Describe three ways that computers have made the world safer and less safe.
Computers are both a blessing and a curse. A marvel of technology, computers have allowed us access to essentially limitless data at the click of a mouse or even in the palm of our hand. With this great power however, comes great risks.
Starting with how computers have made the world safer, computers have allowed for easy access to information via the internet. Instant access to the weather and traffic allows for better and safer planning, guides online help us deal with the inconveniences of life (like how to jumpstart a car when your car battery dies), and social media and other messaging apps help us all stay connected and look out for each other. Another way that computers have allowed for a safer world is the monitoring of illegal activities. Now, while the internet does help authorities monitor potentially illegal activity, it does also help criminals more easily commit crime, so it’s sort of a double edged sword. Computers have also allowed for incredible technologies such as AI and antonymous driving, which is safer in itself. Some people really shouldn’t have a driver’s license…
As stated earlier, computers are sort of a double edged sword, so you have to take the good with the bad. Easier access to information for regular consumers also means easier access to information for those with malicious intent. Computers allow people to more easily plan crimes with this access to information and allows them to communicate without having to see each other in person (although that might be a safer route for criminals). Computers have also allowed humans to create many, many weapons in which we can use to wage war against each other (if there’s one thing humans are good at, it’s finding different ways to fight each other). The final reason for computer making the world less safe is just the fact that computers are taking over pretty much everything we do. For example, if self-driving cars begin to become a big thing, what would happen if someone with malicious intent decided to hack into the software controlling these cars? It could end poorly.
In the end, computers have become an essential part of modern society and although they have allowed for much improvement in society, they can also act as a catalyst for evil and malice.