Annotated Bibliography
Technology plays a big role in the lives of people in the modern society. The revolution in communications and computing since the last few decades is an indication that the progress in technology and implementation of information technology is likely to continue growing at an increasing rate. Almost every activity in the society today utilizes technology starting with communication, transportation, delivery of goods and services, and education. Additionally, the attitude towards science and technology has become another relevant dimension demanding public attention. Different technological developments reveal the impact of technology on the society. The following discussion focuses on modern forms technological advances represented by the use of drones, mobile phones, and Uber Technologies. The first source analyzes the effect of technology on people's lifestyles. The source focuses on the relationship between technology advancements, living conversations, and social interaction (Thiebaud 117-128). The second source addresses the impact of using drone technology on civilians. The source investigates the ethics of using drone technology and how its implementation can cause damages to innocent people (Center for Civilians in Conflict 1-48). The third source focuses on the ethics associated with using Uber technologies as a solution to transport problems (Fiegerman). The final source discusses the influence of smartphones on the face-to-face interaction in the current century (Ictech 1-91). The four sources play a significant role in understanding the impact of technology on the society.
questions. Columbia: Center for Civilians in Conflict (formerly CIVIC) and
Human Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School. 2012. Print.
The following report was written by the Center for Civilians in Conflict from Columbia Law School. The report claims how the United States has capitalized on the use of drones to target alleged militants. The use of drones has assisted the U.S. Army to challenge many terrorist activities, but the ethics associated with the technology raises questions that have never been answered to date. There are a growing number of public and political debates about the issue, and people are yet to discover the strategies used to ensure the drone destroys the intended target. The report revealed two issues regarding the ethics of drone technology. The first issue concerns secrecy and the second concerns the limits available to use drone platforms outside military operations. Information was gathered from publically available materials and reports from previously completed studies. The report recommended an overview of U.S. standards and practices to include public debate on issues affecting civilians. Additionally, the report called for sufficient civilian protection and sustainability when planning for drone strikes.
Fiegerman, Seth. “Ethically, is Uber a better choice than a taxi?” Mashable. 2015, July 25. <
http://mashable.com/2015/07/25/uber-vs-taxis/#Ii3NkoDdzkq5> Web: March 10, 2016.
Seth Fiegerman analyzed the use of Uber transportation solutions as an advancement on the current Cab business operations. The author based his argument on the best choice between a good ride and a happy driver. Uber offer excellent services where a customer uses a Smartphone application to call for Cab services at every location. However, the technology introduces ethical concerns regarding the welfare of normal cab drivers. There have been numerous crashes between Uber drivers and normal taxi operators. Uber drivers charge less to their customers and do not pay any revenue to the government, unlike normal taxi operators. The author used this argument as the basis for determining whether Uber services are ethical. According to Fiegerman, Uber offers the best and most convenient cab services and attract more customers because of their convenience. The advancement in technology through mobile gadgets makes it easier for a passenger to ask for cab services at the comfort of their houses. However, the author argues the business in unethical considering other cab drivers have to pack and wait for customers.
Ictech, Omar Bradley. "Smartphones and Face-to-Face Interactions: Extending Goffman to 21st
Century Conversation". University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1812. (2014).
The article focuses on mobile phone technology and its impact on face-to-face communication. Smartphone technology has transformed billions of people’s lives. The technology enables people to remain socially connected with families, friends, and relatives irrespective of distance, time, and space. The article by Ictech studies the how smartphones affected the face-to-face communications. Study results revealed three modes of Smartphone talks utilized by people today. These are collaborative, exclusive, and semi-exclusive. Smartphone technology promotes online interaction through the use of video links and other applications capable of connecting people.
However, the article discovered that Smartphone technology cannot replace face-to-face conversation because of the lack of physical contact with the other person. The author utilized the theory of cross-talk to explain the relationship between physical contact and the impact of face-to-face communication. The article concluded that Smartphone technology has changed the society's means of communication but cannot change the self.
Thiebaud, Jane, R. Effects of technology on people: Living F2F conversation and social
interaction. Proceedings of the Media Ecology Association. 11.1. (2010): 117-1298.
The article by Jane Thiebaud focuses on the impact of technology on people’s behaviors. The spoken word carried a lot of weight before the advancement in technology. However, the new age of the internet, social networking, and computer word processing has declined the power of the spoken word. People no longer talk but leave machines to do the talking. The author argues that technology makes human beings neglect one another and themselves and depend on machines to perform different activities. In the article, technology is described as the source of success in every industry and sector. Additionally, technology brings solutions to situations by enabling people to connect, communicate, and share with each other from different locations and at different times. Thiebaud’s article plays a significant role in understanding different changes that technology brought to the people and its social influence.
