Social Media

Social media is a tool that is becoming quite popular these days because of its user-friendly features. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more are giving people a chance to connect with each other across distances. In other words, the whole world is at our fingertips all thanks to social media. The youth is especially one of the most dominant users of social media. All this makes you wonder that something so powerful and with such a massive reach cannot be all good. Like how there are always two sides to a coin, the same goes for social media. Subsequently, different people have different opinions on this debatable topic. So, in this essay on Social Media, we will see the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Advantages of Social Media

When we look at the positive aspect of social media, we find numerous advantages. The most important being a great device for education. All the information one requires is just a click away. Students can educate themselves on various topics using social media.

Moreover, live lectures are now possible because of social media. You can attend a lecture happening in America while sitting in India.

Furthermore, as more and more people are distancing themselves from newspapers, they are depending on social media for news. You are always updated on the latest happenings of the world through it. A person becomes more socially aware of the issues of the world.

In addition, it strengthens bonds with your loved ones. Distance is not a barrier anymore because of social media. For instance, you can easily communicate with your friends and relatives overseas.

Most importantly, it also provides a great platform for young budding artists to showcase their talent for free. You can get great opportunities for employment through social media too.

Another advantage definitely benefits companies who wish to promote their brands. Social media has become a hub for advertising and offers you great opportunities for connecting with the customer.

Disadvantages of Social Media

Despite having such unique advantages, social media is considered to be one of the most harmful elements of society. If the use of social media is not monitored, it can lead to grave consequences.

It is harmful because it invades your privacy like never before. The oversharing happening on social media makes children a target for predators and hackers. It also leads to cyberbullying which affects any person significantly.
Thus, the sharing on social media especially by children must be monitored at all times. Next up is the addition of social media which is quite common amongst the youth.

This addiction hampers with the academic performance of a student as they waste their time on social media instead of studying. Social media also creates communal rifts. Fake news is spread with the use of it, which poisons the mind of peace-loving citizens.

In short, surely social media has both advantages and disadvantages. But, it all depends on the user at the end. The youth must particularly create a balance between their academic performances, physical activities, and social media. Excess use of anything is harmful and the same thing applies to social media. Therefore, we must strive to live a satisfying life with the right balance.

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Mobiles

Mobile/hand phones are powerful communication devices, first demonstrated by Motorola in 1973, and made commercially available from 1984.[1] In the last few years, hand phones have become an integral part of our lives. The number of mobile cellular subscriptions is constantly increasing every year. In 2016, there were more than seven billion users worldwide. The percentage of internet usage also increased globally 7-fold from 6.5% to 43% between 2000 and 2015. The percentage of households with internet access also increased from 18% in 2005 to 46% in 2015.[2] Parlay, the addiction behavior to mobile phone is also increasing. In 2012, new Time Mobility Poll reported that 84% people “couldn't go a single day without their mobile devices.”[3] Around 206 published survey reports suggest that 50% of teens and 27% of parents feel that they are addicted to mobiles.[4] The recent studies also reported the increase of mobile phone dependence, and this could increase internet addiction.[5] Overusage of mobile phones may cause psychological illness such as dry eyes, computer vision syndrome, weakness of thumb and wrist, neck pain and rigidity, increased frequency of De Quervain's tenosynovitis, tactile hallucinations, nomophobia, insecurity, delusions, auditory sleep disturbances, insomnia, hallucinations, lower self-confidence, and mobile phone addiction disorders.[6] In animals, chronic exposure to Wi-Fi radiation caused behavioral alterations, liver enzyme impairment, pyknotic nucleus, and apoptosis in brain cortex.[7] Kesari et al. concluded that the mobile phone radiation may increase the reactive oxygen species, which plays an important role in the development of metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.[8]

In recent years, most of the global populations (especially college and university students), use smartphones, due to its wide range of applications. While beneficial in numerous ways, smartphones have disadvantages such as reduction in work efficacy, personal attention social nuisance, and psychological addiction. Currently, the addiction to smartphones among students is 24.8%–27.8%, and it is progressively increasing every year.[9] Mobile phone is becoming an integral part to students with regard to managing critical situations and maintaining social relationships.[10] This behavior may reduce thinking capabilities, affect cognitive functions, and induce dependency. The signs of smartphone addiction are constantly checking the phone for no reason, feeling anxious or restless without the phone, waking up in the middle of night to check the mobile and communication updates, delay in professional performance as a result of prolonged phone activities, and distracted with smartphone applications.[11]

Mobile phone is the most dominant portal of information and communication technology. A mental impairment resulting from modern technology has come to the attention of sociologists, psychologists, and scholars of education on mobile addiction.[12] Mobile phone addiction and withdrawal from mobile network may increase anger, tension, depression, irritability, and restlessness which may alter the physiological behavior and reduce work efficacy. Hence, the present study was planned to study the addiction behavior of mobile phone usage using an online survey

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Laptop Technology

The use of laptop or notebook computers is widespread and many people use them regularly as part of the work process. Though the definition can no longer be used in a single direction, thanks to its ability to store songs, watch movies on, store snaps, files, and many more. But primarily it is used widely for work purposes. It brings a sense of style and status.

The liberty to carry any where- unlike a desktop and more importantly to carry your work anywhere! The ability to connect to your mobile or camera and instantaneously exchange data is a boon. Just imagine the advantage of plugging into the internet when you are out of your home or work place! And now the market is flooded with new and wide range of laptops. Everyone seems to speak about only 3GB, 4GB. They are becoming more and more affordable and are slowly replacing desktops at schools. Colleges, offices and even homes! But all good things have their flaws too.

There are three main categories of risk associated with laptop use…

a) The equipment is designed for portable use and as a result compromises have had to be made. This leads to smaller keyboards and screens, differing pointer devices or mouse, as well as lack of adjustability. As a result, laptops tend to be uncomfortable in prolonged use.

b) The work environment where laptops are used tends to be less “user friendly” than the office environment. Areas are often constricted; such as on trains, in cars, at home etc, which does not allow the user to work comfortably for any lengthy period of time.

c) The arrangement of the keyboard and screen usually leads to the user working with their head and shoulders bent forward, adopting an awkward arm, wrist and hand position in order to key information in or to read the screen. Wherever possible the good practices adopted with the use of desktop computers should be utilized when using a laptop computer. The human body is not designed to be static for long periods of time and it is important that the laptop user varies their work position on a regular basis as well as taking frequent breaks.

The laptop computer, because of its portability, will be used in many differing environments. If using it at home then it is important to find a suitable place to work that has both a comfortable chair and a desk/table to place the laptop on. It is not considered to be good practice to use a laptop when lying on a bed or couch. If you are lying on your back then your neck will be in an awkward position as you try to see the screen. Equally, if you lie on your front then you will be putting strain on the lower part of the back as your body bends at the waist.


The use of a laptop on trains and planes has become more prevalent. However, the risks here to the user are usually increased due to lack of space. In most cases the laptop will have to be positioned close to the user and the poor posture that results may well lead to the onset of aches and pains in the back, neck and forearm.

In this situation the laptop should be used as little as possible. So by negating the flaws, taking proper precautions while using laptops, and exploiting the positives in the right way, one can enjoy the fruits of this modern marvel.

Communication Technology

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has an important role in the world since we are now in the information age era. With ICT, the company can make the business easier to happen with the client, supplier and the distributor. It is also very important in our daily lives. The lack of appropriate information at the right time will result in low productivity, low quality research works, and waste of time to pursue information and even to do research which actually others had done or in other countries. Nowadays ICT cannot be separated with our daily needs.

ICT has a great impact in our daily lives. For example, we can read our local newspaper using the online newspaper. Another example is we still can get connected with our family, relatives, or colleagues even if we are abroad by using the electronic mail, yahoo messenger, call conference, or video conference.



Digital computer and networking has changed our economy concept to the economy with no boundary in time and space because of ICT. It brings a lot of advantages for economic development enabling millions of transactions to happen in an easy and fast way.

ICT is one of the economic development pillars to gain national competitive advantage. It can improve the quality of human life because it can be used as a learning and education media, the mass communication media in promoting and campaigning practical and important issues, such as the health and social area. It provides wider knowledge and can help in gaining and accessing information.

ICT has become an integral part of everyday life for many people. It increases its importance in people’s lives and it is expected that this trend will continue, to the extent that ICT literacy will become a functional requirement for people’s work, social, and personal lives.

The use of ICT in education add value in teaching and learning, by enhancing the effectiveness of learning, or by adding a dimension to learning that was not previously available. ICT may also be a significant motivational factor in students’ learning, and can support students’ engagement with collaborative learning.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is basically our society’s efforts to teach its current and emerging citizens valuable knowledge and skills around computing and communications devices, software that operates them, applications that run on them and systems that are built with them.

As a matter of fact, we are living in a constantly evolving digital world. ICT has an impact on nearly every aspect of our lives – from working to socializing, learning to playing. The digital age has transformed the way young people communicate, network, seek help, access information and learn. We must recognize that young people are now an online population and access is through a variety of means such as computers, TV and mobile phones.

Cellphone Addiction To Humans

Cellphones and handheld gadgets have become an inseparable part of our busy lives. In addition to being the handiest and effective way of communication, they have become our quintessential partner. They frequently double up as a utility gadget – an alarm clock, a calculator, a handy internet browser, etc. The numerous applications offer virtually unlimited uses. You can use your cellphone to control the lights in your home, play your favorite music or even monitor and track your physiology when you sleep. Your phone is now responsible for your smart living. All these features may seem overwhelming and extremely useful, but they come at a hidden cost. It is not the obvious cost you pay for your device and data connection but the hidden cost which you must pay as the cellphone invades your life.

What if we tell you there is something called as cellphone pain syndrome and you are suffering from it? Don’t believe us?
Entrepreneur India got in a conversation with Dr. Sidharth Verma, Consultant Interventional Spine & Pain Physician, Masina Hospital who gave us an insight on the common cellphone syndromes that we suffer from and what it leads to.

Giving an introduction about it he said, “While the symptoms of cellphone pain syndromes might seem different, they are a connected group that consistently occurs together as soon as the relationship with the cellphone is consummated. It is estimated that the average person spends almost three hours a day on the mobile or hand-held devices.”
Entrepreneur India got in a conversation with Dr. Sidharth Verma, Consultant Interventional Spine & Pain Physician, Masina Hospital who gave us an insight on the common cellphone syndromes that we suffer from and what it leads to.

Howe
ver, unresolved symptoms should be quickly treated by a pain physician. The use of advanced image-guided procedures has made minimally invasive treatment possible for these pain syndromes.

Another simple way is to either look down with only your eyes (keeping your head at the same level) or simply lift the phone to the eye level, instead of looking down by tilting your head.
This one is quite popular with various names like the BlackBerry thumb, SMS thumb, Gamer's thumb, Washerwoman's sprain, radial styloid tenosynovitis, de Quervain disease/ tenosynovitis, designer's thumb, mother's wrist or mommy's thumb. It is caused by inflammation in the tendons which control the movements of the thumb.

Overuse of the same actions over some time can worsen the symptoms. “Mild symptoms can be managed with rest (most important), anti-inflammatory medicines (oral or around the affected region) and cold compression. Severe symptoms not responding to these measures may need advance treatment modalities like – Pulsed radiofrequency current or ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections,” said Dr. Verma.
After the neck, wrist, and thumb, elbows are the most commonly affected areas. Also known as the cubital tunnel syndrome, the symptoms include burning, tingling, numbness or weird sensations on the inner side of the arm and elbow.

Verma highlighted other symptoms like weakness in the affected arm and inability to perform simple tasks like opening bottle lids. Treatment is essential, if left untreated, it may result in permanent weakness and clawing of fingers. Treatment ranges from lifestyle modification to interventional pain procedures however early treatment always leads to better results.

Trending Technology

Nowadays technology is becoming more smarter like humans. Humans created technology to make their life easier, Because of technology we can communicate to each other in fraction of seconds.
 

Development is closely related with technology. The stage of development the human being has arrived could have been possible without the advancement in technology. The radical change and advancement in the economy, as we observe today, is the result of the modern technology.

Technology has brought about efficiency and quality in the manufacturing sector. Technological advancement has reduced the risk involved in manufacturing enterprises. There has been tremendous improvement in the field of health the world over not only the average age of people has increased but the mortality rate has also declined considerably.

This could be possible only because of technological advancement in health sector. There is perhaps no field of human life which has not been affected by technology. Agriculture, industry, profession, health, education, art, political processes, recreation, religious activities and daily life activities all are under the influence of technology.

But, it is important to keep in mind that technological advancement has affected human life both positively as Well as negatively. Not only that life has become easy and comfortable, there are also indications of several threats to life and society in the future due to use/misuse of modern technology.

The nature and extent of development the human society has experienced by now is heading towards crises in future. The sustainability of development is in question today. This has happened only due to irrational use of technology.

It has been discussed here as to how development – economic as well as social – takes place with the advancement of technology but not without leaving a scar to threaten the human society. The development of technology, which itself is symptomatic of development, has brought about not only economic development but also radical changes in the social and cultural spheres of society.

This articles also points out the negative effects of technological advancements on social, cultural and economic aspects of human life. Technological advancement and development have come to a stage where human society finds itself at a crossroads. The positive as well as negative roles of technology have put humans into to a situation of flux and confusion.