Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the cause of today's many

social ills. What is your opinion?

From YouTube to Facebook; from Xbox 360 to Nintendo Wii; from Intel-powered
computers to multitasking mini netbooks; these evolutionary medium of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) have become essential part of our lives that not using
one of them is so irrelevant in our society. Indeed, the rapid advancement of technology
propels the social welfare, for better or worse. Undeniably, I agree that ICT cause today’s
many soial ills like cyber-bullying and privacy intrusion. However, I am not waywardly
inclined towards the cons because ICT have pros as well when used to handle social ills
such as terrorist attacks.

Knowingly, ICT is the platform for cyber-bullying. Nowadays, the unending rise of
social networking sites that gives birth to Facebook, MySpace and more recently Twitter
have shaped how this generation interacts. As if teenagers have fully understood and are
practising the phrase “No man is an island,” they make new friends while keeping in
touch with the others through these sites, virtually and dangerously. Photos posted that
are initially intended to update their lifestyles are altered by stalkers and reposted to dent
their reputations. On a more serious note, predators use these sites, especially MySpace,
to lash harsh verbal abuses to innocent victims. A search through the dark side of
MySpace would let us uncover hatred, vengeance and anger that are unleashed on
helpless teens, causing social unrest about the potential psychological trauma the site
could trigger. The problem is so disturbing to the social, specifically the parents, that the
theme of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2009 is “Protecting
children in cyberspace.”

Besides, privacy invasion is another sensitive issue caused by ICT. Ironically, computers,
on which we rely excessively to store and save our private data, are the means of hackers
to steal, destroy or even be exploited for their own selfish good. This hideous act could
easily be done when uninformed surfers of the internet download good-looking software
that turn out to be malicious. When perpetrators have got hold to credit card numbers,
bank accounts or confidential documents, it’s frightening to imagine that the hard-earned
money could be lost the next hour. The social, however, neglect this warning and as a
result, cyber criminals gain the upper hand by pocketing social wealth. On a different and
larger scale, the leaked photos of Hong Kong celebrities in compromising positions not
only stunned the conservative community but shattered the faith of a million fans as well.
The main culprit? A computer technician who unlawfully search and more importantly,
copy the private photographs.

Nevertheless, ICT can be useful weapons to counter terrorist attacks. The Closed-circuit
Televisions (CCTVs) that are placed literally everywhere in London indicates that it is
unlikely for a person to commit a crime and flee unpunished. Better still, the eagle eyes
coupled with facial recognition technology would provide clues on the whereabouts of a
wanted individual. As an evidence, investigators of the 7 July London bombings –
simultaneous attacks on public transports in the morning rush hour that claimed hundreds
of lives and injured more – used CCTVs to trace the mindless, heartless bombers. Closer
to home, law enforcers took advantage of the cameras installed in the hotels to catch the
last moments before the bombing of JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton happened in Indonesia.
Although the damage was done and the social plummeted into distraught and distress, the
brilliant use of ICT serves as a stern reminder to extremist that you can hide, but you
cannot run.