Outline #2

Effects Of Technology

I. Introduction Although technology brought us achievements and advancements, they also have negative effects pinned on them.There are some effects of technology that can be seen through health, social lives and the increase of crime rate.

 II. Body

      A. The first negative effect of technology is that it is bad for health.

           1. Modern technology is a contributing factor to many types of diseases.

               a. Electronic devices especially mobile phones emit certain radiations that are harmful to humans

                   i. According to the National Cancer Institute (2011), researchers have investigated the possible  

                      role of cell phones and other sources of radio frequency exposure and their cancer risks in

                      humans and animals

                b. 3D glasses emit several light rays that can affect the eyes.

                    i. Kenny & Keiler (2010) mentioned of a person affected by the light rays emitted by the usage

                       of a 3D glasses. As a result, his eyes would converge when he looks at a nearby object and

                       diverge when he looks in a distance (Kenny & Keiler, 2010).

           2. People who spend a lot of time using technology like the Internet, television and video games can 

               increase the likelihood of disease as a result not getting enough physical activities

               a. They are too occupied with social networks or games. This can take them away from exercising.  

               b. They can suffer other illnesses like lack of sleep, migraine and stress.

               c. The number of obese children have increased rapidly due to the invention of television.

                   i. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(2004), the number of obese 

                    children has tripled since 1980. The major cause of the rising numbers is due to electronic  

                    usage.

                  ii. Studies have shown that children who spend a lot of time watching television and playing video

                    games are at a higher risk of being obese. The study found that less than 30% children attend  

                    daily gym classes. Boyse, 2008).

          3. Technology advancements though they improve the country’s production sector, lead to                      

              environmental pollutions that are hazardous to humans beings.

              a. The Environmental Pollution Counters (2009) stated that those who use contaminated water are

                  prone to dangerous diseases such as diarrhoea and respiratory infections.

              b. Harmful gasses that are released to the atmosphere can also lead to diseases in children such as

                  asthma, eye irritations and skin problems.

   B. Technology can also affect social lives.

        1. Technology changes the way people communicate with one another.

            a. People prefer communicating through social networks instead of face-to-face interactions.

            b. Personal bonds can no longer exist as people prefer virtual communication.

                i. Making sure messages reflect their actual meaning presents extra challenges. For example, 

                   Internet acronyms or slangs such as "LOL" and "LMOA" describe laughter, but these are no 

                   real substitutes to people’s laughter. Laughter , has real power in lifting our spirits when we are

                   feeling low(Lickermen A., 2010).

            c. People can feel isolated because they only have “online” friends.

                i. Users may feel we are connecting effectively with others via the Internet, but too much 

                   electronic-relating paradoxically engenders a sense of social isolation(Lickermen A., 2010).

        2. Technology causes poor communication skills.

            a. Teenagers are able to express themselves virtually but are unable to do so verbally.

            b. People tend to say things without thinking.

                i. The Internet convinces people especially youths to follow the Western philosophy of absolute

                   freedom. It is therefore a paradise for individual achievements where private life is without

                   obstacles and external interference (Ru, 1998).

        3. Youths are exposed to negative influences.

            a. Without guidance youths will be influenced by what follow they see on the television, Internet and

                 radio.

                 i. The Internet corrupts people’s minds, influences and changes people’s moral perspectives and

                    ethical values Ru,1998). C. Lastly, technologies can also lead to various crimes.

      1. Cyber crimes that violate people’s privacy like hacking are on the rise.

           a. Many websites have been hacked by irresponsible people and caused important information and

               data to be lost.

               i. According to Lulz Security (2011), the cyber attack on Citibank seized 200,000 credit card

                 account numbers,customer names and email addresses.

            b. People’s private information can be obtained easily with technology.

              i. According to Bethesda (2011), hackers can gain access to user’s names, email addresses and

                 passwords.

       2. Technology has also enable people to easily share and obtain movies and songs.

            a. There are a lot of websites that offer free downloads. Hence,this will affect the film and music 

                industry.

                i. People are using the Internet to download or upload music files for free via the Internet Rema,

                   2009).

            b. The music and film industry suffer losses yearly due to declining sales.

                 i. EMI Records was forced to shut down in March 2009 and Universal Music had to relocate 

                    parts of its operation to India.

      3. Modern technology easily spreads rumours.

          a. Rumours can provoke and this can disturb the country’s peace and harmony.

III. Conclusion.

      While technology may have brought good, its negative effects are apparent.