Nowadays, it is hard to find those who are away from the Internet. Especially, life in POSTECH requires many aids from the “Network”. Even I always log-in into lms.postech.ac.kr before starting with my assignments.
Yes. We heavily rely on the developed IT. However, do we realize that we are not only receiving aids but also bearing the disadvantages given by the Internet? When I read the article entitled “Are You Meeting Big Data or Big Brother?” I was so grateful because this article accurately pointed out many benefits of Big Data in different aspect. Hence, I want to deeply discuss about the fundamental problem of the Internet and what we have to be aware of before enjoying the benefits from the Internet.
To begin with, the reporter indicated that the “openness” of the Big Data approach makes users feel they are being monitored. This is when the Big Data is altered into Big Brother. Yet, this problem can be settled within us because we are the ones who allow the openness of the data. The simple examples are SNSs.
I personally do not utilize SNS service frequently. I certainly notice the benefits of it such as staying in touch with news and contacting old friends; but to me, SNSs are doing more harm than good. Firstly, I think it is unnecessary to announce my life in details. To me, announcing my daily life is just a means of taking away my privacy. (In fact, do others even care if I drink Americano or Cappuccino?) Second, meeting others face to face is much more intimate than simply pressing “like” on their post. Liking the post is becoming a culture among the SNS users, for it is not a way of expressing their real thoughts.
The reporter also pointed out that security is very important. Recently, there was unpleasant news regarding the leak of personal information. Surprisingly, it occurred not only in one organization, but in four different companies. We know that confidentiality of personal identity is significantly important, especially when it is financially related; thus, the society was upset with the incident. However, getting mad should not be the only action toward this unfavorable event. Instead, we should look back at our actions when there was a pop-up saying, “Your password must be changed because it was used for too long time.”
I cannot deny that IT development is a gift to human society; however, we need to be awrare of the disadvantages in order to use IT properly. As mentioned, throughout the article, developed IT can be used in various fields. But I want to emphasize that it is helpful only when it is used by the right people in the right way. Once again, acquiring benefits comes with a whole lot of responsibility.