The social impact of computers

Until the mid-1980s few people had direct contact with computers. Then people began to purchase PCs for use at home, and in the 1990s the Internet and the World Wide Web came to affect nearly everybody. This Internet revolution has had a strong impact on modern society.

Many people have increasingly felt the need to “be connected” or “plugged in” to information sources or to each other. Companies and other organizations have put massive amounts of information onto the World Wide Web, and people using Web browsers can access information that was never before available. Search engines allow users to find answers to almost any query. People can then easily share this information with each other, anywhere in the world, using e-mail, personal Web sites, or online chat rooms and discussion groups. However, almost anybody can make information available on the Internet—including information that is intentionally false, misleading, or incomplete. What is more, some organizations have Web sites that certain groups of people deem pornographic, defamatory, libelous, or otherwise objectionable.

Schools at all levels recognize the importance of training students to use computers effectively. Students can no longer rely solely on their textbooks for information. They must also learn to do research on the World Wide Web. Schools around the world have begun to connect to the Internet, but they must be able to afford the equipment, the connection charges, and the cost of training teachers.

Libraries that traditionally contained mainly books and other printed material now have PCs to allow their patrons to go online. Some libraries are transferring their printed information into databases. Rare and antique books are being photographed page by page and put onto optical discs.

In an increasingly computerized society, computer literacy, the ability to understand and use computers, is very important. Children learn about computers in schools, and many have computers at home, so they are growing up computer literate. Many adults, however, have only recently come into contact with computers, and some misunderstand and fear them.

Knowledge about computers is a requirement for getting many types of jobs. Companies demand that their employees know how to use computers well. Sometimes they will send their employees to classes, or have in-house training, to increase workplace computer literacy.

The increasing use of computers is cause for concern to some, who feel that society is becoming overdependent on computers. Others are concerned that as people spend too much time online, they are having too little face-to-face social contact with others.

As society has become increasingly computerized, more and more personal information about people has been collected and stored in databases. Computer networks allow this information to be easily transmitted and shared. Personal privacy issues concern who is allowed to access someone's personal information, such as medical or financial data, and what they are allowed to do with that information.

More and more companies and their customers engage in electronic commerce. E-commerce offers convenience; access to a great variety of products, whether one lives in an isolated place or a big city; and sometimes lower prices. Because companies that do business exclusively on the Internet do not have the expense of maintaining physical retail outlets, they can pass the savings on to customers.

Companies can put detailed information about their products on their Web sites, and customers can study and compare product features and prices. Customers place product orders online and pay for their purchases by including their credit card numbers with the orders. For this reason, companies use secure Web servers for e-commerce. Secure servers have extra safety features to protect customers' privacy and to prevent unauthorized access to financial information.

Some people are concerned that online shopping will put many physical retail stores out of business, to the detriment of personal one-on-one service. In addition, some electronic retailers, especially those that operate through online auction sites, have been the subject of consumer complaints regarding slow or nonexistent deliveries, defective or falsely advertised merchandise, and difficulties in obtaining refunds.

2. Выберите слова из списка и заполните таблицу, чтобы получились словосочетания. Переведите словосочетания на русский язык.

direct, strong, information, to access, computerized, computer, social, personal, electronic, do, unauthorized, online.

3. Вставьте предлоги.

to rely___textbooks___information; to do research___the WWW; to connect___the Internet; to transfer information___databases; to put___optical discs; to learn___computers___schools; to have computers___home; to come___contact___ computers; a requirement___getting a job; use___computers; to be overdependant___computers; to store information___databases; to engage___electronic commerce; to pay___purchases___credit cards; to put retail stores___ ___ business; to operate___online auction sites; difficulties___obtaining refunds;

4. В тексте упоминаются положительные и отрицательные стороны влияния компьютеров на общество. Распределите их в таблицу. Будьте готовы рассказывать о влиянии компьютеров на общество, используя материалы таблицы.