The Growth Of Information And Communication Technology

The Growth Of Information And Communication Technology The growth of information and communication technology has significantly impacted on every facet of the world on most often noted is the internet. The advancement of Information and communication technology ICT, coupled with the rapid uptake of increasingly affordable, key technologies such as the Internet, has also helped foster an environment that promotes globalization of knowledge and information. The Internet has revolutionalized communication making information access across boundaries deemed seemingly impossible in the past a thing of general practice. People around the world are able to communicate with unprecedented ease. In the past, government has enjoyed great successes in censoring traditional communication media and this has affected information flow to the masses. The internet on the other hand with is multi-directional information flow communication nature where anyone can air their opinions on any desired issue at will has posed great challenges to governments. For countries with repressive regimes, the Internet has become a revolutionary force as it allows the free flow of information and which has been perceived as threat by the authorities in some countries. Government in some countries have responded imposing strict censorship on Internet usage by the public through monitoring, filtering and access to some site in the internet in a bid to control access to information. Internet censorship can be defined as the control or suppression of the publishing or accessing of information on the Internet. Internet censorship has been a greatly debated topic around the world with people having different opinions. In most countries governments at different level have been the in the fore front in the campaign for a regulated internet. Though there are a few arguments that support the need to have the internet censored, it has been largely rejected by organizations and individuals across the world as censorship of the internet is widely regarded by many as an attempt by government to suppress freedom of speech. This essay examines the arguments against internet censorship by government, its impact, successes and failures of government in some countries that embarked on such projects, and the challenges they have faced. It also assesses the key importance of censorship and concludes with an individual opinion evaluating the stated arguments. The case against the government Campaigners against the governments censorship of the internet have strongly opposed censorship and have stated that it prevents freedom of speech thus undermining confidence and trusts in the medium and this inhibits crucial flows of data. Also, Internet censorship and filtering leads to monitoring which is seen by many as another big brother ploy by government to invade the public privacy. It is more often argued that the government will use internet censorship as a tool to promote political agenda and the public has been quick to conclude that the true voice of the public will not be heard. In Australia, the National-Anarchists reject any parliamentary censorship of material and the reasons given has been summed up simply, any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both Benjamin Franklin.[1] Reports on internet censorship show the level of its pervasiveness recently being experienced in some countries. There are several tools and solutions instituted by the government of these countries for the purpose of internet censorship and also the content censored also vary with most blocked contents being political, pornographic, religious contents and others. [2] The common argument used by most countries in proposing censorship is that of child pornography. Most people however believe that the governments plans on internet censorship do not quite provide the solution to child pornography. It is often seen as, and in fact proven by experts that websites play only a minor role in circulation of child abuse materials and cannot be simply banned by Government [1]. It is often suggested that censoring for children by utilizing a user backed software and filtering systems instead of governmental censorship is a viable solution for keeping children away from indecent internet content. There are several software systems that allow parental control of internet materials. The OpenNet Initiative (ONI) has made a categorization of nations that is classes as internet enemy list. The ONI is joint project between some academic institutions across the world with the goal to monitor and report on internet filtering and surveillance activities by different nation. The project uses several means to determine the extent and nature of government-run internet filtering programs. It lists China, Iran Saudi Arabia etc in the forefront of internet censorship in the world. A new wave is now being generated by the Australian government as it moves to launch its own internet censorship project, [3] which has sparked up several arguments across the world. According to the ONI reports, censorship varies with countries and some countries have pervasive filtering policies, often routinely blocking access to not just pornographic and prohibited contents, but also human rights organizations, news, blogs, and Web services that challenge the status quo or are deemed threatening or undesirable. The Chinese governments The Great firewall currently uses four mechanisms DNS blocking, reset commands, URL keyword blocking and content scanning to prevent Internet users in the country from reaching blacklisted Web sites or content [16]. This technique though quite effective faces some technology challenges as private VPNs used by banks, manufacturing and other businesses often allow users within these organizations bypass this great firewall. These VPN services are now even open to the public for sign up at a fee that is quite affordable and attempts by the government to clamp down on this may impact on the economy since businesses will be affecte d. The general public thus rides on this loophole [4]. Methods of implementing censorship have also been criticized. Blocking unwanted and prohibited content using a dynamic process that would require analysis of website content in real-time would significantly slow down the internet. This is already being experience on the china network. [4]. Reports from Australia also suggests this will be the case when the Australian project kick off. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) confirmed that under trial conditions internet filtering reduced speeds between 2% and in excess of 75%, but with half the tested products falling between 20-30%. It was concluded that proper implementation of the censorship project could result in a 20% drop in internet speeds [5]. Policies have been another hugely criticize factor. Often times government policies on censorship do not make a clear distinction on materials unfit for internet content, this resulting in legal and harmless contents being blocked. Organizations have challenged and even filed lawsuits to prevent passage of censorship bills in some states citing free speech violation and the decision to embark on censorship as unconstitutional. This is the case of a Utah Internet Censorship law, intended to restrict childrens access to material on the Internet but that may in fact also restrict adults access to a wide range of lawful material [6]. Examples cited COPA internet censorship law of 1998, included whether an education web page showing young women how to perform self examinations for breast cancer be banned and being classed as sexually explicit [7]. Australian government for example intends to use a public complaints mechanism for blacklisting URLs as well as URLs provided by international agencies. Analysts have questioned the accountability and transparency of this and have stated that the same government bureaucrats who put together their initialed flawed blacklist would remain responsible as arbitrators of the system. In support of the publics claim, a recently leaked list of blacklisted website showed that about half of the sites listed were in fact not related to child porn as claimed by the government but rather other contents that were to a certain degree could be classified as legal content for the adult community. This has sparked further debate on the issue [8]. A word for the government The biggest arguments presented so far by the government in support of internet censorship have been issues relating to preventing access to illegal contents and child pornography, racism, fraud terrorism, religion etc. With the attempts so far made by several nations to impose some form of censorship meeting with similar resistance, government should realize that the key challenges faced are three fold, the people, the law and the coping with technology. One could however wonder why the topic on censoring the internet would generate so much argument when the public indeed presently abides by certain degree of censorship. From schools preventing access to certain contents and websites, warnings are displayed on university networks on the impact of downloading of file sharing, companies prevent employees from accessing chat systems, networking website and other sites at work using firewalls to ISPs blocking potential dangerous contents either because of virus or to keep their network safe and uncompromised, Why then is the public so opposed to the government censoring the internet? It could be safe to state that the public is just not ready for the extreme spectrum of Internet control which would result in a globally regulated internet by the government for the fear that the public could lose its freedom of speech and the fear unknown. Conclusion Recommendation Though internet censorship could be considered a necessity in cases where there is need to set a standard for publishing and the kind of information to publish on highly sensitive topics, by and large the foreseeable disadvantages far surpasses the benefits that may be accrued. I do not see Government succeeding in the offing in the fight to regulate content on the internet. Technology favours the public internet users rather than government and as such the government will be playing catch-up and their efforts may yet be foiled. Technology is presently enabling data encryption, user generated videos and pod casts thus complicating the tasks by the monitoring bodies. Also the laws governing internet censorship if passed will meet several barriers as they are more likely to be passed by countries independently. The internet spans boundaries and how these laws would apply to other countries a crucial aspect of consideration. The law will need to keep up with changing technology as such there will be no rest for law makers. Passing laws takes considerable time, and lapse in law would result in loopholes that could be exploited by the public. In addition, the controversies generated by government censoring the internet far outweigh the benefit. The internet is a global communication platform and the government needs to study close before imposing laws. Close attention should however the paid to the fact that the global nature of the net does present problems to censorship. To conclude, though the proposed laws by government to regulate the internet is of good intention, it is unwise for the government to censor the internet because any law infringing on the publics right to free speech or breaching individuals right to privacy and freedom on such a vast communication medium as the internet will be difficult to enforce.

Living Like Weasels Essay

â€Å"Living Like Weasels†, by Annie Dillard, is a very complex essay with deep metaphorical meaning. In her essay, Dillard takes an interesting view of the way people could live; she describes how a weasel moves through life, suggesting humans take a similar approach. Bringing things back to a more primitive perspective of instinct and simplicity, she explores through symbolic imagery, why humans should latch on to their one passion in life and never let it go. Many people may think it is strange to suggest that a human being should live like an animal such as the weasel. However, a weasel exhibits a variety of desirable traits that we humans yearn to attain. In the first part of Dillard’s essay, she gives a brief introduction of what a weasel is and the sort of tendencies that they have. She then goes on to tell an elaborate story of a man who shot an eagle out of the sky only to find that a weasel was fixed by its jaws to the eagle’s throat. Dillard states, â€Å"The supposition is that the eagle had pounced on the weasel and the weasel swiveled and bit as instinct taught him, tooth to neck, and nearly won.† The weasel acted upon instinct, disregarding the size and power of the eagle. Dillard uses this bizarre image to show her admiration for the instinct and determination of this small creature, as well as a basis for the premise of her essay. Further into her essay, Dillard brilliantly ties her thoughts together. She states, â€Å"Time and events are merely poured, unremarked, and ingested directly, like blood pulsed into my gut through a jugular vein†¦The thing is to stalk your calling in a certain skilled and supple way, to locate the most tender and live spot and plug into that pulse.† Here, Dillard creates a clear picture of what she believes to be the best way to find your one true passion. Somewhat like how the weasel instinctively bit onto the eagle’s neck, she suggests that humans stalk their one passion and then hold on wherever it takes them. Dillard sums up the main idea of her entire essay in the last paragraph. She says, â€Å"I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you. Then even death, where you’re going no matter how you live, cannot you part. Seize it and let it seize you up aloft even, till your eyes burn out and drop†. With this statement, Dillard more directly states  that people should do as the weasel does. Just as the weasel grabbed onto the eagle, humans should hang on to their one passion, because even through death and whatever else is to come, what you have grabbed onto will last forever. Throughout Dillard’s essay she uses key phrases such as â€Å"ingested†, â€Å"latch on†, â€Å"grasp†, â€Å"plug into the pulse†, or even â€Å"jaws†. All of these are phrases that allude to the segment earlier in her essay about the weasel that fearlessly latches onto the throat of an eagle, refusing to let go. These phrases create an extremely clear and even somewhat violent scenario, but they are all components to what Dillard believes humans should practice in their every day lives. Through a series of metaphors and symbolic imagery, Dillard is able to convey her philosophy towards life: to latch onto a certain passion and not let it go even through death. Although her idea is very intriguing, even romantic, the type of single mindedness and drive that she suggests could be somewhat dangerous. Having complex minds that are always aware of choices and different paths to take, the human species could not function under such restrictions as a weasel does. Although this is true, humans can strive for their goals and passions with great determination, yet unlike the weasel, have the benefit of having certain awareness for the consequences of their actions.

Technology And Its Effect On Society - 1410 Words

Technology is in many ways valuable to our society. It has come a very long way in such a short time. It is growing in such a way that Internet rules are vague and slow to emerge, causing a lot of frustration amongst its users. While many users use technology as it was intended, there are those who do not. Your typical users use technology for educational, work purposes or just plain entertainment. Then we have those who have malicious intent. In order for these users to commit cyber crimes they have to be educated and very familiar with technology. â€Å"Power and ethics have always had a close relationship, and as the old saying goes, Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This means that people have a responsibility to use their power wisely and ethically. The power created by computers is no different from any other type of power, as it also has a profound effect on ethics† (Bowles, 2013). There’s a variety of ways that technology can be misused, fro m piracy to identity theft. It’s unfortunate that the more we learn and become familiar with technology the more likely we are to manipulate and take advantage of its capabilities. Once again, because of its constantly changing nature, the area of computer technology is one that is difficult to assign a specific set of moral codes. Technology creates a whole new set of ethical problems. Such problems include: piracy, hacking and data theft, disputed rights to products, the use of computers to commit fraud,Show MoreRelatedTechnology : The Effects Of Technology And Society1283 Words   |  6 Pages The effects of technology with society has beneficial impacted the way we live. With technology is providing many advantages, but also it has some disadvantages it has on children and adults. There is little room for people that wish to live without technology, moreover than living the way they did in the old days. Technology has its advantages, it’s has changed the way people have communicated by email, social media, the way traveling has improved. Have you ever heard the saying ‘Children are bornRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Society871 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is technology? Is it the tool that propels humanity forward or is technology the cuffs that hold the everyday man from leaving his own comfort. Or is technology more than a tool, more than a mechanical device? Ray Bradbury s Works are known 4 expanding technology and using speculative fiction to reveal the way technology is consuming the everyday person. but what if Ray Bradbury was never talking about technology and its effect on society with society s effect on technology? It is assumedRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Society1386 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology is the collection of techniques, skills, methods and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation. Technology can be the knowledge of techniques, processes, etc. or it can be embedded in machines, computers , devices and factories, which can be operated by individuals without detailed knowledge of the workings of such things. Technology has produced many positive contributions to society and how it has grownRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Society Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pagesworld is increasing very rapidly, and new innovations are coming along each and everyday. Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry (Oxford). There is no denying that the impact of technology in the world today is huge, now technology has made it to the palm of our hands with the iPhone and continuing to expand. My generation has grown up on technology so I can’t imagine how my life would be with out it, older people may say it has ruined theRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Society Essay1204 Words   |  5 Pagesthe world is increasing very rapidly, and new innovations are coming along each and everyday. Technology is the application o f scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry. There is no denying that the impact of technology in the world today is huge, now technology has made it to the palm of our hands with the iPhone and continuing to expand. My generation has grown up on technology so I can’t imagine how my life would be with out it, older people may say it has ruined the livesRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Society1473 Words   |  6 Pageswould surmise that technology has an overwhelmingly negative effect on society. Although there might be consequences that stem from technology, these negative effects only bring about more good than they bring about evil. This good transforms the world in ways people may never be able to comprehend. Technology will always be the epitome of human intelligence and it is this fact that should allow us to not only understand that technology is not dangerous to us but that technology should enable theRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect O n Society1176 Words   |  5 PagesTechnology is the sum of the ways in which social groups provide themselves with the material objects of their civilization. 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The impact of this applied science on people’s lifestyles has made several too dependent on technology. There needs to be a specific limit to technology that is reasonable but considerable for everyone. This new addiction is truly significant because this modern world of ours can have dangerous consequences that we are not aware of. In the past, many of the machines and

Repression in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins...

The Yellow Wallpaper:nbsp; Repression nbsp; The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman is sad story of the repression that women face in the days of late 1800s as well as being representative of the turmoils that women face today. Gilman writes The Yellow Wallpaper from her own personal experiences of having to face the overwhelming fact that this is a male dominated society and sometimes women suffer because of it. The narrator, being female, is suffering from a temporary depression. She states right from the beginning that John is a physician, and perhaps--(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)-- perhaps that is the one reason I†¦show more content†¦Perhaps to save her own sanity? Once the narrator determines that the image is in fact a woman struggling to become free, she somehow aligns herself with the woman. In the story she mentions that she often sees the woman creeping outside. I see her in that long shaded lane, creeping up and down. I see her in those dark grape arbors, creeping all around the garden.... I dont blame her a bit. It must be very humiliating to be caught creeping by daylight! I always lock the door when I creep by daylight. I cant do it at night, for I know John would suspect something at once. This shows the narrator seeing herself in the woman and when she sees the woman creeping outside, she sees herself. When she creeps outside she locks the door. She is afraid her husband will take away the only comfort she had know since she was subjected to this rest cure. She continues to pursue this obsessive project of getting the woman out. The narrator wants the woman to be free of the paper but does not want to let her go. The woman is her sanity; I dont want to go out, and I dont want to have anybody come in, till John comes. I want to astonish him. Ive got a rope up her that even Jennie did not find. If that woman does get out, and tries to get away, I can tie her! After peeling all the paper within her reach in hopes of getting the woman out, she states, I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jumpShow MoreRelatedThe Cult Of The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1371 Words   |  6 PagesMichael Zhao K. Keogh AP Lit. Period 3 22 January 2015 The Cult of Domesticity â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, depicts a young woman’s gradual descent into insanity due to her entrapment, both mentally and physically, in the restrictive cult of domesticity. Through the narrator’s creeping spiral into madness, Gilman seeks to shed light upon the torturous and constraining societal conditions in which women are expected to live, that permeates throughout all aspects of their livesRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman999 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a story of a woman s psychological breakdown, which is shown through an imaginative conversation with the wallpaper. The relationship between the female narrator and the wallpaper reveals the inner condition of the narrator and also symbolically shows how women are oppressed in society. The story, read through a feminist lens, reflects a woman s struggle against the patriarchal power structure. In the â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses the wallpaperRead More Social Repression in The Yellow Wallpaper1275 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Repression in The Yellow Wallpaper    â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a symbolic tale of one woman’s struggle to break free from her mental prison.   Charlotte Perkins Gilman shows the reader how quickly insanity takes hold when a person is taken out of context and completely isolated from the rest of the world.   The narrator is a depressed woman who cannot handle being alone and retreats into her own delusions as opposed to accepting her reality.   This mental prison is a symbol for the actualRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman764 Words   |  4 PagesMarch 2016 The Yellow Wallpaper In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short piece, The Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator faces many adversities as a woman such as: mental health, and living in a time period when they are not treated equal to men. Gilman’s personal life is reflected through this story because she dealt with similar challenges the narrator herself has to overcome. â€Å"Her lectures, novels, short stories, magazine articles (including her best known work, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†), and nonfictionRead MoreComparison and Contrast of the Yellow Wallpaper and the Rose for Emily1078 Words   |  5 Pages A Rose for Emily and The Yellow Wallpaper â€Å"A Rose for Emily’’ By William Faulkner and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman,† are two short stories that both incorporate qualities of similarities and difference. Both of the short stories are about how and why these women changed for lunacy. These women are forced into solitude because of the fact that they are women. Emily’s father rejects all of her mates; the husband of Gilman Narrator (John) isolates her from stimulationRead More`` The Yellow Wallpaper `` By Charlotte Perkins Gilman858 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"John laughs at me, but one expects that in marriage.† Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote, â€Å"John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage.† In her The Yellow Wallpaper men attempted to prevent women from achieving their intellectual and creative potential by making women be their subordinates. The dreadful wallpaper that Gilman came to hate in her story is a symbolic representation of her personal life were as she gets married her role is limited to that of a domestic servant as herRead MoreAnalysis Of The Yellow Wallpaper1073 Words   |  5 PagesThe short story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman can be interpreted in many ways. Some scholars debate that it is written as an autobiography, some say it is an isolated work, a complete fantasy, or simply just a feminist uprising. One particular scholar even relates the feminism aspect with a feline creature within one scene of the story (Golden 1). Although there are many aspects throughout the text that represent feminism, the main theme that shines through is the story of a womanRead More The Yellow Wallpaper as an Attack on Radical Feminism1139 Words   |  5 PagesThe Yellow Wallpaper as an Attack on Radical Feminism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† explores mental illness and, through this exploration, presents a critique of the place of women in a patriarchal society. Interestingly, Charlotte Perkins Gilman never intended the latter. The primary intent of her short story is to criticize of a physician prescribed treatment called rest cure. The treatment, which she underwent, required female patients to â€Å"’live as domestic a life as possible’† (Gilman)Read MoreCritical Analysis Of The Yellow Wallpaper1511 Words   |  7 Pagestime period. One of these writers was Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Her work, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, addresses the reality of gender status and roles and the treatment of psychological disorders during the nineteenth century. When explicating her work through a psychological perspective, it is clear to see how Gilman uses setting, symbolism, and personification to portray a realistic view of a woman with a psychological disorder and her treatment. Charlotte Gilman applies her own experiences with herRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper961 Words   |  4 Pages The Yellow Paper is a symbolic story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It is a disheartening tale of a woman struggling to free herself from postpartum depression. This story gives an account of an emotionally and intellectual deteriorated woman who is a wife and a mother who is struggling to break free from her metal prison and find peace. The post-partum depression forced her to look for a neurologist doctor who gives a rest cure. She was supposed to have a strict bed rest. The woman lived