Computers in Society

Computer Applications in Society

1. Computers in the Military
• Decryption of codes
• Satellite surveillance
• Smart computer guided missiles
• Computer automated naval ships
2. Computers in Medicine
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
• Cardiac Monitors
• Medical Databases
• Optical Character Scanners and speech synthesizers for the visually impaired
3. Computers in Business
• Automatic banking machines
• Computer inventory management
• Payroll
• Cash Cards
4. Computers in Aviation
• Booking and reservations
• Automatic pilot
• Computerized navigation and GPS
5. Computers in Meteorology
• Automated remote weather stations
• Computer modeling of weather systems for predicting weather
• Weather imaging satellites
6. Computers in Communications
• Telephone network
• Internet

Computer Privacy

1. Gonverment Databases
• computer profiling
• Computer Privacy Act of 1974
• Data subject to abuse
• Data used to tract down abuse of social services
2. Reasons for allowing public access to government files:
• Discourages fraud by general public
• Discourages abuse and corruption in government departments
• Taxpayers pay for data and therefore should have access to it
3. Reasons for disallowing public access to government files:
• To protect an individuals privacy
• To decease the possibility of harassment
• Avoid embarrassment to people
4. Data Dealers and Private Databases
• Computer matching used in marketing
• Computer statistics are used in decision making
• Underground information vendors providing unauthorized information
5. Possible Solutions to Privacy Issues
• Better database security
• Encryption
• Expiring old data
• Government regulations
• Contracts to allow or prohibit use of data
• Consumer and market pressure
• Better law enforcement for abuse of private data

Blind Faith in computers

1. Computers do not understand what they are doing and can make very damaging mistakes as a result of some programming bug
2. Humans by placing too much control in the hands of computers can become helpless when computers fail. (ie. Northern Ranger disaster)
3. Criminals can take advantage of our faith in computers to defraud the general public or businesses.

Computer Crime

1. White collar crime
2. Computer Hacking
3. Computer Viruses and Worms