CHAPTER 5:

IT, Culture, and the Society

 The Impact of IT on the Society
As previously discussed, the seven major trends for 2017 are as follows:
1. IoT and smart home technology
2. Augmented reality and virtual reality
3. Machine learning
4. Automation
5. Big data
6. Physical-digital integrations
7. Everything on demand
 The Impact of IT on the Society
• Majority of organizations and companies nowadays have
taken these trends into account, shifting manual
business processes to automated ones and using ICT to
improve their products and services.
• Among these seven trends, the internet of Things (IoT)
and automation seem to have greatly influenced
present-day culture and society; thus, it is imperative to
discuss these thrusts in detail.
 Internet of Things (IoT)
• Internet of Things (IoT) is a set-up of devices and
objects which are connected together in a given
network.
• Their connection, often wirelessly, is possible using
both hardware and software.
 Internet of Things (IoT)
• The hardware part is often made up of sensors that
collect data, which are then sent to other devices for
analysis and possible interpretation (e.g. Wearable
devices, Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches).
• An app (Software) installed in the phone records the
results in a daily, weekly, or monthly basis for the
mobile phone user to keep track of his or her progress.
 Capabilities of IoT
• Integration across technology and business
• Data analysis and synchronization
• Security and service
 Integration across
technology and business

• Sensors can be used to help improve business

processes, such as machines used for manufacturing
and production, security systems, and even simple
ones like automatically turning on and off a light
switch.
• Obviously, technology used for each application may
vary, depending on the complexity and use.
 Data analysis and synchronization
• IoT should be capable of providing analytics to help
organizations in their decision-making.
• However, for this to be effective, data must be
synchronized to allow integration with all of the
business aspects including top management,
operations, and even customer relations
 Security and service
• A typical example is your mobile phone notifying you
if you will allow a new device to connect to it via
Bluetooth.
• Normally, it will ask for a pairing connection via a
simple ‘ accept ’ or using a more secure line such as a
pin code.
 Applications of IoT
• Smart cities
• Connected industries
• Connected buildings
• Connected cars
• Smart energy
 Smart cities
• Smart cities have adopted IoT in traffic management,
waste disposal, and even community monitoring for
the security of the city ’ s residents.
 Connected industries
• The oil and gas industry is identified as one of the
front-runners for IoT connectivity which includes
remote access to heavy equipment and machinery,
from manufacturing to production.
 Connected buildings
• Connected building projects involve facility-
automation to reduce energy costs.
 Connected cars
• With smart cities adopting IoT for their traffic
management, it is no longer surprising for the latest
car models to be equipped with sensors and network
connectivity.
• Majority of projects relating to smart vehicles revolve
around vehicle diagnostics and monitoring.
 Smart energy
• Majority of smart energy projects focus on
developing smart grids for renewable energy and
infrastructure.
 Challenges of IoT
• System requirements
• Connectivity
• Power requirements
• Security
• Development
• Services
 System requirements
• Industries normally identify different requirements, especially
depending on the type of industry they belong to.
• Those in the food industry may require monitoring of
perishable goods, from production and packaging to shipping.
• An automobile manufacturer may have the same process, but
since products are different, requirements may also change.
• Food will require data regarding temperature levels, whereas
cars will require mechanical precision.
 Connectivity
• With the varying connections — wired and wireless,
as well as the different protocols governing each
connection, it will be a challenge to come up with an
IoT project concerning such protocols.
 Power requirements
• IoT devices need to run on batteries as majority of
these devices are mobile.
• The challenge, therefore, is how to extend the
battery life on such devices, especially those used in
critical procedures, such as health, disaster
management, and safety.
 Security
• One of the most highlighted issues in the application
of IoT is data security.
• Confidential information such as patients ’ records or
employees ’ profiles are considered at risk.
• Security also includes system integrity, with malicious
acts such as hacking and viruses proliferating online.
 Development
• One of the challenges identified is how to expand the
capabilities of developers, and not just experts, in
order to create more “ smart things. ”
 Services
• With data collected from IoT, it is important as well to
determine where all this will go and to identify the
platform in which these IoT applications will be
placed.
 Automation
• Colloquially called “ computerization, ” having an automated
system means automated business processes, operations, service
provider, monitoring, and even tools. Common examples are:
– Automated payroll system, in which the employee payroll and
pay slips are automatically generated every payday
– A manufacturing plant that packs powdered juices in foil
containers/sachets where machines with sensors are used to fill
up the packs up to the last milligram accurately
– Automated weather forecast.
 Common Methods in
Implementing IT Automation

• Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

• Sensors
 Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Institute for Robotic Process Automation and
Artificial Intelligence (IRPAAI) defined RPA as:
“ the application of technology that
allows employees in a company to configure computer
software or a “ robot ” to capture and interpret existing
applications for processing a transaction, manipulating
data, triggering responses and communicating with other
digital systems ”
 Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
• RPA actually focuses on computers being able to make logical
decisions on the business process so that their human
counterparts can focus on other tasks, thus increasing work
productivity.
• Application systems and software may also be considered as RPA
as they are applicable to the following:
– Process Automation
– IT Support Management
– Automated Assistants
 Process Automation
• The use not only of industrial robots but also of “ presentation-
layer automation software ” is capable of carrying out the daily
operations of an organization.
• Process automation may include:
– finance systems such as payroll,
– customer management systems such as online system
registration, and
– academic institutions offering online enrollment systems, among
others.
 IT Support Management
• Management of IT infrastructure and complex
systems becomes easier using RPA.
• If part of the system fails, an automated system can
immediately send notifications to the IT manager and
technical support staff, informing them of the
problem.
 Automated Assistants
• Apple’s Siri is an example of a voice recognition
software used in RPAs.
• Instead of machine language (binary), computers will
be able to understand human language and interact
with the same.
• Another example for automated assistants will be
banks having an automated customer service hotline.
 Sensors
• Sensors are hardware devices that have the
capability to measure an event, object, or any
physical quality that is happening.
• Examples include the heart rate of a person while
jogging, the temperature of a room, brightness of a
light source, and the like.
 Sensors Used in Automation
• Temperature sensor
– Power plants and server rooms.
• Infrared (IR) sensor
– This sensor often used for security purposes
• Ultrasonic sensor
– detects sound waves, such as how radars and sonars pick up
sounds.
– light fixture turning on/off if the owner claps his or her hands
 Sensors Used in Automation
• Touch sensor
– with biometrics, users can now access the content of their
phones
• Proximity sensor
– This sensor is able to detect objects within a certain range,
even if the object is not physically touching the sensor yet.
– It is typically used in the light fixtures of houses and
buildings. The light turns on if it detects a person is close by.
 Pressure sensor
• Pressure sensor
– helps determine the weight or impact of a certain object.
– It is normally used by manufacturing companies, such as
automobile companies, in designing their airbag system.
• Level sensor
– used for disaster risk management systems, such as a
flood monitoring system.
 Pressure sensor
• Smoke/Gas sensor
– This sensor is used to detect the presence of
dangerous fumes such as carbon monoxide caused
by fire.
– Smoke alarms show how this sensor works.
 Influence on Culture
• Online Reviews
– This trend of having other people do the task first for others is an
example of how technology affects the basic human behavior of
decision-making.
• Weblogging/Social Media
– Nowadays, food bloggers post pictures of their meals in restaurants
along with a food review.
– This trend created a culture of people dining with friends or family
without actually interacting with them. People would first take pictures
of their meal and post it online.
 Influence on Culture
• YouTube Learners
– influences the acquisition of knowledge and
learning of certain skill sets.
– Instead of reading books or listening to their
teacher’s class lecture, students would rather
watch YouTube to learn the lesson.
 Influence on
Social Behavior

• Cyberbullying
– an unwanted, hostile behavior done by individuals
to other people in the hope of gaining control over
them.
– Cyberbullies can be classmates, neighbors, or
officemates. Victims of bullying often end up with
personal traumas.
 Influence on
Social Behavior

• Netiquette
– a combination of the words internet and etiquette.
– It describes how one should act online. Netiquette
brings in policies for all the features and qualities
of the internet
 Netiquette for
Social Media

• The Personalize IT Rule

– Make sure to put restrictions in accepting friends or
followers on your social media
• The Off-limits Rule
– Know your limitations when voicing out your opinions on
different subjects or topics concerning your school,
religion, personal information, workplace, and even
some controversial subjects such as politics.
 Netiquette for
Social Media

• The Tag - You’re It Rule.

– Be careful in tagging someone either in your status
post or photos.
– You may also restrict someone from tagging you in
their posts and photos
 Netiquette for Chat Rooms, and Instant Messaging

1. Think long and hard before accepting a private conversation,

especially with someone not on your friends list.
2. In a group chat, include only those that are in your friends list.
3. If possible, do not give your personal information including your
photos or “ selfies.
4. When in doubt, save a copy or make a back-up of your conversation
(chat).
5. You must log out from your account at all times
6. Customize your account settings from public to private account.
 Professional Ethics
• While netiquette applies to all netizens, IT
professionals specifically follow an ethical practice as
they are the front liners, support, and backend of ICT.