Free Essay On Government’s Influence

While most of us would agree that the government affects us in areas normally thought as involving state authority such as tax collection, foreign policies, and criminal justice; the state also affects us in myriad smaller ways that often do not attract our attention or are not synonymous with government action. To be sure, the following is a description of some of the areas I found where the government has an underlying influence in my life.
Normally I am awoken each day by my alarm which is an app on my mobile phone. The alarm clocks syncs via the internet so that no matter where I go the alarm self-adjusts. In order to sync, my phone uses its 4G signal. Mobile phone signals, from 2G, 3G, 4G and beyond, are regulated by the government which determine the radio spectrums that mobile phone providers can use to send their signals.
As mentioned the app syncs the alarm to my location. In order for the app to known my location, I allow it to make use of my phones global positioning system (GPS). GPS is a U.S. government owned agency that has the responsibility provided the phone maker with position and navigation services needed for the phones GPS functionality to work.
The alarm app is useful because of its unique way of updating itself that it owners developed. Indeed, if another company could use the same technique the company that makes it might not be able to make money. In order to stop others from stealing the technique, the app’s company was obtained a patent. A patent is a government grant of the exclusive right to use an invention for a certain period of time. In other words, that government allows the app company from barring anyone else from using the technique without their authorization.
The website that my alarm app contacts to sync with is located on the internet. The internet is made accessible to me through my internet service provider (ISP). The government regulates ISP mainly by requiring them to abide by a policy known as “net neutrality” which requires them to treat all content providers, such as the clock website, the same rather than favoring some over others. Without this regulation, contacting the clock website might be slower than another website. This would cause my app to update slower and my alarm to ring later.
My ISP, app and the clock website all have a significant amount of my personal information including my address, phone number, social security number and credit card details. I provided this information in order to make use of their services. How they use, store and distribute that information is regulated by the government. Moreover, if that information is tampered with or otherwise wrongfully accessed the government regulates what each must do in terms of who must be notified and when.
After I get up, I usually go to the bathroom to use the toilet, brush my teeth and wash my face. The water that I use, in these activities is supplied to me by a utility company. A utility company is regulated by city or state regulations that control a number of aspects about the water such as the amount of fluoride that is in it. When I was my face I generally use hot water. The water is hot because it is heated in a tank somewhere in the apartment building. That tank uses electricity and gas to heat the water. That electricity and gas are also supplied by a utility company that is subject to city and state regulations.