ESSAY ASSIGNMENT INFS5957 Information and Decision Technology

SOCIAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Junita Giarini 2198273

The University of New South Wales School of Computer Science and Engineering May 1998

TABLE OF CONTENT

Cover Page

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i ii 1 1 6 7

Table of Content

1. Introduction.. 2. Social Effects ... 3. Conclusion .......

References

1.

INTRODUCTION It is not doubt that the emergence of electronic communication technologies,

including Internet, electronic mail, mobile communication and video conferencing, are altering the way in which people communicate and collaborate as explained in Part A of this paper. These technologies, particularly, have ability to overcome the time and distance constraints. However, besides their advantages, the electronic communication technologies bring about social effects, which in turn affect social changes in every day life [Adam et al., 1997; Kerr and Hiltz, 1982]. The following section will discuss this effect in detail.

2.

SOCIAL EFFECTS Several researchers [Adam et al., 1997; Gengler, 1997; Kerr and Hiltz, 1982,

Thomas, 1997] have found social effects of computer-mediated communication systems. The followings are some of the social effects.

2.1. The Diffusion of Western Culture Thomas [1997] states that the diffusion of Western cultureparticularly the United Statein the society is the important and pervasive implications of the Internet. This happens because a majority of the programming content of the Internet is made in the United States. There is a lot of numbers of U.S. softwares which are used to run, access, and control the Internet. The Internet has dominated by U.S. products, services, information and entertainment. The Internet will be a marketing agent for American culture, in addition to the movies, music and television that have established before it.

Junita Giarini: Essay Assignment

2.2. Potential for Addiction Even though most people are not aware, electronic communication technologies, especially the Internet and electronic mail, have potential for addiction [Adam et al., 1997; Gengler, 1997; Kerr and Hiltz, 1982]. According to Gengler [1997], 54% of the 1000 people perceive a high when they find the information they have been searching for. The people usually notice that they are addicted when something happens. For example, they have to stay late at the office to catch up on the work they missed because they were exciting to surf the Internet. Bezilla and Kleiner in their article entitled Electronic Network Addiction [Kerr and Hiltz, 1982] mentions several addiction symptoms as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Signing on at least several times a day (Maybe something is waiting); Physical irritation when system is inaccessible. Preference shown toward composing thoughts and writings online. Preference towards developing concepts online. Preference towards conducting collegial relationships online. Signing on just one more time before going to sleep.

2.3. Creation of Isolation The electronic communication addiction or Internet addiction will in turn create isolation of individuals [Kerr and Hiltz, 1982]. The addicts will be separated from their daily social life as they are busy to be online. However, it seems that they are creating their cyber-social life by communicating and making relationship with their correspondence all over the world.

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Junita Giarini: Essay Assignment

2.4. New Sources of Stress Computer-mediated communication systems result in new sources of stress [Kerr and Hiltz, 1982]. This is because it creates a new way of communication, changes the priorities and needs particular skills and knowledge, so people will face new problems which never exist before.

2.5. Increased Status Having access to the new technology can increase status or prestige of users relative to their peers who do not have it [Kerr and Hiltz, 1982]. This is an interesting aspect as it seems that people perceive computer-mediated communication systems as a status symbol, like having luxury house or car.

2.6. Changes Leisure Times Activities It is likely that computer-mediated communication systems change leisure times activities [Kerr and Hiltz, 1982]. Instead of passively watching television, people tend to choose surfing the Internet, chatting with their friends in distance using interactive communication software provided in the Internet and so on.

2.7. Blurred Distinction between Work and Leisure Computer-mediated communication system makes working at home or other flexible locations to be possible, resulting the blurred distinction between work and leisure [Kerr and Hiltz, 1982]. However, it also results in cost saving and efficiency since people can reduce travelling time and work in flexible time.

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Junita Giarini: Essay Assignment

2.8. Sexual Abuse Media Channel 10 Australia in their Ten News program on 23 May 1997 reported that the Internet and electronic mail have been used as a sexual abuse media [Ten News Team, 1997]. They reported that 94% of the citizens in British spend at least one hour a day in the Internet and electronic mail. This makes the Internet and electronic a potential media for sexual abuse, especially because people sometime do not recognise the person who sends the email. This usually happens when the sender uses general email address (not domain specific address) such as provided by some search engines.

3.

CONCLUSION In summary, besides their benefits in overcoming time and distance constraints in

communication and collaboration among people, especially in workgroups and organisations, computer-mediated communication systems have resulted in social effects in every day life, which mostly affect individuals. These social effects include: the diffusion of western culture; potential for addiction; creation of isolation; new sources of stress; increased status; changes leisure times activities; blurred distinction between work and leisure; and sexual abuse media.

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Junita Giarini: Essay Assignment

References: Adam, N., Awerbuch, B., Slonim, J., Wegner, P., and Yesha, Y., 1997, Globalising Business, Education, Culture through the Internet, Communications of the ACM, 40(2), 115-121. Gengler, B., 1997, Information Addicts Get Their Hits Online, The Australian, 23 December 1997. Kerr, E. B. and Hiltz, S. R., 1982, Computer-Mediated Communication Systems: Status and Evaluation, Academic Press, New York. Ten News Team, 1997, Ten News Program, Channel 10 Australia, 23 May 1997. Thomas, J.W., 1997, The Internet: What Will the Future Bring?, Nation's Restaurant News, 31(43), 46&110.

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