual identity graphic designers must possess a general knowledge of all types of
graphic design in order to create design elements that are suitable across all visual
media. They also need excellent communication, conceptual and creative skills, and a
passion for researching industries, organizations, trends, and competitors.
 2. MARKETING AND ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN 
 - When most people think of graphic design, they think of designs created
for marketing and advertising. 
 - Great marketing engages people based on the wants, needs, awareness, and
satisfaction they have about as product, service, or brand.  
 - Marketing designers work with company owners, directors, managers, or marketing
professional to create assets for marketing strategies.  
 - Some examples of marketing graphic designs are: postcards and flyers,
magazine and newspaper ads, posters, banners and billboards, info graphics,
brochures, and others.  
 - Marketing designers need excellent communication, problem solving, and time
management skills. 
 3. USER INTERFACE GRAPHIC DESIGN 
 - A user interface (UI) is how the user interacts with a device or application. UI
design is the process of designing interfaces to make them easy to use and provide a
user-friendly experience. 
 - A UI includes all of the things a user interacts with – the screen, keyboard and
mouse – but in the context of graphic design, UI design focuses on the user’s visual
experience and the design of on-screen graphic elements like buttons, menus, micro-
interactions, and more. 
 - UI designers specialize in desktop apps, mobile apps, web apps and
games. They work closely with
 UX (user experience) designers (who determine how the apps works) and UI
developers (who write the code to make it work) 
 - Examples of user interface graphic design are web page design, theme design,
game interfaces, app design, and more. 
 - UI designers need knowledge of programming languages like HTML,
CSS, and JavaScript 
 4. PUBLICATION GRAPHIC DESIGN 
 - Publications are long-form pieces that communicate with an audience through
public distribution. They have been traditionally been a print medium.
 - Publication design is a classic type of design – books, newspapers, magazines,
and catalogs. 
 - Graphic designers that specialize in publication work with editors and publishers to
create layouts with carefully selected typography and accompanying artwork, which
includes photography, graphics, and illustrations. 
 - Publication designer must possess excellent communication, layout and
organizational skills. In addition, they need to understand color management, printing,
and digital publishing. 
 5. PACKAGING GRAPHIC DESIGN 
 - Most design require some form of packaging to protect and prepare them for
storage, distribution, and sale.  
 - But packaging design can also communicate directly to consumers, which makes it
an extremely valuable marketing tool.  
 - Packaging designers create concepts, develop mock-ups, and create the print-
ready files for a product. This requires expert knowledge of print processes and keen
understanding of industrial design and manufacturing. 
 - Packaging designers may be a jack-of-all-trades or specialize in a specific type of
packaging (like labels or beverage cans) or a specific industry (like food or children’s’
toy) 
 6. MOTION GRAPHIC DESIGN 
 - Simply put, motion graphics are graphics that are in motion. This can
include animation, audio, typography, imagery, video, and other effects that are
used in online media, television, and film. 
 - Motion graphics is one of the newest types of design and can be found across all
digital platforms, which has created all sorts of new areas and opportunities. 
 - Examples of motion graphic design are: title sequence and end credits,
advertisements, animated logos, trailers, presentations, promotional videos,
tutorial videos, and others. 
 7. ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGN
 - This visually connects people to places to improve their overall experience by
making spaces more memorable, interesting, informative, or easier to navigate.  
 - It is also consider as a broad type of design. Examples of this are signage, wall
murals, museum exhibitions, office branding. 
 8. ART AND ILLUSTRATION FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN 
 - Graphic art and illustration are often seen as being the same as graphic design,
however they’re each very different. 
 - Examples of art and illustration for graphic design are: T-shirt design, graphic
patterns for textiles, motion graphics, video games, book covers, and comic
books. 

THE FIVE PURPOSE OF DIGITAL GRAPHICS

 1. To Educate 
 2. To inform 
 3. To promote 
 4. To advertise 
 5. To entertain 

CHAPTER 8 – CYBERTHREATS, SECURITY, AND PRIVACY ISSUE (Part 1) 

COMPUTER THREATS 

 · If you do not take measures to keep your computer safe, your computer – and you
– could become the target of a cybercrime. 
 · Cybercrimes are those instances when criminals, known as hackers or
attackers, access your computer for malicious reason.  
 · You can fall victim by cybercrime any time you are on an unprotected computer,
receive a deceptive email claiming there is an “urgent matter” regarding your Monster
account, or just surfing the web. 
 · They might be seeking sensitive, personal identification information stored on your
computer, like credit card numbers or private account logins they use for financial gain
or to access your online services for criminal purposes. 
 · They could also want your computer resources, including your internet connection,
to increase bandwidth for infecting other computers. 
 · The more computers a criminal hides behind, the harder it becomes for law
enforcement to figure out where the criminal is. If the criminal can’t be found, he can’t
stopped and prosecuted. 
 · There are many different threats to your computer’s safety, as well as many
different ways a hacker could try to steal your data or infect your computer. 
 · Your online security and cybercrime prevention can be straightforward. In general,
online criminals are trying to make their money as quickly and easily as possible.  

DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPUTER THREATS 

 1. Vulnerabilities 
 a. How they attack? 
 · Vulnerabilities are flaws in computer software that create weaknesses in your
computer or network’s overall security. Vulnerabilities can also be created by improper
computer or security configurations.  
 · Threats exploit the weaknesses of vulnerabilities, resulting in potential damage to
the computer or its data. 
 b. How do you know? 
 · Companies announce vulnerabilities as they are discovered and quickly work to fix
them with software and security “patches.” 
 c. What to do? 
 - Keep software and security patches up to date. 
 - Configure security settings for your operating system, internet browser and security
software 
 - Companies should develop personal security policies for online behaviour, and
individuals should be sure to adopt their own policies to promote online safety. 
 - Install a proactive security solution like Norton Internet Security to block threats
targeting vulnerabilities. 
 2. Spyware 
 a. How it attacks? 
 · Spyware can be downloaded from web sites, email messages, instant messages,
and direct file-sharing connections.  
 · Additionally, a user may unknowingly receive spyware by accepting an End User
License Agreement from a software program. 
 b. How do you know? 
 · Spyware frequently attempts to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or simply
not making its presence on a system known to the user. 
 c. What to do? 
 - Use a reputable proactively internet security program to proactively protect from
spyware and other security risks. 
 - Configure the firewall in the reputable internet security program to block unsolicited
requests for outbound communication 
 - Do not accept or open suspicious error dialogs from within the browser 
 - Spyware may come as part of a “free deal” offer – do not accept free deals 
 - Always carefully read the End User License Agreement at install time and cancel if
other “programs” are being installed as part of the desire program 
 - Keep software and security patches up to date. 
 3. Spam 
 a. How it attacks? 
 · Email spam is the electronic version of junk mail. It involves sending unwanted
messages, often unsolicited advertising, to a large number of recipients.  

 · Spam is a serious security concern, as it can be used to deliver email that could
contain Trojan horses, viruses, worms, spyware, and targeted attacks aimed at
obtaining sensitive, personal identification information 
 b. How do you know? 
 · Messages that do not include your email address in the TO or CC fields are
common forms of spam. Some spam can contain offensive language or links to web
sited with inappropriate content. 
 · Also, some spam may include hidden text that only becomes visible if you highlight
the content – a common trick spammers use to get their email to pass through spam
filters without detection. 
 c. What to do? 
 - Install spam filtering/blocking software. 
 - If you suspect an email is spam, do not respond – just delete it. 
 - Reject all instant messages from people who are not on you buddy list. 
 - Do not click on URL links within IM unless they are from a known sources and
expected 
 - Keep software and security patches up to date. 
 4. Malware 
 a. How it attack? 
 · Malware is a category of malicious code that includes viruses, worms, and Trojan
horses. Malware will also seek to exploit existing vulnerabilities on systems making their
entry quiet and easy. 
 b. How do you know? 
 · Malware works to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or by simply not
making its presence on a system known to the user. You might notice your system is
processing at a slower rate than what you are used to. 
 c. What to do? 
 - Only open email or IM attachments that come from trusted sources that are
expected 
 - Have email attachments scanned by a reputable internet security program prior to
opening 
 - Delete all unwanted messages without opening 
 - Do not click on web links sent by someone you do not know 
 - If a person on your buddy list is sending strange messages, files or web site links,
terminate your IM session 
 - Scan all files with a reputable internet security program before transferring them to
your system 
 - Only transfer files from well-known sources. 
 - Use reputable internet security program to block all unsolicited outbound
communication. 
 - Keep software and security patches up to date. 
 5. Phishing 
 a. How it attacks? 
 · Phishing is essentially an online con game, and phishers are nothing more than
techsavvy con artists and identity thieves.  
 · They use spam, malicious web sites, email messages, and instant messages to
trick people into divulging sensitive information, such as bank and credit card
information or access to personal accounts. 
 b. How do you know? 
 · Phishers, pretending to be legitimate companies, may use email to request
personal information and instruct recipients to respond through malicious web sites.
They may also claim that an urgent action is needed to lure recipients into downloading
malicious programs onto their computers. 
 · Phishers tend to use emotional languages like scare tactics or urgent request to
entice recipients to respond.

After you open and run an infected program or attachment, you might notice the impacts to
your computers right away. Here are few indicators: 
 - Your computer runs more slowly than normal 
 - Your computer stops responding or locks up often 
 - Your computer crashes and restarts every few minutes 
 - Your computer restarts on its own and then fails to run normally 
 - You see unusual error messages 
 - You see distorted menus and dialog boxes 

CYBERINTRUDERS: TROLLS, SPIES, HACKERS, & THEIVES 

 · “There isn’t a corporation in the world that can’t be penetrated, not one,” says Mike
McConnell, former U.S Director of National Intelligence 
 · McConnell was talking about companies’ openness to cyberattacks, attempts to
gain unauthorized access to or to disrupt or damage a computer system or electronic
communication network. 
 1. TROLLS 
 · Not a scary fairy tale creature who lives under a bridge, a troll is a person who
posts intentionally offensive, incendiary, or off-topics comments online, to upset people.
 · “In recent years, trolls have become a scourge,” says one report. “Reasoned
political discussion is often so overwhelmed by venomous, tit-for-tat name – calling that
website have to shut down their comment boards, as hundreds and even thousands of
invective – filled responses pour in.”  
 · The phenomenon occurs, it’s suggested, because of an “online dis-inhibition effect”
that allows people who might never utter a hateful word in person to unleash withering
vitriol on comment boards. 
 2. SPIES 
 · In 2010, the average visit to one of the 50 most popular U.S websites (such as
Google, Facebook, and Yahoo!) yielded 10 instances of data collection. By March
2013, that figure had jumped to 42 instances.  
 · “The rise in data collection has been driven by the online-advertising business,”
says one report, “which uses information about web users to target ads. Over the past
few years, hundreds of companies have been vying to place tracking technologies
across the web to determine what users might want to see or buy.” 
 · For instance, Facebook, which has a billion-plus users, is using new ways to cull
information from outside the social network to match it with data from its user, the
purpose being to win over advertisers such as General Motors. 
 · Advertisers are also moving beyond people’s personal computers to better pin-point
mobile users’ online activity on their smartphones and tablets, the better to track users
across such devices. 
 · All such data collecting – spying, really – is perfectly legal, as is much of the
gathering of personal facts about us by credit agencies, educational and health
institutions, and agencies of the U.S government. 
 · Data brokers can easily buy all our health records and financial records, so that our
personal data ends up by wandering to places you’ve never been.
 3. HACKERS 
 · Although the term original referred to a computer enthusiast or a clever or expert
programmer, a hacker is now considered to be a person who gains unauthorized
access to computers or network. Hackers are divided into three types: 
 a. Malicious Hackers 
 - Malicious hackers known as crackers are people who break into computers for
destructive purposes – to obtain information for financial gain, shut down hardware,
pirate software, steal people’s credit information, or alter or destroy data. 

 - Among types of malicious software are the following: 

 1. Script Kiddies 
 Ø teenagers without much technical expertise who use downloadable software or
other existing code to perform malicious break-ins 
 2. Hacktivists 
 Ø “Hacker activists,” people who break into computer system for politically or
socially motivated purposes. 
 3. Black-hat hackers 
 Ø Often professional criminals, are those who break into computer systems –
recently including smartphones and Twitter – to steal or destroy information or to use it
for illegal profit. 
 4. Cyberterrorists 
 Ø According to FBI, it is any premeditated, politically motivated attack against
information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which results in violence
against non-combatant targets by sub-national group or clandestine agents. 
 b. Benign Hackers 
 - Also called thrill-seeker hackers are hackers who illegally access computer
systems simply for the challenge of it, not to damage or steal anything; their reward is
the achievement of breaking in. 
 c. Benevolent Hackers 
 - Called ethical hackers, also known as white-hat hackers, are usually
computer professionals who break into computer systems and networks with the
knowledge of their owners to expose security flaws that can be fixed.
 4. THIEVES 
 · There is a widespread belief that cybercrime is large, rapidly growing, profitable,
and highly evolved. 
 · Actually, it’s not; the popular accounts and statistics are wildly inflated. Most cyber
thieves make very little money. 
 · Cybercrime billionaires are hard to locate because there aren’t any. Still, we should
know what kind of people are out there trying. There are so many types of
cyberthievery, going on that we cannot cover all the kinds of perpetrators. Some
examples follow: 
 a. Employees 
 - They are considered as the largest group of cyberthieves, simply because they
have better access to their companies’ computer systems. 
 -  Workers may use information technology for personal profit or to steal hardware
or information to sell. They may also use it to seek revenge for real or imagined wrongs,
such as being passed over for promotion, indeed, the disgruntled employee is a
principal source of computer crime. 
 b. Outside Partners and Suppliers 
 - Suppliers and clients may also gain access to a company’s information technology
and use it to commit crimes, especially since intranets and extranets have become
more commonplace. 
 - Partners and vendors also may be the inadvertent source of hacker mischief
because their systems may not be as well protected as the larger partner’s networks
and computers, and so a third party may penetrate their security.
 c. Hardware Thieves 
 - Hardware theft can range from shoplifting an accessory in a computer store to
removing a laptop or tablet from someone’s car. 
 - Professional criminals may steal shipments of microprocessor chips off a loading
dock; steal desktop computers, laptops, and other devices for their parts; or even pry
cash machines out of shopping-center walls.
 d. Con Artists, Scammers, and Counterfeiters 
 - Fraudulent behavior extends to almost every area of life on the World Wide Web,
and because it sometimes seems no different from standard e-commerce, it may be
hard to discern the criminality in it. 
 - The difference, of course, is usually that involves a deal that is almost too good to
be believed. 
CYBERATTACKS AND MALWARE 

 · Internet users, especially home users, are not nearly as safe as they believe,
according to a study by McAfee and the nonprofit National Cyber Security Alliance. 
 · Of 378 adult studied, 92% believed that they were safe from viruses; however,
only 51% had up-to-date virus software. And 73% thought they has a firewall installed,
but only 64% actually had it enabled. 
 · Little more than half had antispyware protection, and only about 12% had phishing
protection. Such protections are essential in the Wild West world of today’s internet. 

OTHER CYBERTHREATS 

 1. DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACKS 
 - Also called distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attack, consist of making
repeated request of a computer system or network, thereby overloading it and denying
legitimate users access to it. 
 2. VIRUSES 
 - It is a rogue program that migrates through the internet or via operating systems
and attaches itself to different program files that spread from one computer to another,
leaving infections.  
 - Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file, which means the virus may
exist on your computer but cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the
malicious program. 
 - Because a virus is spread by human action, people will unknowingly continue the
spread of a computer virus by sharing infecting files or sending emails with viruses as
attachments in the email. 
 3. WORMS 
 - It is a program, a subclass of a virus, that copies itself repeatedly into a computers’
memory or onto a disk/flash drive/USB device. 
 - Unlike virus, it has the capability to travel without any human action. A worm takes
advantage of file or information transport features on your system, which is what allows
it to travel unaided.  
 - Sometimes, it will copy itself so often it will cause a computer to crash.  
 4. TROJAN HORSES 
 - It is a program that pretends to be a useful program, usually free, such as game or
screen saver, but carries viruses, or destructive instructions, that perpetrate mischief
without your knowledge 
 - It first appears to be useful software but will do damage once installed or run on
your computer. 
 - Those on the receiving end of a Trojan horse are usually tricked into opening it,
because they believe that they are receiving legitimate software or files from a reputable
source. 
 - Once the Trojan horse is activated, the results may be merely annoying, or they
may be severely damaging, as when files are deleted and information destroyed. 
 5. ROOTKITS & BACKDOORS 
 - A rootkit is a secret software program installed in a computer’s operating system
that someone in another location can use to take control of the computer. 
 - Rootkits may then change the operating system settings so that the malware
program is not visible.  
 - On the other hand, backdoors is a means of accessing a computer program that
bypasses security mechanisms.  
 - A backdoor may be a legitimate device that a programmer puts into a program as
an undocumented means of entry so that the program can be accessed for
troubleshooting or other purpose. 
 6. BLENDED THREATS 
 - It uses multiple techniques to attack a computer system. That is, a blended threat
bundles some of the worst aspects of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other malware
and then uses server and Internet vulnerabilities to initiate and spread a cyberattack. 
 7. RANSOMWARE 
 - A botnet may be used to install ransomware, a malware that holds a computer, its
data, a particular function hostage until a ransom is paid.  
 - Ransomware encrypts the target’s files, and the attacker tells the victim to make a
payment of a specified amount to a special account to receive the decryption pay. 
 8. TIME, LOGIC, AND EMAIL BOMBS 
 - A time bomb is a malware programmed to “go off” at a particular time or date. 
 - A logic bomb is “detonated” when a specific events occurs. 
 - Email bomb overwhelm a person’s email account by surreptitiously subscribing it to
dozens or even hundreds of mailing lists. 
 9. PHONE MALWARE 
 - Worms and viruses and other malware are attacking smartphones. The most
common type of cellphone infection occurs when a cellphone downloads an infected file
from a PC or the internet, but phone-to-phone viruses are also on the rise. 
 - Infected files usually show up disguised as applications such as games, security
patches, add-on functionalities, and, of course, erotica and free stuff. 
 - Future possibilities include cellphone spyware – so someone can see every
number you call and listen to your conversations – and viruses that steal financial
information, which will become more serious as smartphones are used as common
payment devices.
 - Ultimately, more connectivity means more exposure to viruses and faster spreading
of infection.