📓 Notes: 5.1 – Beneficial and Harmful Effects of Technology

📘 Key Idea

Computing innovations can improve our lives but also pose serious risks. This lesson looks at benefits, harms, and ethical dilemmas of modern technologies.

✅ Beneficial Effects

  • Automated Telephone Trees
    Help businesses reduce costs and improve customer service by routing calls automatically.

  • Medical Innovations
    MRI, DNA sequencing, and vaccine development help diagnose and cure diseases more efficiently.

  • Access to Education
    Online articles, encyclopedias, and eBooks give widespread access to knowledge. Search engines make information instantly available.

⚠️ Harmful Effects

  • Cyberbullying & Online Risks
    Children are vulnerable to scams, inappropriate content, and grooming. Social media also contributes to mental health issues like depression.

  • Social Media Impact
    Studies and lawsuits show that apps like TikTok and Instagram can damage teen mental health, cause addiction, and even be fatal due to trends/challenges.

⚖️ Ethical Dilemmas (Neutral Tech)

  • Self-Driving Cars
    • Pros: Make fast decisions without emotional hesitation.
    • Cons: Can we trust them to make life/death choices?
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
    • Pros: Helps students, boosts productivity, supports healthcare.
    • Cons: Environmental harm, reduced critical thinking, deepfakes.
  • Drones (UAVs)
    • Pros: Helpful in rescue missions, agriculture, wildfire detection.
    • Cons: Privacy concerns, accident risks, military controversy.
  • Gene Editing
    • Pros: Could cure genetic diseases and improve agriculture.
    • Cons: Legal/ethical problems, long-term genetic risks.

🍿 Popcorn Hack #1 – Most Beneficial Effect

I think the most beneficial effect is access to education.
Technology has made knowledge more accessible than ever—anyone with internet can learn almost anything. It’s helped close education gaps and promote global literacy. E-books, online courses, and search engines empower people from all walks of life. This truly impacts society in a positive, long-term way.

🍿 Popcorn Hack #2 – Additional Beneficial Effects

  • Remote Work: Tech lets people work from home, increasing flexibility and productivity.
  • Smart Assistants: Tools like Siri or Alexa help with reminders and information.
  • Translation Tools: Language barriers can be overcome with apps like Google Translate.
  • Fitness & Health Tech: Smartwatches and apps help people monitor their health and stay active.

🍿 Popcorn Hack #3 – Neutral Tech Dilemma Opinion

AI is more beneficial than harmful.
Although there are environmental and ethical concerns, the overall advantages—like increased productivity, better healthcare monitoring, and educational help—are game-changing. The key is proper regulation and responsible use. If used ethically, AI has the power to revolutionize society in positive ways.

📚 Homework Hack

Topic Chosen: Social Media (Harmful Effect)

Social media can be very harmful, especially for teenagers. It often promotes unrealistic beauty standards and causes people to compare themselves to others. This leads to low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Some trends can even be life-threatening, as seen in the blackout challenge cases. While social media can connect people, the risks to mental health are serious and long-lasting.