Civil Rights in the Information Age

The information age brings new and exciting things, but it brings problems too. With people breaching people’s privacy and separate laws being taken out purely because they need to stop people intruding into others person al things. With recent scandals like the phone hacking one being brought to the public eye, it is in no doubt that it has been brought to the country’s attention.

Phone Hacking

Phone hacking was recently brought to the public eye when Rupert Murdoch’s ‘News of the World’ was caught phone hacking various celebrities and people just to get stories for their newspaper, this is illegal to do this. Phone hacking is linking into someone’s calls or voicemail without the person knowing so, or giving consent- doing this is a clear violation of their privacy and is not legal. Due to the phone usually having a pin and many users not wishing to change this, it makes it easier for their phone to be hacked. Although in sight of the recent controversy with the phone hacking through ‘News of the World’ they have changed their system so that this cannot happen anymore.

The ‘News of the World’ controversy with the phone hacking brought light onto the situation which could be happening to many people, it allowed people to see how easy it is to access their phones. They targeted many people, some members of the Royal family were targeted through this. They even went to horrible lengths of hacking Milly Dowler’s voicemail, which lead to this interfering with the investigation.

Phone hacking is a clear breach of one persons privacy and completely shows that in some cases people cannot have any privacy.

The Data protection act

The data protection act is a list of laws in which are put in place to show people that if someone does invade their privacy then they can be punished for it and shall not be able to get away  with it. They are in essence rules that have become known due to the development in the information age;

-Data must not be disclosed to other parties without the consent of the individual whom it is about, unless there is legislation or other overriding legitimate reason to share the information (for example, the prevention or detection of crime). It is an offence for Other Parties to obtain this personal data without authorisation.

-Individuals have a right of access to the information held about them, subject to certain exceptions (for example, information held for the prevention or detection of crime).

-Personal information may be kept for no longer than is necessary and must be kept up to date.

-Personal information may not be sent outside the European economic area  unless the individual whom it is about has consented or adequate protection is in place, for example by the use of a prescribed form of contract to govern the transmission of the data.

-Subject to some exceptions for organisations that only do very simple processing, and for domestic use, all entities that process personal information must register with the Information commissioners office.

-The departments of a company that are holding personal information are required to have adequate security measures in place. Those include technical measures (such as firewalls) and organisational measures (such as staff training).

-Subjects have the right to have factually incorrectinformation corrected (note: this does not extend to matters of opinion)

Phone Tracking

Phones can now be installed with tracking devices so that either the police or someone’s parents know where they are, but in some cases the person who owns the phone does not know they possess this information. Phone tracking is a device which is inserted into the phone and through GPS they are able to see where the person is, through this device. It is usually a small chip which is inserted in the phone. It is good in some ways for people who want to know where their children are if they go missing, they can get their position, it is also bad because it cannot always be accurate. 

Crime Prevention and Cyber Crime

Cyber crime prevention

With the growth in the information age and the ways in which it operates, it is no surprise that the systems are being checked or used to help detect or prevent crime. Many crimes are committed through the internet which is used vastly throughout the world; many of these crimes are making some money. The internet is increasingly getting larger and many more people are now beginning to trust the internet with their details and other important things which online criminals would be able to do damage with. The information ages also allows crime prevention not just online with the police forces using software such as finger printing, face recognition, CCTV, Number plate recognition and many other things which have only recently become available in preventing crime.

Cyber Crime

The internet is growing rapidly and with this constant growth comes a large increase in online crimes. The internet is a place which is predominantly reasonably safe, although in some cases it is not as safe as it is made out to be. The most common crimes done online are fraud where people steal people’s money, identity and other personal things they have. Although a extremely common crime which is constantly happening is illegal downloading, where people download a range of multimedia without paying for it.

Online theft is by far the biggest crime that currently goes on through the internet. Many criminals now find it easier to obtain the data about someone they need to either copy their identity or steal money from their account. Many of these are done frequently and it is becoming a problem. Major online money services such as PayPal are usual targets to hack due to the high amount of money which is put through the system everyday.

Phishing is a problem online too because many criminals will ensure that what they do looks highly professional and you’re extremely likely to fall for it. They will usually send out emails which give you a link to a website similar to your banks, you will click on it and fill in your details believing that it your website, the fraudster will then have access to copious amounts of information about your account and yourself leaving you vulnerable to fraud.

Another form of cyber crime is people hacking others computers and putting viruses into their computer. Many people create viruses either for fun, so they can make money in making a software to fix it or so they can get revenge on someone. Viruses can slow down the computer and in some cases break it completely. They are usually sent through emails as a link and once clicked on begin to ruin your computer, in some cases they’re found online through websites. Viruses are all over the internet and they can be extremely harmful to computers, people make them purely to mess up a computer and this is what they do.

I personally am lucky in the respect I have never experienced and of these problems, but many people do and they can cause a lot of stress and hassle for the person who has to deal with them.

Crime Prevention

With the information age making many things throughout the world done by technology it is no surprised that the police have begun using all types of technology to solve crimes. They have begun using finger printing, CCTV, Face recognition, number plate recognition and many more to help prevent or detect crime.

Finger Printing is one major way that people have begun to detect crime and prevent it. The police now take people’s finger prints if they’re being held for a crime, so given with forensics they get a fingerprint all they have to do is match it with someone’s on the database. This is a great way of finding someone and getting their information. Finger printing is a use of technology which helps make things safer and helps catch criminals faster, it allows us to get to them quickly. They are able to easily scan and upload criminals to the database so that if they commit another crime it is easily able to detect them.

CCTV is another way in which technology has developed. They now use CCTV in most places; shops, car parks, streets, the list goes on. CCTV allows you to catch things on camera, mainly crime such as shoplifting can be caught on camera and easily detected. It helps prevent crime and solve crime, people are less likely to commit crime if they know that the chance of them being caught is higher than before, and if they do then the camera shows their face and they can see the person if they have done it, or not. Face recognition can also come into this because through the databases used if they are caught on CCTV then they can use the picture of their face to detect who it is, both of these are extremely useful in policing and allow them to detect crime easier than before.

Number plate recognition helps a lot with an extremely common problem of people speeding throughout the country. The camera’s which are set up throughout the country allow the car which is speeding to be detected and then through the use of the database you’re able to find out their details to issue them which ever punishment they deserve. It is extremely useful in cracking down on the growing problem of people breaking the speeding limits throughout the country. 

Entertainment in the Information age

Entertainment in the information

Entertainment is a main aspect of the information age which continues to develop throughout the years. The way that entertainment has become such a large spectre of the modern world is an accurate representation of how technology is continuing to move on through the information age. You now can access different forms of entertainment throughout the world, it is really conventional. Many people dispute whether all this development with technology is healthy, and that we rely heavily on technology, which is true but technology makes many things run smoother.

Gaming in the information age

The games industry is a huge significance of where the information age has moved on, it has progressed a lot. Whereas 30 years ago the main form of entertainment was board games, or playing a physical game, you can now play games like football and tennis online. New game consoles have been developed recently such as Nitendo Wii and PlayStation move in which you can now play games such as cricket or bowling through these consoles. Technology has been developed an undeniable amount to the extent that you can almost do anything on games. Many of the games have been developed so that all ages can play them, such as games such as brain training on the Nitendo DS which can cater for most ages, from young adults to older generations. Whereas you have other games which have been specifically designed for younger people, such as Guitar Hero which is one of the best-selling video games in the history of video games, it is extremely successful throughout the world. The game was so successful that they have made many different versions of it, and guitar hero 3 being the best-selling video game ever, and Call of Duty being a close second. Video games are sold throughout the world and they are becoming increasingly popular throughout the years and with the information age it is only certain that it will carry on progressing.

Advantages:

-          People can have fun in the comfort of their home

-          You can enjoy it as a family

-          You only have to buy the console and games then you can play for as long as you want

Disadvantages:

-          Less interaction with real people

-          You are more reliant on technology

-          Some have said it is dangerous to your health

-          People can get addicted to such games and they become heavily reliant on these virtual worlds to have fun

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2010/mar/21/tom-bissell-video-game-cocaine-addiction

I personally use this kind of technology and I believe it is great for many things, it has moved things on quickly. The technology is a great way of having fun and gives you the opportunity to do things which have yet to be done before. Although this may hinder other entertainment industries such as film or music, it is unlikely it will stop growing in the near future.

iPod’s, iPad’s and MP3 players

Music use to be all done through CD’s and radio, larger objects which now are considered out-dated. The music devices now are smaller than most people’s hands, and they are a lot different to what they were a few years ago. Music devices continue to get smaller and smaller, with Apple and their iPod’s being the smallest devices for having music on, with their iPod shuffle being just a little bit bigger than a finger, but being able to store so many songs.

Furthermore they have also combined it with Nike to create Nike ID, this allows the music on your iPod to change music to the pace you’re going. It is planted in the shoe, and it reacts. Music and the technology that came with it is developing every single day. Little devices can hold thousands of songs, whereas you’d use to of had a CD with 10-15 songs on.

Advantage:

-          They use less space

-          They’re more convenient

-          You can have many songs to carry around with you

Disadvantage:

-          The music is not of as good quality

-          If it is too loud then you can cause damage to your ears

-          As it is accessible to download from the internet meaning CD’s are not sold as much and it is more likely to illegally download music for free.

iPod’s and other MP3 devices are extremely useful. I use them most of the time and could not live without one.

Films in the Information Age

The films in the information age are changing a lot now. You now have 3D tv’s, cinema and even 3D games consoles are now becoming 3D. 3D TV has only recently been introduced, but 3D cinema viewing has been around a couple of years. The 3D idea allows you to watch films in a different format to your usual one, many people like 3D but others disagree. It means that the images on the TV are projected out of it and you almost feel as if you’re part of the screen. The 3D effect makes things almost “pop out” at you, with popular images such as water, throwing things out and others it looks as if it will hit you.

Advantages:

-          It is different to the kind of TV you view every day

-          It is something modern and in some cases makes films more fun

-          You’re more inclined to feel as if you’re part of it

Disadvantages:

-          You have to wear glasses

-          Some people receive headaches from watching things in 3D

-          It is substantially more to watch something in 3D or buy 3D televisions

Films like this are common to be in 3D due to the action in it: 

I personally have used this technology and feel as if it is a revelation. It is great to watch action movies on because the things jump out at you and it makes you feel more part of it. It is a lot different to usual cinema or TV and I liked that.

Education with the information age

The information age has helped developed education in schools in the recent years. ICT in schools has developed in the recent years as now many classrooms use the technology frequently to do all sorts of things throughout the school. They now use a computer to register people’s details about their school life, making it easier as everything is stored in one place. They also now use interactive whiteboards to teach children in large numbers, meaning that the information ages has helped develop the way people work.

SIMS in schools

SIMS in schools, which stands for Student Information Management System, has helped develop the way schools work. You can now monitor a range of different things with this, such as; attendance, behaviour, academic achievements, personal details, school photo and their timetable. This makes it a lot easier as you’re able to just find the details you need really quickly and do what you need to. It means that everything is stored in one place and is more convenient.

This system allows you to record everything you need to, it has many files and is a lot more convenient.

Advantages:

-          You can have all the data in one place

-          You can keep a record of everything easily

-          It is more environmentally friendly than having various different pieces of paper

Disadvantages:

-          If the system is down then the whole school will suffer

-          You have to pay to install it

-          Records can be deleted causing a lot of problems

I personally think that systems such as SIMS are great because they allow you to easily have all the data put on one place and to be kept safely. St Gregory’s use it and it works well for the school as you have everything you need in one place.

Computer use in classrooms

Computer use in classrooms had now become almost essential for the classroom to function properly. Most classrooms today use computers and whiteboards to teach their students the subjects, with these you can use a range of resources to teach the children what they need to know. An interactive whiteboard allows the class to learn as a group and to all participate in the work. Many teachers use it as nowadays the textbook is outdated and many teachers use eBooks to teach their class.

Advantages:

-          Saves paper through books

-          The whole class can get involved

-          It makes things easier in some cases, i.e. explaining something visually

Disadvantages:

-          Some people may not see it

-          Classes could be halted if the whiteboard does not work

I personally like using computers in classrooms and think that interactive whiteboards are useful as they help show the whole class everything they need to explain.

Computers for students

In most cases, students have their own computer and in all cases they have a log in account. They’re able to save work and keep everything they need to on their account. The use of computers for students is extremely helpful as they might not have computer access at home making it essential they use it at school, this makes it useful for those who need it. Computers for students allow them to be able to do individual research, type up notes and make work more presentable and this is good because it looks better.

Advantages:

-          They can do work neatly

-          Individual research can be done

-          Allows people who don’t have a computer at home to use a computer

Disadvantage:

-          It has been proven that hand written notes have more of a benefit than typed up notes

-          Some people may not be able to use computer which would take time training

-          Would cost the school a lot to have them in every classroom for every student

I personally think that a computer in every class for every student would be helpful as you could always save it and you wouldn’t have lots of different pieces of paper laying around which you usually would throw away. It would allow your work to be more readable and organised.

Computers for teachers

Teachers generally all have a computer to use nowadays because it has become almost essential. They need systems such as SIMS so they can register their students and find out the information needed; it also allows them to register behaviour. They also need the computers because they may need to print out worksheets or do demonstrations on the computers. Computers are essential for teachers in most cases because they’re able to access most things and it can also in most cases enhances their learning and education. Computers for teachers are really helpful and useful and the majority of the teachers have them.

Advantages:

-          Computers allow the teachers to involve the whole class

-          They can give lessons through fun activities on the board

-          Print off worksheets and all

Disadvantage:

-          May get distracted

-          Accidentally download viruses to school network

I personally think that computers for teachers is essential because it makes their life a lot easier than it would be without. It allows them to teach the class in an array of ways which enhances their education. It allows them to sometimes make the less interesting subjects a little more fun which will make the students want to learn about it more.

Recently it has been questioned that each student should have their own laptop, some people think this is a good idea and are willing to allow them to have it, but others feel as if it not necessary. Laptops for children would be good because they’d be able to access computers all the time, but the cost to give each student one would be impeccably high. I think that laptops would benefit some people but others would get highly distracted.

In conclusion, I think that the information ages had moved on the educational world from chalkboard to interactive boards, it seems that the way in which it is increasing is simply unstoppable.  

Introduction to the Information Age

ICT in the information age

Life in the information has developed an undeniable amount in the past few years, with things that were unthinkable being able to be done now! If you were to time travel back to the time of the first computer, I doubt you would even know what it was. Traditionally computers were used for computing instead of the main use today which is most likely use of online sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google. Once they discovered a few things to do on a computer, it seemed like an endless trail of things to do kept on coming.

Working Styles

Life in information age has changed the way that people work with it going from people working in an office with no computer and only typewriters to do their work, to many offices now being full of state of the art computers, the difference between around 40 years of technology is overwhelming. It is clear that now days an office would not be able to function without a computer to store data, type things up and use spreadsheets, but not so long ago, nothing was done by a computer, it was mainly done by hand. Storage was simple, with them using filing cabinets instead of a hard drive to store their data. 

It is not hard to see how working styles have moved on, with people usually using computers over paper, as it is more convenient. No one really knows when the first computer was officially made, but it is suggested that in 1910 Henry Babbage finished the project after his father had given him the idea, which he formulated. Computers then developed from there, going from huge to small.

I believe that computers had a huge impact on the way people work in offices because they help make things faster to do. If someone from modern times was to be put in an office from about 40 years ago, it would almost be foreign to them because many businesses and offices are highly dependant on computers, you’re able to store everything you need on a computer, or a laptop which is portable and you can take it anywhere.

Working styles have developed a lot, people are now more dependant than ever on computers in offices. With newer computers like Macs which everyone seems to be beginning to use being able to do so many things which seemed impossible to people before are now easy to do.

Email is a main change within the working world because before computers they would send letters which for a response would take quite a long time, whereas to send an email now you can send it in a matter of minutes and receive it back quickly too. Email has formed the ICT world, it makes it so much easier to communicate with people throughout the world. It allows people to make connections a lot easier as there is not much effort involved, it is also more environmentally friendly because there is no paper used. Another change is presentations, whereas before presentations would have been done by paper and all drawn out, now it can be done by computer making it easier and faster to do. Presentations can now be more fun and entertaining with things such as multimeida clips being added in.

Another example of techology in offices is the different software they have, they have all different software and programmes for offices, this makes it more convenient and easy for the user to use. I personally think that this is an exceptional change because now you have specific programmes for different things you’d have to do.

Overall techonology in working places such as offices has changed a phenominal amount, with the offices back in 1970’s being nearly unrecognisable now. You’re able to do most of the office tasks through a computer making it so much easier to work within this environment.

Online Entertainment

Online Entertainment

Online entertainment has become a world wide phenomenon in the recent years. The entertainment side of the internet is probably the highest within the internet with sites such as Youtube and others becoming increasingly popular. People have begun not just using entertainment on the internet for business or educational purposes, but to enjoy themselves.

Viewing media online

Catch Up services such as 4 on Demand and BBC iPlayer are now becoming a huge as people who cannot always catch it on TV have the chance to do watch it online making it a lot easier for people. Most channels have developed an online website for their programmes to be caught up on. With the numbers up substantially, it is apparent that there is a huge interest in sites that offer you the chance to watch things you’ve missed.

4 on Demand which is a big site was launched in November 2006 and has become bigger and bigger, showing that people are beginning to use the internet for personal entertainment. 4 on Demand have recently had a connection with Youtube, which is one of the main distributors for online entertainment videos, and you’re now able to watch 4 on Demand through Youtube.

Youtube is at the heart of the media world with it reaching over 700 billion playbacks in 2010 alone, meaning with the way its increasing, it is sure to be a lot higher this year. Youtube can offer you a range of things from music videos to something of comical value. You can upload videos too, making your own videos and allowing people to see what you have made, and for upcoming artists it’s a great way to establish yourself as big artists such as Justin Bieber established himself through Youtube as a talent agent saw him through his videos.

Personally I like using these services as they’re entertaining and it means if I miss something or I want to view something funny, I can do it easily.

Advantages;

-          You can catch up on the programmes you’ve missed

-          You can view a wide range of videos online

-          It is entertaining and free, meaning more cost effective

Disadvantages;

-          You may experience buffering/lagging due to bad internet connection

-          You need an internet connection to view them

-          Some things require you have an account

Online Gaming

With technology developing it is no surprise that online gaming has become more and more popular throughout the web. You can go on games throughout the web, with different sites being specifically for gaming. You now have the option of using your games console such as playstation’s or Xboxes to play online with other people. It has developed a lot in the past few years, and many people do get “addicted” to online gaming.

Online gaming includes a range of games, you can play actual classic games such as Tetris or newer games such as Second Life in which you create an avatar and you can live in this second world, games such as this become a huge part of peoples life to the extent of people spending more time online than in the actual world.

Sites that offer these games can make money from it too because in many cases many people are willing to pay for these add-ons even though they’re virtual, many people will give over their details to further their game. This also applies for online gambling, many people become addicted. However in some cases people can make their living through online gambling, or they can just do it for fun. You’re able to play other people online or play against the computer, in both cases you can win or lose money.

Advantages;

-          You can have fun online

-          You can meet new people online

-          In some cases you can make money online

Disadvantages;

-          If you buy things, you’re handing over personal details

-          You can get “addicted” to some games

-          Could download viruses to your computer

 I personally have used these games  and think that they can be quite fun sometimes, however I would not hand over card details online because many of the websites are not well known. However I have used educational games through my revision for my GCSE’s and found the way they were fun but beneficial too.

iTunes

iTunes is really good because you can download a range of different things from the software which is used through the internet. You can download different things such as apps, films, music, podcasts, etc. In some cases they’re free, but most of the time you have to pay because the artist collects money from it. iTunes is good for offering a wide range of choice which you could download meaning you are not limited. However in recent years, many people have begun copying music from iTunes and distributing it illegally, meaning they do not have permission to be giving out the details.

With people illegally downloading, it means the amount of actual downloads have decreased rapidly making less money. In 1997 78 million singles were downloaded, however last year it was just 8.3 millions in the UK. Many people just find it easier to go online and download instead of paying for it, this however is illegal. If you download illegally, you can faces charges through the civil rights or you may be fined huge amounts of money. It also impacts on the artists as less of their music is actually being sold.

Although overall iTunes it is great because you can download the things you need easily and quickly, even if it comes at a price you know it will work.

Advantages;

-          You have a huge range of things you can download

-          You know it will work

-          You can get films, music and other things before they’re released in the shops

Disadvantages;

-          You have to pay a lot for the songs

-          You have to have specific software

I use iTunes and download my music from there, although sometimes it is less cost effective it is legal and I can always find what I want, which is a good copy. I can also download videos etc off of iTunes making it fun.

Download Services

Download services are something which we are able to download via the internet to our computer, you can download a range of different services throughout the net which can make life a lot easier in some cases. Downloading services have become a big part of peoples life,  many computer users are using downloads for a number of reasons whether it is to find a manual, or download something for you entertainment, they’re constantly being used. However, they do carry positives and negatives with these services.

Software downloads

Download services are essential for software downloads because instead of having to arrange for someone to do it for you, or buying a disk to download the software, you’re now able to download the software to your computer through the internet which can save a lot of time. You can download them to a range of devices like; Laptops, computers, iPads, iPhones, Android phones, etc. This obviously makes it a lot easier. Technology has had a massive shift as this task used to only be able to be done in a shop, in which you’d no doubt of had to pay, whereas now you can do it at the click of a button.

Advantages:

-          It is more convenient for people to do it this way

-          You can do it from the comfort of your home

-          You can do it yourself

Disadvantages

-          It may take your computer along time

-          You may have to update a range of things to install other things

I personally have updated by using this and think it is a lot easier as you do not have to do much other than click a button and it does it all for you. It makes it more convenient too, as you can leave your laptop alone to do it most of the time.

Software updates

Software updates are easier to do by downloading the service because it is more convenient as you can either plug your device in or search the device you’re on and you’re then able to update your software when you want to. Apple are known for this, they use the software iTunes to detect an update within the device, it is a great way to get updates quickly! They have now developed it so you can update from your iPhone, it is a great way to do it because it is very quick!

Advantages:

-          It is quick and easy

-          Usually free

-          Don’t have to go to the shop to get it done

Disadvantages:

-          You may become reliant on the internet for your updates

-          You could be tricked into downloading a virus

-          You may not like the new software

I personally like the fact I can download the updates very quickly and easily without having to go to a shop, it makes life a lot easier doing it this way.

PDF

Portable Document Format is a system in which it allows you to download files from the internet which gives you information about most things you need. You can download most things such as Bus timetables, manuals and other information things you may need. They are easier in the way that you do not have to download all the languages in the information pack, you can select the language or select part you want. You can download them to a range of devices which is good because then you don’t just need certain ones to use this format.

Advantages;

-          They’re quick to download

-          Saves paper for the environment

-          You save time as you select what you want

Disadvantages;

-          You need a device, whereas you don’t if you call up

-          Possibility of downloading a virus

-          You need internet connection to download them

I personally find PDF files great because it means I can look at say bus times or train times before I get on the bus/train, meaning I can ensure I am there on time which is a lot easier than waiting around. I have not had any problems with them as in downloading viruses which is helpful.

Downloading Apps

In the past few years there has been a huge increase in the amount of apps being downloaded, with various different devices coming out that offer you the chance to download apps, it is no surprise that the amount of people buying apps has increased. Apps can be used for entertainment, informational and other purposes. Apple have used a tag line “There’s an app for everything”, which at the moment it seems to be proven true!

With Technology making it as easy as a click to download an app to your computer, phone or kindle it is sometimes a shock when someone doesn’t use apps.

Advantages;

-          They’re fun for many reasons, but can give you information too

-          They’re easy to download

-          Many apps do not require payment

-          If it is on your phone, you can access it whenever

-          You can connect both computer and phone apps in one accounts

Disadvantages;

-          Some apps do require you pay

-          You may download something you don’t want to

-          Takes up memory you may not need to be taken up

I think apps are great! I regularly use them and without them I would find it really odd. However some apps do require money and then they’re not so good. But overall I think they’re great!

Angry Birds is a worldwide app which is HUGE!  Click this link