MIDTERM_WEEK 10

SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the section, you should be able to;
1. Define information technology;
2. Illustrate how the social media and the information age
have impacted your lives;
3. Demonstrate the responsibilities necessary for
conducting one’s self in social media; and
4. Relate information technology to the concepts of the
good life and human flourishing.
 PAGES 156 – 158

THE INFORMATION
AGE
 INTRODUCTION
• The Information Age (also known as the Computer Age, Digital
Age, or New Media Age) is a historical period that began in the
mid-20th century, characterized by a rapid epochal shift from
traditional industry established by the Industrial Revolution to an
economy primarily based upon information technology.
• Michel Foucault, the celebrated French philosopher and social
theorist, underscored the correlation between knowledge and
power.
 KNOWLEDGE & POWER

Knowledge is a currency that Power to stay relevant, it

will always remain relevant. requires a medium that is
accessible, efficient and
consistent.

INFORMATION IS POWER.
 INTRODUCTION
• Information is the vector through which knowledge is coded,
transmitted, translated, appropriated and then consequently
applied.
• The development of the written language is considered to be one
of the identifying markers of civilization.
• By conceptualizing and inventing a system of symbols to
correspond to universally known ideas, humankind was able to
effectively and efficiently preserve and transmit knowledge.
 INTRODUCTION
• The Sumerians and the Chinese developed the earliest writing
system, humankind has been constantly generating, storing,
retrieving, manipulating and transmitting data.
ANCIENT PAPERS
• Clay tablets.
• Wood styluses,
• Silk Sheets, • Bamboo strips
• Leather
• Parchment
 LMS REFERENCES
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY IN OUR
DAILY LIVES
 Direct Quote from “Information
Technology in Our Daily Lives”
“It is common place to say that nowadays we live in an information
society, that is, a world of media saturation which is heavily
influenced by information technology, instantaneous movement of
information across time and space, which come under
communication in information technology (Webster, 2004, pp9)”
 12 Benefits of Information Technology in our Daily Life
1. Access to Information
2. New Jobs
3. Saves Time
4. Entertainment
5. Communication
6. Ease of Mobility
7. Cost Efficient
8. Learning Techniques
9. Disabled are Empowered
10. Globalization
11. Improved Banking
12. AI (Artificial Intelligence)
 PAGES 170 - 172

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
& HUMAN CONDITIONING
 JEAN BAUDRILLARD
• A French Social Philosopher and commentator, implied
that media technology has become an integral fixture in
modern history that it has effectively subjugated all
authentic human agencies and organic history.
• He argues that we now live in a world built on complex
layers of simulations that any attempt to dig out the true
and authentic spheres of existence is a futile one.
• Thus, truth is but how we exploit and maximize our
simulated realities to best benefits us.
• When Alan Turing theorized his test to measure the capacity of
machines to exhibit intelligence, he was basing his assumption on
humanity continuing to be the measure of all things.
• Today’s society, however, is saturated with computational data
pathways and digital paradigms that the next great challenge is not
really to blur the separation between the human and the digital, but
to identify the human from the machine.
Challenge – Response Test
CAPTCHA
(Completely Automated Public Turing Test
to Tell Computer and Human Apart)
• Creativity is a human affair that is still considered to be beyond
the capacity if machines to engage in.
• Creativity is a highly abstract and unpredictable human agency
that does not easily lend itself to predictive modes.
• David Cope, inventor of Experiments in Musical Intelligence
(EMI), demonstrate that an audience could not tell the difference
between a computer’s composition of Bach and a pianist’s
performance of Bach.
• Readers also could also not tell the difference between haikus
written by Japanese masters and a machine.
Technological Singularity; The Information Empire
• Information technology operates on the framework of recursive
improvements.
• Succeeding generations of computing hardware and software
features upgrades in all relevant aspects such as speed, complexity,
and variance.
• Cycle if recursive self – improvement will lead inevitably to an
artificial intelligence explosion that will in turn lead towards the
evolution of a so – called artificial super intelligence, or from
artificial intelligence (AI) to Automated Security Intelligence (ASI)
 Automated Security Intelligence (ASI)

• A self – learning system anomaly detection technology that collects

detailed operations logs from PCs and servers using monitoring
software”
• The development of the social media platform has significantly
paved the way of the development of ASI.
• Social media has become the favorite platform of exchange between
and among human entities, more than physical and organic spaces.
• Social theorist and computer scientists refers to this moment in
history as the Singularity
 LMS REFERENCES
ENHANCEMENT OF THE
QUALITY OF LIFE
• Is the most noticeable aspect of attaching information technology so
closely with our daily lives but it seems as if we are ignoring the problems
that it is bringing along with the much-needed enhancement.
• The most pragmatic yet optimistic side to having information technology at
hand is less consumption of time and a better quality of life.
• Technology has provided every sphere with an opportunity to make their
work a lot easier and organized.
• The expanding role of information technology in our daily lives has
allowed each one of us to stay aware and take in as much information as
we possibly can and at times much more than required. This implies that
the constant bombardment of information makes our daily life in this day
and age extremely stressful;
• It would be a mistake to think that information technology only
add perks to everyday life because it has many downsides as well
which can affect our lives immensely.
• However, we cannot always blame the technology for its
accessibility because the point of concern should be the people
who actually end up misusing this facility being provided to us for
a better life.
 LMS REFERENCES
CRITERIA FOR CREDIBLE
WEBSITES
 AUTHORITY
Authority reveals that the person, institution, or agency responsible for
a site has the qualifications and knowledge to do so. Evaluating a web
site for authority:
• Authorship: It should be clear who developed the site.
• Contact information should be clearly provided: e-mail address, snail
mail address, phone number, and fax number.
• Credentials: the author should state qualifications, credentials, or
personal background that gives them authority to present information.
• Check to see if the site supported by an organization or a commercial
body
 PURPOSE
The purpose of the information presented in the site should be
clear. Some sites are meant to inform, persuade, state an opinion,
entertain, or parody something or someone. Evaluating a web site
for purpose:
• Does the content support the purpose of the site?
• Is the information geared to a specific audience (students, scholars,
general readers)?
• Is the site organized and focused?
• Are the outside links appropriate for the site?
 COVERAGE
It is difficult to assess the extent of coverage since depth in a site, through
the use of links, can be infinite. One author may claim comprehensive
coverage of a topic while another may cover just one aspect of a topic.
Evaluating a web site for coverage:
• Does the site claim to be selective or comprehensive?
• Are the topics explored in depth?
• Compare the value of the site’s information compared to other similar
sites.
• Do the links go to outside sites rather than its own?
• Does the site provide information with no relevant outside links?
 CURRENCY
Currency of the site refers to:
• how current the information presented is, and
• how often the site is updated or maintained.
It is important to know when a site was created, when it was last
updated, and if all of the links are current. Evaluating a web site for
currency involves finding the date information was:
• first written
• placed on the web
• last revised
 CURRENCY
Then ask if:
• Links are up-to-date
• Links provided should be reliable. Dead links or references to sites
that have moved are not useful.
• Information provided is so trend-related that its usefulness is
limited to a certain time period?
• The site has been under construction for some time?
 OBJECTIVITY
The objectivity of the site should be clear. Beware of sites that
contain bias or do not admit its bias freely. Objective sites present
information with a minimum of bias. Evaluating a web site for
objectivity:
• Is the information presented with a particular bias?
• Does the information try to sway the audience?
• Does site advertising conflict with the content?
• Is the site trying to explain, inform, persuade, or sell something?
 ACCURACY
There are few standards to verify the accuracy of the information on the web. It is
the responsibility of the reader to assess the information presented. Evaluating a
web site for accuracy:
• Reliability: Is the author affiliated with a known, respectable institution?
• References: do statistics and other factual information receive proper references
as to their origin?
• Does the reading you have already done on the subject make the information
seem accurate?
• Is the information comparable to other sites on the same topic?
• Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and composition?
• Is a bibliography or reference list included?”
 LMS REFERENCES
WHY PEOPLE SHARE
INFORMATION
• A fascinating study by New York Times Consumer Insight Group
revealed the motivations that participants cited for sharing
information on social media.
• These include a desire to reveal valuable and entertaining content to
others; to define themselves; to grow and nourish relationships and to
get the word out about brands and causes they like or support.
• These factors have caused social networks to evolve from being a
handy means for keeping in touch with friends and family to being
used in ways that have a real impact on society.
• Social media is being used in ways that shape politics, business,
world culture, education, careers, innovation, and more.
Here are seven ways the impact of social media
is felt by individuals and social groups:
• The Effect of Social Media on Politics
• The Impact of Social Media on Society
• The Impact of Social Media on Commerce
• The Effects of Social Media on the World of Work
• The Impact of Social Media on Training and Development
• The Impact of Social Media on Personal Relationships
 LMS REFERENCES

THE MORAL CHALLENGES OF

SOCIAL MEDIA
 Social media has been blamed for
promoting social ills such as:
Cyberbullying
• Teenagers have a need to fit in, to be popular, and to outdo others. This process
was challenging long before the advent of social media. Add Facebook, Twitter,
Snapchat, and Instagram into the mix, and you suddenly have teenagers being
subjected feeling pressure to grow up too fast in an online world.
Lack of Privacy
• Stalking, identity theft, personal attacks, and misuse of information are some of the
threats faced by the users of social media. Most of the time, the users themselves
are to blame as they end up sharing content that should not be in the public eye.
The confusion arises from a lack of understanding of how the private and public
elements of an online profile actually work.
 Google form Link: https://forms.gle/BiXNkLyc6e9e1Kpo6

ACTIVITY #3
1. Research and report on Philippine regulations and laws that
protect privacy in the digital age.
2. Propose regulations on private firms’ databases on persons to
prevent invasions of privacy.
3. Given the brouhaha about the loss of data in the Department of
Foreign Affairs, do you think that the Philippines should have a
system of national ID cards? What information (biometrics,
chip) should they include?
 END OF
DISCUSSION