Cultural Issues of Computer Science

Cultural Issues of Computer Science

1. Social Media

   • Can connect with others across the world
   • Cyber-bullying/Trolling
     • Can affect the mental health of those being bullied
   • Children can abuse the social media to access inappropriate material

2. Censorship

   • Companies and sometimes governments can control what users can see
   • Some powerful counties such as China or North Korea have very strict laws against the access of censored data generally foreign social media sources
   • Most commonly sites are age-restricted to protect children
   • Restricts access to controversial information

3. Surveillance

   • Computers are often surveyed and watched by autonomous machines
   • Governments can keep an eye on potential threats from all across the country such as terrorism
   • CCTV is common in most developed countries especially the UK
     • The UK also has a watch list of potential threats which is constantly updated and used

4. Health

   • Eyestrain is a common issue effecting regular users of technology
   • Repetetive Strain Injury can be caused by consistant use of technology
   • Back problems can also be caused by sitting down for too long

5. Social Well-being

   • Companies and others can pressure people into purchasing technology they otherwise would not buy
   • Physical interaction is much less common now and some people are saying this may lead to further problems in the future
   • This can lead to additional stress from work where people cannot escape even once they leave

6. Culture

   • Sharing of images has become more common
   • Social Media and Dating Sites changes how we interact with each other
   • Libraries and other physical media are becoming much more infrequent due to this media becoming more easily accessible on the internet

7. Buisness

   • Access to the internet has made making a living working for yourself much more viable
   • People can buy and sell services and products much more easily due to the internet
     • Sites such as Uber, AirBnB, Amazon and E-Bay are all very common forms of income online

8. Digital Divide

   • Rich Vs Poor
     • Those with internet access are often at an advantage over those who do not
       • They're able to apply for jobs, set up businesses and advertise more than those who do not have internet access
     • The divide between countries is also increased due to internet access increasing the inequality
   • Campaigns and other projects have been set up to try and reduce the inequality across countries

9. Privacy

   • Websites require personal information
   • Online activities can be 'sold' to advertisers
   • Hackers can access your private information
   • Companies cannot always be trusted to keep data safe