Technological Innovation Essay -- Technology Technological Papers

Technological Innovation Works Cited Missing Technological innovation makes daily life more convenient and enjoyable for everyone. However, technological breakthroughs also produce social and ethical consequences. Computers are no exception to this rule. These products of modern technology can store massive amounts of information which help us perform at our best. However, they also generate new ethical dilemmas regarding who is able to access that information and how they use it. Thus, the ethical issue of privacy comes to the fore as well as problems associated with privacy like identity theft. The history of computing goes as far back as the 1600s. However, computers didn’t start to look like the ones we know today until the late 1900s. At first, computers were too big and too expensive for personal use. They were only used by businesses and the elite part of society. However, computer manufacturers like Apple and IBM began to refine and upgrade computers until they became practical for personal use. Today’s computers are much more advanced than their predecessors. Nowadays, we use computers for everything from grocery shopping to doing homework. â€Å"Tom Forester and Perry Morrison point out that Computers are the core technology of our times. They are the new paradigm, the new ‘common sense.’ In the comparatively short space of forty years, computers have become central to the operations of industrial societies. Without computers and computer networks, much of manufacturing industry, commerce, transport and distrib ution, government, the military, health services, education, and research would simply grind to a halt.† (1) Our society has become very dependent on this tech... ... They store massive amounts of information and make it easy for us to access. However, they also generate new ethical issues over who can gain access to this information while protecting our privacy. As we have seen, some people can illegally gain access to our private information and steal our identities. Therefore, we need to pass stiffer legislation to severely punish these criminals and keep them away from computers. We need to establish a database code that all companies would be required to follow. There needs to be more security passwords and better firewalls to prevent future attempts to gain access to the computer. Lastly, all information on these computers should be thoroughly encrypted to give citizens more piece of mind and added assurance that their privacy is protected. Thus, the ethical issue of privacy would come to an end.