Social Impact of Computers

By

Mak Mang Tao

The Cashless Society

• Companies with terminals linked to central computer can handle money transactions

• Smart Card- money “added to the card(equipped with a chip) through add-value machine

Advantages and Disadvantages• Convenient, shopping

no need to carry large amount of money

• reduce the risk of robbery

• save time, don’t have to wait in queues for withdrawing money

• no foreign exchange for travelling overseas

• Easy to spend more than you can afford

• fraud- card is stolen and signature is fraud or the number changed through ironing and embossing

• problems arise when computers breakdown or human errors

Unemployment and employment• Automation has cause threat to workers as

computers controlled machine or robots are replacing them

• however, the computer industry can create many new jobs

• now, many jobs are computer related in order to work smoothly

• but in the long run, the number of these jobs will decline as computer are easier to use

• see 98-CE-STUD 1B 6(c)

Computers’ related jobsData processingmanager

-responsible for overall running of the data processingdepartment

Systems analyst -analyses information system. He works with users to dealwith requirements and solve problems. He also helps todesign systems

Applicationsprogrammer

-responsible for writing high level programs under thesystems designs and specifications of system analyst.

Systemsprogrammer

-responsible for writing low level systems program toimprove the performance of hardware

Databaseadministrator

-designs, creates and maintains the database of theorganization

ComputerOperator

-look after day- to- day operation of the system, includeingloading and back up disc

Data entryoperator

-prepares and enters data into the computer

Computers Related jobs

• See 2000-CE-COMP STUD 1B 2(a),(b)

Change in work pattern

• Shorter working hours

• sharing jobs

• reduce the age of retirement

• “remote office” at home by using modem devices- reduce traffic jam, can work and do housework at the same time

• enjoy more leisure time???or no private space???

New Lifestyle • Computers are becoming easier to learn and

to use

• ‘user-friendly’ interactive graphics-userinterface (icons, menus…)

• easier to train staff

• multimedia environment makes people to use computer for learning and for entertaining e.g. learning a foreign language, browsing multimedia encyclopedia

Computer Ethics• Question (1)

What if you do a friend a favour and make a copy on a blank diskette of a microcomputer game that he/she has admired ?

• What’s your view?(Agree or disagree)– “Just one copy can’t hurt”

– “Everybody does it, why shouldn’t I”

– “Copying software is un-ethical”

• Question (2)What if you have spent weeks of writing a project, but somebody else photocopy it and turn it in for a grade?

• What will you feel?

Computer Ethics

• About what is right and what is wrong

• users adopt a code of ethics1. Do not violate the confidentiality of your employer2. Use information responsibly3. Do not violate the rights or privacy of others4. Do not break the law

Topics of computer ethics

• Privacy and confidentiality

• Data transfer

• Data accuracy

• Software Piracy(盜版軟件 )

• Computer crime

• Computer viruses

Privacy and confidentiality• Companies and government departments use co

mputers to store confidential personal datae.g. medical records, tax information, credit card information, immigrate/emigrate records, public exam records, id-card number

• may be illegally accessed, changed and abused(e.g.梁愛詩病歷報告外洩 , X週刊報導某人資料 )

• Personal data must not kept longer than necessary

• see 98-CE-COMP-STUD 1B 6(d)

• see 99-CE-COMP-STUD 1B 4(e)

Data transfer

• Data can be easily transfer from one computer to another

• mail order company can purchase mailing lists from special organizations which sell information of other people

Data accuracy

• Information about a person may be incorrect

• e.g. a loan might be rejected for incorrect information(poor credit ratings)

• ensure accuracy by data validation and verification and regularly updated

Software Piracy• Refers to illegal copying software(except

for backup purposes)

• include programmers who “steal” programs from the companies works for

• copying copyrighted software and then reselling it breaks the copyright law.

• Using unlicensed software is also breaking the law

• Are you helping to sell the program or break the law?

Software piracy

• Intellectual Property Departmenthttp://www.info.gov.hk/ipd/index.htm

• see 97-CE-COMP-STUD IB 6(b)

• see 99-CE-COMP-STUD IB 1(d)

• see 00-CE-COMP-STUD IB 2(c)

Computer Crimes• Theft of computer time

– using employer’s computer to type term papers, calculate racing scores etc.

– playing computer games during computer lessons

• Manipulation of computer programs or data– student illegally gain access to school computer and

change subject grades in school database

– programmer working in a bank change the computer program and transfer funds into his own account

Computer Crimes• Manipulation of computer programs or data

– develop an electronic device which can rewrite the values of MTR stored-value tickets

– develop a virus program(usually by hackers) and put it in a network, which not only destroy the data on disks but also spread the network

• Theft of Data– computer criminals using home computers to br

eak security codes and review confidential data bakns of the government

Computer Viruses• A virus is a subversive program that can

corrupt , erase data files, or overwrites the boot sector. It replicates itself and spreads to other systems

• can be imported through disks or networks

• motives:– pride to demonstrate one’s computer

knowledge and ability– revenge to vandalism– terrorism

Computer Viruses

• To minimize the damage by viruses, one should– avoid use of illegal software or program with

unknown source– do a regular clean backup or disk files– perform virus scan and cleaning of hard disks

• see 2000-CE-COMP STUD 1B 2(d)