Communication Technology

on Society
Developments in ICT have brought about the merger of the
computing, information, communications, entertainment, mass
media industries thereby providing a means of exchanging
information in the digital format used by computers. Social
structure has changed with the information communication
and technology. With this, the values, structure, customs and
economic activities etc of the society are facing more
challenges than ever before. The impact of ICT is much more
and further reaching than any other technology invented so far
ICT is empowering society in both the economic and social. The
Impact of Information and Communication Technology on
Society in the different fields is discussed:
1. Business and Industry
Business and Industry are the first to use ICT techniques for
managing their information system to run their business. The
Internet or E-commerce has made grate changes in the
business and changing the way companies are operate far
beyond buying and selling. Due to internet there is increased
production and availability of products as well as huge
publication of multimedia digital information and goods in the
market. “An infrastructure of computing and communication
technology, providing 24-hour access at low cost to almost any
kind of price and product information desired by buyers, will
reduce the informational barriers to efficient market
operation”.
Email I instant messenger is used by business people to interact
with colleagues/clients for finding information and managing in
everyday life. The basic function such as accounting, record,
writing letters create budgets, communication are also done
with computers The services such as transfer of money and
paying of bills through e-banking, use of ATM machine to
withdraw and transfer of money through online are essential
commodity in the business world.
The ICT has changed the people way of shopping and now
anything can be bought such as electronics, furniture, books,
dress material and food etc on the internet through online
shopping. By these more interesting jobs like systems analysts,
programmers and software engineers, as well as help desk
operators and trainers have been created.
2. Education
ICT have revolutionized in the education field and has
introduced new dimensions through e-learning, m-learning and
u-learning. Universities has started Distant Education
programmes and are now experimenting with technologies
such as Video and audio cassettes, telecast through television
networks. The learning process has shifted from school to
remote place as well as at home, which have become possible
by the emergence of information technology. Distance
education will serve for those working people who want new
skills but who cannot attend a class at a fixed time during the
week.
ICT have made its permanent place in classrooms and libraries
where they have become essential for the learning process
through multimedia such as for analyzing, interpreting,
searching and scanning the books, journals and magazines.
Students may use computers in the class room, to develop
science projects, prepare reports and gather information
from all over the world. They can learn depending upon
online library to read magazines and journals directly from a
computer terminal, without having to search the shelves.
Information technology in library and information centers have
started using in technical functions associated with technical
processing classification, cataloguing and
circulation work. Information storage databases are used in
retrieval and dissemination of information. Management
information services for libraries, especially analyze library
statistics, library finances etc. ICT can best be used in service
and orientation courses to practicing librarians’ continuing
education programs for teachers of library and information
science correspondence studies and library extension services.
3. Scientific Use
Computers are used scientifically in the research to develop,
collect and analyze test data. It has made the exchange of
information electronically with colleagues throughout the
world. Scientists can access remotely placed databases without
traveling any farther than the closest computer.

Scientists can also use computers to predicting earthquakes

and change in the weather patterns. Satellites and space
probes have brought valuable of information about our solar
system and the cosmos. Aerospace research institutes are using
super Computer.
Scientists and engineers across the country will be able to work
with each other and access remote scientific facilities, through
videoconferencing, shared virtual
workspaces, networked scientific facilities. New information
and databases will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of
research enterprise all over the world.

Researchers will be able to solve problems in large-scale DNA

sequencing and gene identification that has provided ways to
cure human genetic diseases. Researchers are constructing a
“virtual world” to model the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, which
serves as a nursery area for many commercially important
species.
4. Medicine and Health Care

In medical field, IT is used for multipurpose tasks such as

diagnosing the disease, capture and transmits photographs of
internal problems such as blood clots and tumors that
previously can be seen only during exploratory surgery,
monitoring patients at their bedside and controlling the
movement of robotic surgical assistants.
Doctors can now use large archives of radiology images to
identify the patterns and features associated with particular
disease. With remote access to supercomputers, they will also
be able to improve the accuracy of mammography by detecting
subtle changes in three-dimensional images.

Several innovative medical applications use small, special

purpose computers. For example, pace makers are computers
that operate within the human body to help it function better.
In addition, computers are so tiny that they can be swallowed
are proving to be valuable diagnostic tool.
5. Engineering and Manufacturing
IT plays an important role in manufacturing and in product
design. In factories, computers control virtually everything and
use computerized robotic arms to do physical work that is
hazardous or highly repetitive. Automobile plants use robots to
perform tasks such as painting, welding and cutting and
bending metal for body parts. Manufacturing with computers
and robotics is called computer aided manufacturing (CAM).
Virtual reality and modeling and simulation can dramatically
reduce the time required to develop new products.
A product designed with a computer can be far more
productive than with pencil and paper. While designing a
product with a computer, engineers create an electronic model
by describing all three dimensions of the object. Computer-
aided design (CAD) is used for designing objects with a
computer. Specialized CAD systems are available for designing
car, house, and buildings to molecules, spacecrafts, airplanes
and specialized engineering works.
6. Legal practice and law enforcement
Legal information through computer legal services software
such as lexis and west law allows lawyers to search quickly
through huge collection of information called data bases for
case information. Lawyers can create their own databases for
cases involving special judgments and hearings. The result of
hearings can be seen on the computer screens just seconds
after the actual statement is made.
Computer technology does not stay in the attorney’s office.
Today, one can see it right in the court room and can be used to
translate all the statements into readable text.

Law enforcement agencies such as police departments use

mobile computers, sometimes called mobile data terminals
(MDT’s) in the squad cars. The technique commonly known as
DNA finger printing is very widely used in forensic sciences. it
can positively identify someone from traces of blood, skin, or
hair left at crime scene.
7. Theater, Film and Television
The theater technicians use coordinated computer controlled
lighting cues to brighten or dim the stage. The motion picture
industry has achieved astounding computerized special effects.
Movies now contain many visual tricks that could never be
performed without the aid of computers. Technicians use high
powered computers to create an illusion of a locomotive flying
through the air or a robot transforming itself into human
being. Computer animation involves creating images of people
or other creatures on a computer and then making the images
appear to move against the real or computer generated
background.
Television networks have already started serving with news,
views, entertainments and other programs of public interest,
which are reaching to all comers of the world. ICT has changed
the way in access and entertainment. Some people now prefer
to read news on the internet instead of buying a newspaper or
magazine. Download and read books one-readers instead of
reading traditional paper books. Download or stream music
and films from the internet instead of buying CDs or DVDs.
download games instead of buying the CD or DVD. Watch TV
after its aired using online catch-up services like BBC iPlayer
and 40D.
8. Home and Day to day life
An ordinary person in his daily life needs to have access to
information. One may need information on the subjects
concerned and activities with his daily life. With the advent of
information technology, access to such information has now
become very easy.
The personal computers have become common in people’s
home, for carrying out record keeping and majority of
household activities. For example, televisions contain small
computers that automatically fine tune the image, select
brightness and correct the color tone, Washing machines,
microwave ovens, dishwashers and sewing machine also use
small computers to run them effectively.
The transfer of money and paying of bills through e-banking,
use of ATM machine to withdraw and transfer of money
through online has changed the life style of people. Online
shopping, e-tickets for travelling are done through internet.
People are socializing through blogs, Twitter, Orkut, Facebook,
Linkedln and lbibo, etc. The emergence of social networking
has introduced a new way to communicate and to discuss and
share thoughts, first-hand experiences, snaps, videos and
information online. People have been making their profiles on
these social networking websites and interact as well as share
with one another regularly. Online social networking sites are
becoming more popular among all the age groups and are
connecting likeminded individuals together to share their
information, ideas, thoughts, experiences and videos, etc.
9. National Security
A top priority for the Defence Department is “dominant
battlefield awareness”, which will give a significant advantage in
any armed conflict. This requires an ability to collect
information from large numbers of high-resolution sensors,
automatic processing of the data to support terrain and target
recognition, and real-time distribution of that data to the war
fighter.
10. Culture and Spoil’s
Through computer and television, the people directly can see
alternative life styles that have not been in the past for their
older generations. It has become possible by information
technology applications. ICT is used in sports for video officials
and they use ICT to help them make decisions which would be
hard to see normally. The use of ICT makes the results more
accurate and well-organized.
12. Government
The government needs a most sophisticated information
system for collecting, organizmg and disseminating its
statistical data on all its activities. For which the government
constitutes the most important and vital information resource
for planning and later implementing. It is all have done by the
use of information technology.”
Governments worldwide have recognized the role that
Information and Communication Technologies could play in
socio-economic development. A number of countries especially
those in the developed world and some in developing countries
are putting in place policies and plans designed to transform
their economies into an information and knowledge economy”.
Thus, we see that information technology has an impact upon
every facet of the society which has undergone significant
changes. Information technology has changed the whole
working environment of the society. The rapid development of
information technology has tremendously increased the
capacity of processing information and accelerated growth in
the information intensive sector. Various attributes of
information technology are triggering a new wave of growth in
every field of the society.
13. Politics
The new information communication technology offers many
promising ways to make societies more democratic.
Teleconferencing with representatives of the society, cable
television channels devoted to legislative proceedings and
better voter information on candidates are the examples of
applications of information technology.