SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC

IMPACT OF INFORMATION
AND COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY
 OBJECTIVE
• Describe suitable countermeasures to mitigate effects of identified threats
COUNTERMEASURES TO MITIGATE THE
EFFECTS OF IDENTIFIED THREATS
Lesson #3
 COUNTERMEASURES TO MITIGATE THE
EFFECTS OF IDENTIFIED THREATS
Earlier the concept of security was identified as a process of mitigating or eliminating risk by
implementing countermeasures. Three areas of countermeasures are:
Physical measure
Software measures
Personal security practice
 COUNTERMEASURES TO
MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF
IDENTIFIED THREATS
Physical Security Measures
This is any mechanism that reduces the risk of unauthorized access to a computer system’s
hardware.
These can be:
1. Controlling access to locations containing computer hardware
2. Restricting the movement of computer hardware and storage media
3. Reducing the chances of damage to hardware and storage media from environmental
damage and deliberate damage
COUNTERMEASURES TO
MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF
IDENTIFIED THREATS
 COUNTERMEASURES TO
MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF
IDENTIFIED THREATS
Software Measures
Software countermeasures are a combination of specialized system software and application
software used to protect computer systems.
COUNTERMEASURES TO
MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF
IDENTIFIED THREATS
 COUNTERMEASURES TO
MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF
IDENTIFIED THREATS
Personal Security practices
Personal security practices are countermeasures used by individuals to implement computer
security and cybersecurity.
COUNTERMEASURES TO
MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF
IDENTIFIED THREATS
“
WHAT HAVE WE LEARN?

”
 QUESTIONS
1. Suggest THREE physical countermeasures that an e-commerce business may employ to
prevent unauthorized persons accessing their computer systems.
2. How can using a computer at work impact on someone‘s health?
IMPACT ON JOB SKILLS
AND CAREERS
 OBJECTIVES
1. Assess the effect of automation on job security
2. Describe the roles of various personnel in computer-related profession
3. Assess the impact of information and communications technology on selected fields
EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION ON JOB
SECURITY
Lesson #4
 EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION ON
JOB SECURITY
• In office, typist have had to retrain to become skilled word processing clerks.
• In education, teachers and lecturers need skills similar to those of modern office personnel to
access student records, produce test papers and maintain electronic mark books.
• Medical personnel need to access patient records, produce documents, plot charts and graphs
of patients progress and operate computerized life-support systems.
• Musicians now use computers as a creative too to create, mix and distribute their music.
 EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION ON
JOB SECURITY
• Mass media personnel also use computers in a creative way. Newspaper publishers must be
skilled in desktop publishing to lay out their magazines and papers. Photo-editing skills are
needed to enhance pictures ready for publication. In the visual mass media such as
television, the skills to create animations, charts and graphs must be mastered.
• Law enforcement officers require computer literacy skills including word processing to fill
in crime reports, database skills to access criminal records, and specialists skills to operate a
variety of software such as fingerprint-matching and photo-fit picture software.
 EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION ON
JOB SECURITY
• In the movie industry, staff must be able to exploit the power of computer, particularly when
editing the movie and in the production of special effects, animation and computer
modelling.
 ROLES OF VARIOUS PERSONNEL IN
COMPUTER-RELATED PROFESSIONS
 ROLES OF VARIOUS PERSONNEL IN
COMPUTER-RELATED
PROFESSIONS
Job Title Role Role
Network Engineer Responsible for the design and implementation of
computer network LANs, MAN’s and WAN’s
Computer Programmer Writes programs based on specifications, prepares
documentation and maintains existing software
Computer Support Specialist Assists users who are having problems with their
computer systems. Known as a help desk this service is
often available as telephone support.
System Analyst Oversees activities related to the design and
development of new information systems.
 ROLES OF VARIOUS PERSONNEL IN
Job Title Role
Database Administrator
Network Administrator
Software Developer
Web Developer
COMPUTER-RELATED
PROFESSIONS
Role
Responsible for designing and maintaining the
organization’s database system
Responsible for day-to-day smooth running of an
organization’s network
Work with the system analyst and develops the program
specifications that the programmers will work from
Takes a web design from a client and turns it into an
operational website
 ROLES OF VARIOUS PERSONNEL IN
Job Title Role
Social Media Specialist
System Administrator
COMPUTER-RELATED
PROFESSIONS
Role
Responsible for planning and implementing a
company’s social media strategy and output which may
include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and
many more.
Responsible for the day-to-day running and management
of the computer systems. Installs and updates software
and ensures the system is secure.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Computers and their impact on Education
Schools, universities and other educational institutions use computers in several ways:
• Educational software helps students understand a subject better. Some software can simulate
science experiments.
• Learners who have disabilities can take lessons and courses using specially designed
computers and software. Screen readers can read out the text on a computer screen to
visually impaired students.
• Any person can take e-learning courses at home in their own time on a computer with
internet access. (distant/online teaching and learning)
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
• Students can do research on the internet and put together projects using general-purpose
software. (information is readily accessible
• Students can work in groups (collaborative learning) without being in the same location.
• Computers hold records of staff and students.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
The increased use of technology in education has lead to increased plagiarism- the
practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.

Here are some hardware requirements needed to use technology in education:

• PCs and possibly a server in a larger institution
• Printers and scanners
• Speakers, microphones and other peripherals
• Smart boards
• Projectors
• Cameras etc.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Speakers, microphones and other peripherals help people with disabilities and may be needed
for some educational software.
Here are some software requirements:
• General-purpose software that can help students write and prepare assignments and projects.
• Educational software that allows students to create timetables and other administrative tools.
• Database software for keeping student records, such as educational management information
systems (EMIS).
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Computers and their impact on medicine
Science and technology rely heavily on computers and help to develop computers. An expert
system is software that can take in data and return a diagnosis or predict an outcome by doing
a simulation. Expert Systems are used to solve problems. They are also called knowledge-
based systems because they work by comparing data against a large database of information.
Here are some examples:
• Weather stations use software that can analyse the current weather conditions to predict what
the weather will be like over the next few days.
• Expert systems are important for taking hurricanes and other natural disasters.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
• Sophisticated laboratories use software and equipment that can analyse blood samples and
tissue samples.

Expert systems are very reliable because they cannot make biased or unsound judgements, but
they have to be kept up to date with the latest scientific information. The hardware
requirements could be powerful microcomputers or even a server that can process data and
store a lot of information, as well as, sensors that can gather the data. The software
requirement is the expert system as well as software to simulate scenarios.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Accessing information- patients are able to use internet software such as Google to research
symptoms. Google can provide enough information to provide a diagnoses as well as
appropriate medication.
Telemedicine-telemedicine allows health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat
patients at a distance using telecommunications technology.
eHealth- healthcare services provided electronically via the Internet. (Online access to health
services)
Teleradiology- this is the practice of a radiologist interpreting medical images while not
physically present in the location where the images are generated.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Computers and their impact on business
Many businesses and industries rely heavily on computer systems. Supermarkets have
specialised (Electronic Point of Sale) EPOS hardware and software. EPOS is a combination of
hardware and software used in retail outlets to improves service to customers and to control
stock.
Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS)
A computerized equipment that performs all the tasks at a store checkout counter. It allows
payments by bank or credit cards, verifies transactions, provides sales reports, coordinates
inventory data, and performs several other services normally provided by employees.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Companies allow certain groups of employees to work from home under an arrangement
called telecommuting. These employees stay at home but work over telephone lines. They
use their computers, the internet service and special system software to establish a secure
connection between the company’s computer system and their own.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Computers and their impact on law enforcement
Law enforcement agencies and organizations use computer technology to help them
investigate crimes and misdemeanours and settle cases faster and more efficiently. The names,
photos and details of criminals are kept on databases, and software is used to help solve
crimes. Civil law enforcement is used to maintain general law and order. Traffic fines come
under civil law enforcement.
Here are the software requirements:
• Database management systems that can store large amounts of data, such as photographs and
fingerprints.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
• Software that can compare and collect forensic and other evidence relating to crimes, such as
software that can analyse DNA results and software that can create an identikit image of a
suspect.
• Software for monitoring, such as phone-tapping software or software that the police use to
track vehicles and people.

Here are some possible hardware requirements:

• Microcomputers and servers for databases
• Scanners and printers
• Fax machines
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Computers and their impact on Recreation (Music & Gaming)
Computers and computer technology are not limited to work. Many people own computers to pursue
hobbies or play games. Here are some recreational pastimes where people use computers:
• Displaying and editing digital photos, such as holiday photos
• Surfing the internet to find out about things that interest them
• Playing music and putting together their own compilations and playlists to play on an MP3 or MP4
player
• Listening to a live radio broadcast as streaming audio using a computer and internet
• Editing and creating videos they can burn on to DVD
• Playing a variety of realistic-looking games that cover sports, combat, strategy, driving, flying and
many other themes.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
You will need the software for your chosen recreation. For example, to edit photos you will
need photo-editing software such as Adobe Photoshop.

The hardware requirements also depend on what you want to do:

• For gaming and anything involving graphics and photos, you need a personal computer with
a graphics and 3D card.
• To print out photos and pictures, you need a colour printer.
• To burn CDs and DVDs, you need CD and DVD writers.
• Games may also require joysticks and other peripherals that help you play the game, such as
a steering wheel.
 IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
The music industry uses computer technology to create and edit music. Recording studios can
use computers to modify the quality of music as well as merge different layers and sounds, and
add sound effects. Several programs allow you to record your own music then edit and
modify it. Most music software at large music companies is custom-written. Some hardware
requirements are computers and servers to run the software and the recording and editing
equipment.
“
“WHAT HAVE WE LEARN?”

”
 QUESTIONS
1. List THREE ways in which computers are now used in classrooms at your school in the
teaching/learning process.
2. Suggest THREE ways in which a nurse in a busy hospital may use a computer system.
3. What does EPOS stand for?
4. Where might an EPOS be found?