{"id":304,"date":"2023-11-24T02:18:42","date_gmt":"2023-11-24T02:18:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/?p=304"},"modified":"2023-11-24T02:18:42","modified_gmt":"2023-11-24T02:18:42","slug":"three-ways-that-computers-have-made-the-world-safer-and-less-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/2023\/11\/24\/three-ways-that-computers-have-made-the-world-safer-and-less-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Three ways that computers have made the world safer and less safe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The three ways that computers have made the world safe are by enhancing medical operations, ensuring effectiveness in the criminal justice system, and allowing the effective monitoring of nuclear testing worldwide. The use of computers has led to major advancements in medical procedures of all sorts. From simplifying patient recordkeeping and monitoring to finding and treating major cancers, computers have provided a way to improve overall healthy lives and lengthen the average human lifespan. Gabriel Dockery (<em>10 Ways Computers Are Used in Medicine | Techwalla.com<\/em>, 2015) points out that computer technology assists doctors by allowing the collection of and easy access to patient records. Computers also help by monitoring patients\u2019 heart rates and breathing, along with many other functions. There are also more advanced computer-driven machines that help in the area of research of cancers and even help during surgeries. These advances have helped medical personnel respond at a faster speed in emergencies and in general. The developments have made healthcare more reliable and better able to react when the need arises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Computers have helped the criminal justice system to prove whether or not alleged perpetrators of crimes are truly innocent or guilty. Prosecutors, law enforcement, and defense attorneys all make use of computers in the search for as much factual evidence as is possible to find in favor of their arguments. One article points out that, \u201cComputer forensics has been indispensable in the conviction of many well-known criminals, including terrorists, sexual predators, and murderers\u201d (<em>Computer Forensics in Criminal Investigations \u2013 Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science<\/em>, n.d.). As is often the case, most criminals do not realize the evidence against them is still available on their digital devices even after they delete the information. (<em>Computer Forensics in Criminal Investigations \u2013 Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science<\/em>, n.d.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arguably one of the most important contributions is the use of computers to monitor nuclear testing throughout the entire planet. The lasting effects of this testing cannot be understated. There is the fallout from the test itself, as well as the mental effect that the news of testing has on the world\u2019s population. Test blasts have been detected by \u201ca global seismic sensing network operated by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The network, called the International Monitoring System, aims to &#8220;make sure that no nuclear explosion goes undetected&#8221; (<em>Computer Scientist\u2019s Software Helps Detect Nuclear Tests<\/em>, n.d.). This system is now outdated and has begun to develop problems; therefore, a new system called the Vertically Integrated Seismic Analysis (VISA) was developed in 2007. This newer system is currently up and running, and it looks promising (<em>Computer Scientist\u2019s Software Helps Detect Nuclear Tests<\/em>, n.d.). These networks collect data from a series of stations located globally. Any anomalies are quickly, and now more accurately, correlated to a location and their initiating activity is determined so that nations across the planet can be aware of who is testing nuclear bombs. Awareness of testing assists in determining what course of action needs to be taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The three ways computers have made the world less safe are by making the world a stage for every terrorist, by giving petty criminals the ability to make major news headlines through cyber-attacks, and by giving people the ability to steal money by many means that would otherwise not exist without computers. With the advent of the internet, terrorists are now able to connect to anyone willing to listen at any time of the day or night. This gives a terrorist organization the ability to recruit willing participants (<em>Computer Forensics in Criminal Investigations \u2013 Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science<\/em>, n.d.). This also makes easier the transmission of messages such as warnings to scare people or taking responsibility for an attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Computers give anyone with the knowledge or the right amount of luck, the resources to infiltrate major organizations like banks and healthcare facilities. If successful, these attacks can become national news. This type of recognition can be enough to push people to commit such offenses. As Mottl puts it, \u201cSome hackers are motivated by the sense of achievement that comes with cracking open a major system. Some may work in groups or independently, but, on some scale, they would like to be recognized\u201d (Mottl, 2022). Mottl goes on to make clear that \u201ccybercriminals are competitive by nature, and they love the challenge their actions bring. In fact, they often drive one another to complete more complicated hacks\u201d (Mottl, 2022). Pulling off a good hack gives a hacker bragging rights, and it can also show off skills that can make them money in the future. Computers also give people the ability to illegally make money. Reynolds (2020) says that fraud alone has been steadily increasing since before, and significantly during the Covid19 pandemic. Fraud is still a major player in economics, and with the increasing use of technology, monetary losses resulting from fraud will likely continue to increase in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>10 Ways Computers Are Used in Medicine | Techwalla.com<\/em>. (2015). Techwalla. https:\/\/www.techwalla.com\/articles\/10-ways-computers-are-used-in-medicine<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Computer Forensics in Criminal Investigations \u2013 Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science<\/em>. (n.d.). Sites.dartmouth.edu. https:\/\/sites.dartmouth.edu\/dujs\/2013\/03\/13\/computer-forensics-in-criminal-investigations\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Computer scientist\u2019s software helps detect nuclear tests<\/em>. (n.d.). ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 23, 2023, from https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2016\/01\/160127133055.htm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mottl, C. (2022, March 3).&nbsp;<em>6 Motivations of Cyber Criminals<\/em>. Www.coretech.us. https:\/\/www.coretech.us\/blog\/6-motivations-of-cyber-criminals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reynolds, J. (2020, November 12).&nbsp;<em>9 reasons digital fraud is on the rise<\/em>. Www.securitymagazine.com. https:\/\/www.securitymagazine.com\/articles\/93912-reasons-digital-fraud-is-on-the-rise<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The three ways that computers have made the world safe are by enhancing medical operations, ensuring effectiveness in the criminal justice system, and allowing the effective monitoring of nuclear testing worldwide. The use of computers has led to major advancements in medical procedures of all sorts. From simplifying patient recordkeeping and monitoring to finding and&#8230; <\/p>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/2023\/11\/24\/three-ways-that-computers-have-made-the-world-safer-and-less-safe\/\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":27260,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wds_primary_category":0},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27260"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=304"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":305,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions\/305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/smsradt002\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}