Lesson II: IT, Culture, and Society
Internet of Things (IoT)
- The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to interconnected devices that communicate and
exchange data via the internet, enabling automation and real-time monitoring.
- The interconnection of devices via the internet, allowing data exchange and automation.
Example like Smart homes use IoT to control lighting, security, and appliances remotely
(e.g., Alexa or Google Nest). It enhances convenience but raises security concerns due to
data privacy risks.
Key Concepts:
• Connectivity: Devices use networks to interact without direct human control.
• Automation: Reduces manual tasks by enabling smart functionality.
• Data Collection: Sensors gather and process information for optimization.
Real-Life Examples:
1. Smart Homes: Voice-controlled assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Nest adjust
lighting, temperature, and security systems.
2. Healthcare: Wearable devices (Fitbit, Apple Watch) track heart rate, steps, and sleep
patterns for health monitoring.
3. Transportation: Smart traffic systems (Waze, Google Maps) analyze live traffic data to
perfect routes.
4. Retail: Automated inventory systems use RFID tags to track stock in real time.
5. Agriculture: Smart irrigation systems check soil moisture and adjust watering schedules
automatically.
Impact:
• Benefits: Enhances convenience, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.
• Challenges: Raises privacy concerns, cybersecurity risks, and dependency on internet
infrastructure.
Automation in the IT Era
- Automation refers to using technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention,
increasing efficiency and reducing errors.
- The use of technology to perform tasks without human intervention. Example of this is
Automated checkouts in supermarkets reduce wait times but replace cashiers. Increases
efficiency and reduces human error but may lead to job displacement in some industries.
Key Concepts:
• Process Automation: Machines execute repetitive tasks without manual input.
• AI & Machine Learning: Intelligent systems make data-driven decisions.
• Robotics: Physical machines automate manufacturing and logistics.
Real-Life Examples:
Workplace Automation: Companies use chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot) for
customer service, reducing workload for human agents.
1. Smart Factories: Tesla’s Gigafactories use robotic arms for car assembly, increasing
production speed and precision.
2. Finance & Banking: Automated fraud detection systems analyze transactions to
prevent financial crimes.
3. Healthcare: AI-powered diagnostics help detect diseases like cancer early (e.g., IBM
Watson).
4. Retail: Self-checkout kiosks in supermarkets minimize cashier dependency and
improve transaction efficiency.
Impact:
• Benefits: Saves time, reduces costs, minimizes human error, and improves scalability.
• Challenges: May lead to job displacement and require constant system updates and
cybersecurity measures.
The Influence of IT on Culture and Social Behavior
- Information Technology (IT) shapes how individuals, communities, and societies interact,
express themselves, and form cultural identities. It influences both culture (values,
traditions, creativity) and social behavior (communication, relationships, daily
interactions).
- IT shapes cultural norms and influences how people communicate and behave in social
settings.
- Technology plays a crucial role in shaping cultural landscapes, fostering both innovation
and disruption. It enables rapid exchange of ideas and traditions across borders, but also
challenges long-standing cultural norms.
Influence on Culture
IT fosters cultural exchange, reshapes traditions, and creates global trends.
Key Concepts:
• Digital Media: Instant access to global art, music, films, and ideas.
• Social Media Impact: Influences fashion, entertainment, and opinions.
• Cultural Convergence: Diverse cultures blend due to shared digital spaces.
• Loss of Traditional Practices: Some native customs fade as digital media dominates.
Real-Life Examples:
• K-Pop's Global Influence: Streaming platforms (YouTube, Spotify) helped K-Pop reach
international audiences, shaping music trends globally.
• AI in Creativity: AI-generated art and music (e.g., DALL·E for images, ChatGPT for text)
redefine creative industries.
• Digital Activism: Movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter gain traction worldwide
due to IT-driven social platforms.
How IT influences culture:
Key Concepts in IT-Driven Cultural Change
1. Digital Media – Instant Access to Global Art, Music, Films, and Ideas
Digital media platforms have transformed how people consume and create culture.
• Example: Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, YouTube) allow immediate access to
international content, exposing users to foreign films, music, and literature.
• Impact: This fosters cross-cultural appreciation but may also reduce local content
visibility, making globalized media dominant.
2. Social Media Impact – Influencing Fashion, Entertainment, and Public Opinion
Social media accelerates trends and cultural narratives, making them more dynamic but also
more fleeting.
• Example: TikTok challenges and Instagram trends rapidly shape fashion and
entertainment preferences, sometimes shifting consumer behavior overnight.
• Impact: social media creates a more connected global culture, but also encourages echo
chambers, where people are exposed only to views, they already align with.
3. Cultural Convergence – Blending of Diverse Cultures Due to Shared Digital Spaces
Digital communities foster hybrid identities, where traditions merge with new global
influences.
• Example: The adoption of Western pop culture in Asia (Hollywood, sneaker culture)
and the rise of K-Pop influence globally (Korean beauty standards, music, and
fashion).
• Impact: It promotes inclusivity and international dialogue yet can also erode unique
cultural traditions as globalized media dominates.
4. Loss of Traditional Practices – Native Customs Fading as Digital Media Dominates
Some cultural traditions struggle to survive in the digital age, especially as younger generations
shift to online entertainment and communication.
• Example: Oral storytelling traditions in indigenous communities are being replaced by
digital books and video archives rather than intergenerational storytelling.
• Impact: While preservation efforts exist through digitization, the direct human
experience of traditions often diminishes.
Real-Life Examples of IT-Driven Cultural Influence:
K-Pop’s Global Influence – Streaming Platforms Expanding Cultural Reach
• How IT Enables It: Platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok allow K-Pop artists to
reach audiences beyond South Korea without physical distribution limitations.
• Impact: K-Pop influences music production techniques, fashion, and fan
engagement worldwide.
• Example: BTS’s global success, fueled by social media, led to South Korea’s soft-power
expansion in pop culture.
AI in Creativity – Redefining Art and Media Industries
• How IT Enables It: AI models like DALL·E, ChatGPT, and MusicLM generate art, text,
and music, replacing traditional creative processes.
• Impact: While AI enhances accessibility to creative tools, it also raises concerns about
authenticity and copyright infringement in digital artistry.
• Example: AI-generated music mimicking famous artists could disrupt the music industry
by challenging conventional originality.
Digital Activism – Social Movements Powered by IT
• How IT Enables It: Social platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook amplify
movements through viral hashtags, mobilizing global participation.
• Impact: Digital activism creates real-world policy changes, awareness campaigns,
and community-building, but also poses challenges like misinformation and cancel
culture.
• Example: The #MeToo movement spread through social media, encouraging legal and
societal responses to misconduct in entertainment, politics, and workplaces.
Conclusion: The Dual-Edged Impact of IT on Culture
✔ Positive Effects:
• Increased accessibility to cultural exchange.
• Democratization of content creation.
• Faster mobilization of social movements.
❌ Challenges:
• Loss of unique traditions due to media dominance.
• Influence of algorithms on cultural visibility.
• Ethical concerns in AI-generated art and media.
Technology continues to reshape traditions, creativity, and activism, making culture more
interconnected but also more volatile.
Information Technology (IT) fundamentally alters human interactions, shaping communication,
relationships, professional dynamics, and privacy norms. These shifts come with both
benefits and challenges, influencing everything from how people work to how they form
relationships.
Key Concepts in IT-Driven Social Behavior
1. Virtual Communication – Online Interactions Replace Face-to-Face Conversations
Digital platforms have redefined communication, making interactions more instantaneous but
often less personal.
• Example: social media and messaging apps (WhatsApp, Messenger, Discord) allow real-
time conversations across distances but may reduce face-to-face engagement.
• Impact: While virtual interaction increases convenience, it may also weaken
interpersonal skills like body language reading and emotional intelligence.
2. Work & Education Shift – Remote Jobs and E-Learning Platforms Reshape Professional Life
IT has transformed workspaces and learning environments, offering flexibility but also new
challenges.
• Example: The rise of remote work through platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams,
and Slack enables employees to collaborate globally without physical offices.
• Impact: Increased efficiency and access to opportunities, but some workers face
isolation, blurred work-life boundaries, and digital fatigue.
3. Digital Etiquette – Evolving Online Social Norms Affecting Behavior and Expectations
With technology governing social interactions, new forms of etiquette emerge regarding
communication style, engagement, and online identity.
• Example: Professional expectations for email responses and online meeting
behavior have shifted as companies rely more on digital communication.
• Impact: Digital literacy becomes essential, but miscommunication and the rise of
cancel culture highlight the importance of responsible online behavior.
4. Privacy & Cybersecurity – Personal Data Becoming More Vulnerable
The digital footprint people leave behind raises concerns about data security, tracking, and
ethical surveillance.
• Example: Tech companies collect user data for personalization (Google, Facebook), but
cyber threats and data breaches expose individuals to risks.
• Impact: Cybersecurity awareness is now crucial, with a growing need for strong
passwords, VPNs, and digital hygiene to protect personal information.
Real-Life Examples of IT-Driven Social Shifts
Remote Work & Online Collaboration – Changing Workplace Dynamics
• How IT Enables It: Cloud-based tools facilitate global teamwork without physical office
requirements.
• Impact: Increased productivity and cost-saving for businesses, but challenges arise in
team bonding and mental well-being due to isolation.
Influencers & Social Validation – Digital Platforms Shaping Self-Expression
• How IT Enables It: Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube create influencers
who shape trends, opinions, and self-image.
• Impact: While influencers inspire creativity, they also contribute to unrealistic beauty
standards, social comparison anxiety, and monetization pressures.
Online Dating & Relationships – Redefining How People Connect
• How IT Enables It: Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge use algorithms to
match people based on shared interests and proximity.
• Impact: Easier access to dating prospects, but raises concerns about catfishing, online
harassment, and reduced face-to-face confidence in relationship-building.
Impact Summary
✔ Positive Effects:
• Increased connectivity, making global relationships possible.
• Democratization of opportunities for remote work and education.
• Expansion of digital creativity through influencers and online content creation.
❌ Challenges:
• Rise of digital addiction, impacting mental health.
• Spread of misinformation, shaping public perception negatively.
• Privacy risks from data tracking and surveillance concerns.
• Decline in traditional interpersonal skills, affecting real-world interactions.
Technology continues to reshape how people interact socially, professionally, and
personally, bringing both innovation and ethical dilemmas
The theories behind IT's influence on society:
Several sociological and technological theories explain how IT influences society. Here are some
key frameworks:
1. Technological Determinism
• Concept: Technology is the primary driver of social change, shaping human behavior and
cultural norms.
• Example: The rise of smartphones led to changes in communication patterns, reducing
face-to-face interactions.
• Criticism: Some argue that social, political, and economic factors also influence
technological adoption.
2. Social Construction of Technology (SCOT)
• Concept: Society actively shapes technological development based on cultural and
economic needs.
• Example: Social media platforms evolved due to user demands for connectivity,
influencing their design and purpose.
• Criticism: Some say it underestimates technology’s independent impact on society.
3. Media Ecology Theory
• Concept: Technologies act as environments that shape human communication and
interaction.
• Example: The internet has transformed attention spans, leading to a preference for
short-form content like TikTok videos.
• Criticism: It may overemphasize media's role in shaping society while ignoring human
agency.
4. Diffusion of Innovations Theory
• Concept: IT spreads through society in phases—innovators, early adopters, early
majority, late majority, and laggards.
• Example: AI chatbots were initially adopted by tech enthusiasts but are now integrated
into customer service across industries.
• Criticism: Adoption patterns can be influenced by external factors such as regulation or
economic conditions.
5. Surveillance Society Theory
• Concept: IT enables widespread monitoring, affecting privacy and social behavior.
• Example: AI-powered CCTV systems track movement in smart cities, influencing
behavior and security measures.
• Criticism: Raises ethical concerns about surveillance overreach and loss of individual
privacy.
•
Each of these theories supplies a different lens to understand how IT shapes modern society.
Real-world implications of these theories:
Each of these theories has significant real-world implications, shaping how technology influences
society. Here’s how they play out in everyday life:
1. Technological Determinism
• Implication: As technology evolves, industries and lifestyles adapt automatically, often
leading to job displacement and social transformation.
• Example: The rise of AI-driven automation has reshaped industries like customer service
and manufacturing, reducing human involvement in repetitive tasks.
2. Social Construction of Technology (SCOT)
• Implication: Societal needs and cultural preferences dictate how technology is developed
and adopted. Public opinion and regulation influence technological advancements.
• Example: Privacy concerns around facial recognition have led to bans in some cities,
limiting its widespread adoption despite technical feasibility.
3. Media Ecology Theory
• Implication: Digital environments shape how people think, communicate, and interact.
Attention spans and communication styles change due to emerging technologies.
• Example: The shift to short-form content (TikTok, Instagram Reels) has altered how
people consume information, reducing engagement with long-form reading and deep
analysis.
4. Diffusion of Innovations Theory
• Implication: Technology spreads in stages, affecting economic and social inequality—
early adopters benefit more while others lag behind.
• Example: The adoption of 5G networks first benefited developed nations, enhancing
connectivity, while lower-income regions faced delays in access.
5. Surveillance Society Theory
• Implication: Governments and corporations use technology for monitoring, raising
concerns about privacy, control, and digital ethics.
• Example: Smart cities with AI-driven surveillance improve safety but create ethical
debates about individual privacy and state oversight.
These theories reveal how IT-driven changes impact economics, politics, culture, and
personal lives. The balance between technological progress and ethical concerns continues to
shape society's relationship with innovation.
