The Incurable Disease: Society's Addiction to Technology

It is very apparent that society is experiencing health issues due to the addiction to technology. We plan to conduct an in-depth analysis of the physical, social, psychological, etc health deterioration due to technology. We will explore the technological evolution, and the surrounding issues. In terms of mental deterioration, we will be addressing the issues of addiction, technology abuse including online predation, paranoia and distorted reality. In terms of physical deterioration, we will be exploring the issues of obesity, cancer, sleep, hearing/vision loss, overworking, and evolution. In terms of social deterioration, we will focus on interactions, behavior, and etiquette. We hope to convey the significance of the health side effects that technology has imposed upon our society.

Addiction
As we are well aware, societies form addictions to many different things - from drugs to alcohol, gambling and shopping, addictions are everywhere. A recent phenomenon that has been gaining quick momentum is Computer Addiction. This addiction has gained much press attention because of the large numbers of people that are being affected both young and old, male and female, it’s affecting the overall population.

Computer Addiction is defined at the excessive and compulsive use of computers that interferes with one’s everyday life activities, which leads to their behavior alteration. The computer addict is not addicted to the actual physical computer, but instead to the services and activities that are provided as well as facilitated thorough the use of the computer. These services such as chat rooms, the Internet, instant messaging, online games and all the like are collectively referred to as Computer Medicated Communication (CMC). Computer addicts are drawn to the computer because of these forms of CMC, which acts much like the nicotine for a smoker.

Computer addiction can also facilitate other already existing activities because of the ease of its accessibility. For instance if one has a shopping or gambling addiction, a computer addiction can be created through the facility of the computer feeding these addictions through such activities as online shopping and gambling.

This addiction is quickly gaining momentum as society’s dependence on computers steadily increases. It is termed the addiction of the future by many specialists because of the ease of accessing a computer as well as its affordability. Also with the ease of accessibility it becomes less necessary to understand foundations of computer technology, thus the ease of its use accommodates easily to those that gain addictions.

Who is Affected?

 * The Young & Old
 * Men & Women
 * Students, Working Class & Retirees
 * People of all intellectual levels
 * Those with undeveloped social skills (Insecure, geeky, shy and quiet individuals)
 * Drawn towards computer addiction because of the ease of communication behind a computer screen
 * Those that hide their appearance (create online identities to appeal to targeted groups)
 * Feel less inhibited through a means of electronic communication rather than face to face contact
 * Socially awkward and challenged individuals
 * Children - video game cravings
 * Childhood sacrifices that alter development
 * Those that know nothing about computers and wish to devote time to learn about its services

The Mental Symptoms
When does the need to use a computer become an addiction?
 * Loss of sense of time spent on the computer
 * Unable to pull oneself away from the computer (miss meetings, appointments and neglecting normal daily activities such as eating, sleeping, etc.)
 * Lack of interest in offline activities
 * Mood swings, irritability, and frustration when not at a computer
 * Feeling helpless and empty when not at a computer
 * Waking up early and staying up in order to utilize this time online
 * Anxious when not checking email or social network sites like Facebook
 * Thinking about the computer/ CMC when not on it
 * Lying about the extent of computer use
 * Fantasy life experienced behind computer screen replaces reality

Abuse of Technology
Recent advances and continuous innovation have made it possible to communicate, share, and access information. While technology has been a blessing to our society, easy access to information has led to several disadvantages. People abuse technology, both inadvertently and on purpose. Examples of intended abuse include invasion of privacy, such as credit card fraud, password hacking, and other security compromises. Some examples of unintended abuse include technology disturbances such as cell phone and portable computers in public.

As activities such as instant messaging and online shopping continue to become the norm, more people are becoming victims to technology abuse. This activity, appropriately termed as “phishing,” is the fraudulent activity of attempting to acquire important information, such as passwords, and credit card numbers.

Corporate security compromises are also on the rise as companies spend millions of dollars to prevent even costlier breaches. For example, Bell Canada charged some businesses more than $200,000 as hackers breached a firm’s voicemail system and hijacked it to make long-distance calls. Also, a recent virus known as the conficker worm which targets Windows-based operating systems was scheduled to enable on April 1 and has affected approximately 10 million computers worldwide. Microsoft has offered a $250,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest related to the case.

While someone’s cell phone ringing in a public place, such as in a lecture, is nothing new, a recent trend of laptops in classrooms has gathered attention. Portable computers are a handy way for students and professors alike to take notes, check their email, follow lecture notes, and overall are a good study tool. However, as some students have found out these can also be a distraction to people during lectures, especially when students use laptops for purposes other than education. Some professors have taken action by outright banning laptops in the classroom, such as in Queen’s University’s law school. Professor Jean Boivin declared his classroom a laptop-free zone, where he hoped his students would not be tempted to surf the web, check e-mails, shop online, or socialize on Facebook.

Online Predation
Computers give almost everyone the opportunity to choose any alias they please. As such, people create online identities which allow them to target any preferable groups that they want contact with, which leads us into the topic of online predation. Societal issues of online predation and stalking have gained much press attention recently because of the increasing number in victims that are targeted. Chat rooms, instant messaging, online message boards, and even video games have been bases for attracting online predators. Since the ease of such crimes id only a click away, the reality is indeed rather frightening.



Paranoia
Is there paranoia without technology? Many believe so and recent trends show that people are quickly adopting newer gadgets to keep up with the latest trends and developments. For example, it is not uncommon for some people to carry their cell phone with them wherever they go – some even sleep with their cell phone! Such cell phone obsession is due to the fact that many people feel disconnected, as they can no longer connect and reach other people.

Perhaps more interesting is an increasing trend of internet privacy paranoia. Should we be concerned of what personal information is available on the Internet? For example Google Street View, a feature of its Google Maps web application, has recently drawn some concern in its proposed implementation in Canada. Street View, which has been widely available in the U.S. since 2007 and allows people to view 360 degree views of a particular street, has raised concerns with Canada's privacy commissioner. Although Google has responded by using an automatic blurring feature some concerns remain. Are such privacy concerns really important or are people just paranoid?

Distorted Reality
Pathological computer use is excessive computer use that interferes with daily life a recent study has shown that there is growing number of teenagers and young adults, who grew up spending hours on the computer, playing games and sending instant messages. These patients appear to have significant social and developmental problems, including attention deficit disorder. Some people, particularly younger individuals, engage in pathological computer usage, and as a result have their reality distorted.

Many young people are spending excess hours on the computer, namely playing computer games such as online multiplayer role playing games. Many speculate that there is an increasing trend in young teens and violent or addicting video games, and some believe it is video game companies should outright not even produce such games. An example is Blizzard’s World of Warcraft game which has gathered much attention. A thirteen year-old Chinese boy jumped to his death in 2005 from a 24 story building, allegedly after playing too much World of Warcraft. The parents have since sued Blizzard and plans on filing a class action lawsuit against the whole game industry on the behalf of all parents. Should video game companies be responsible for the actions of its consumers? At the end of the day, it likely should b the responsibility of parents, and individuals more susceptible to pathological computer use should practice moderation.

Childhood Obesity


Many forms of electronic entertainment have replaced the old playground and the great outdoors in many children's lives. A life full of intense gaming with the latest graphics and television shows that must be followed episodically have taken precedence over most physical activities that would have otherwise been commonplace. Technology is a merely a factor of childhood obesity but there has proven to be a strong correlation. It is now customary in our culture to be glued to a television set or computer screen for hours on end engrossed in a virtual world. This type of lifestyle takes its toll on all types of people, but has the most severe effects on children whose bodies are still developing and require proper physical action for healthy growth.

Childhood obesity has grown in epidemic proportions with roughly 25 million overweight children in the United States alone. The consequence of childhood obesity on society is the strain on the health care system many years into the future. Children who are obese have an increased risk of many health issues and diseases due to the strain that the extra pounds put on their overall health. Life expectancies are decreased and excess body weight increases the chance of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol levels. Obesity affects all organs of the body but having too much fat in specific areas of the body, such as the liver, may lead to hepatitis or cirrhosis. Another health issue to be aware of is sleep apnea which induces fatigue in a child and may affect their performance in other areas.

Cancer
Cell phones operate on a radio frequency and emit electromagnetic radiation which is regarded as non-ionizing. In the past, only ionizing radiation has been thought to be cancerous because this type of radiation can lead to genetic mutations within the DNA of a cell. When the DNA of a cell has been mutated it leads to various types of cancer and other health related problems. In recent years, scientists have concluded that non ionizing radiation has the capability to damage cells by overheating them. It is, however, harder for scientists to identify the exact level that determines when non ionizing radiation becomes unsafe. Human testing for radiation is regarded unethical, but in animal testing cell phone exposure for less than 2 minutes has displayed damaging results to the brain and to blood vessels.

As more research is being done to link cancer to cell phone radiation, it is becoming apparent that small doses of radio frequency can accumulate over time and lead to health defects many years later. The antenna of a cell phone collects and transmits radiation but radiation is also leaked from the mouthpiece and keypad. The radiation penetrates the brain and other surrounding tissues. Cell phone radiation can mutate healthy cells but also has the ability to make already cancer cells proliferate and divide more aggressively.

Some effects of prolonged exposure to radiation can include the following: damage nerves in the scalp, blood cells to leak hemoglobin, memory loss and mental confusion, headaches and induce extreme fatigue, joint pain, muscle spasms and tremors, burning sensation and rashes on the skin. Radiation also affects areas to which it is directly exposed, such as altering the brain's electrical activity during sleep, inducing ringing in ears, impairing sense of smell, precipitate cataracts, retina damage and eye cancer. Healthy cells that have acquired mutations due to radiation can have an open blood-brain barrier in which viruses and toxins can enter and the number and efficiency of white blood cells in the body is reduced. Asthma can be stimulated by producing histamine in mast cells and digestive problems can arise and raise bad cholesterol levels.

Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is an everyday occurrence in our modern culture. With so much technology at our fingertips to save time, it seems the more tasks we try to cram in and complete. Being awake for extensive periods of time can have serious mental and physical effects that impact the way we function and behave. Staying awake for more than 24 hours has the same effect as being “legally drunk”.

Our ability to sustain a healthy immune system, use cognitive abilities and handle stress are all greatly affected by insufficient rest. Sleep is important to regenerate the body, especially the brain. The brain is the organ most affected by sleep scarcity. Brain functionality deteriorates as it works to oppose the effects of sleep deprivation leading to it operate less efficiently which results in low concentration, memory loss, impaired decision making skills and lack of problem solving skills.

Typical effects of sleep deprivation include depression, heart disease, hypertension, irritability, slow reaction time, slurred speech and tremors. These effects can lead to disorders and syndromes that can sometimes be fatal.

Hearing, Vision Loss & Other Bodily Issues
Our conventional habits can negatively affect our health, and we must be careful to ensure that we are taking appropriate breaks and other safety measures needed to prevent permanent damage to our health.


 * 77% of workers suffer eye fatigue, 71% suffer back pain, 67% suffer headaches
 * 79% of 16-24-year-olds complain of eye fatigue, 80% have back pain.

Radiation, once a major concern with using the technology, is no longer as large of a concern. Straining the eye muscles is very common among people who watch the TV or computer regularly without looking away often. When one focuses on something for extensive periods of time, the eye muscles become less flexible and the vision worsens. “Computer eyestrain causes the need for reading glasses in middle age, and almost 25% of school-age children have vision problems.” (College of Optometrists in Vision Development)

We often tend to listen to our music and other technologies too loud, which is a cause for concern and can often lad to ear damage. It has been found that over 42% of people who listen to music regularly listen much too loud. This can be as damaging to your ears as listening 3m from a jackhammer (The RNID). Another way to put it all in context, is someone who listens to their mp3 player through earphones on the highest volume for 5 hours get a dose of noise that is more than that allowed by the Health and Safety regulations for factory workers.

When one concentrates on a computer screen, they often stop breathing as often as they should and even blink half as often as they should. Poor body position creates poor circulation, eyes get less oxygen and nutrition (Eyes and brain consume a third of the oxygen and a quarter of the nutrients your body intakes. Poor posture also creates many back problem. The 2007 ViewSonic survey of 1500 computer workers reported 71% of respondents suffered back pain at their computer. But when they looked at the figures for 16-24 year olds, that jumped to 80%.  Without ergonomics (a science built around these problems, to decrease negative effects) our bodies can be easily damaged.

The tendons in the carpal tunnel can become irritated and inflamed by awkward postures or repetitive hand movements. There is also in danger of getting Tennis elbow or RSI rep strain injuries from repetitive movements if you don’t take proper breaks and stretch which many of us don’t bother doing.

Overworking
'''Having technologies such as laptops and cellphones with you continuously are proven to be hazardous to your health. Be reachable at all hours has it’s flaws, from being overworked and caused directly by the technology itself.''' Where do you find the time to fit everything into one day? If you're like most overworked people, you probably skimp on sleep, either by staying up later or getting up earlier. Even when you finally do go to bed, you may have trouble falling asleep, or you may wake up in the middle of the night worrying about something that you have to do. Lack of sleep takes its toll on your energy level.

But sleep deprivation isn't the only way that overworking causes fatigue. When working long hours or trying to pack a daily schedule with one activity after another, the body remains on heightened alert by churning out stress hormones. As with a true stress response, these hormones get your heart pumping and the blood flowing to your brain and muscles, causing your body to burn a lot of energy. If you don't give yourself the chance to unwind and refuel, you'll become progressively more fatigued.

Subjects exposed to radiation identical to that emitted from cell phones took longer to enter the deepest stages of sleep and spent less time in them, according to the study published by MIT's Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium

In children and teens, who tend to use their phones late at night, the study found that the sleep disturbances caused by the radiation can trigger depression, mood swings, ADHD-like symptoms and personality changes, and impair concentration and academic performance.

Sleep deficiency could result in many consequences including: Lack of sleep, which can affect your memory; sleep deprivation, which coan lead to diabetes; and obesity. Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure and Stroke are other consequences of poor sleep.

Evolution & Ergonomics


Is our bodies changing around recently developed technology?

The International Ergonomics Association has adopted this technical definition: ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.

Though it isn't obvious, our bodies are changing around our technology as they always have been. Not only are we extremely dependant on our conventional technology but we work around it. Our muscles are changing around what we use. In your hand down from your pointer finger and aligned with your thumb there is the "texting/ gaming muscle" which is strengthened from texting and gaming. This goes to show that our bodies are changing around technology and with things like ergonomics even our safety and habits are changing around our technology as well.

Interactions
Thus far, we have seen the mental and physical health effects of society’s incurable disease. We cannot forget the serious implications of the social health effects that arise from technology overuse and dependency. This disease is complete with symptoms and side effects, as well as a diagnosis that has been derived from much research and scientific experimentation. The first of these issues to be explored is social interaction. When an individual is guilty of excessive use and reliance on cell phones and computers, for things such as text messaging, email and instant messaging, they are displaying the symptoms. As a result of the need to constantly employ the use of a technological device, the social skills of the individual decrease and are not fully developed, creating a sense of discomfort in social or group settings. This becomes an unhealthy habit. Because of the reliance on technology, people often use email, memos, or text messages to communicate instead of using verbal communication. The chances of miscommunication occurring are very high, as the quality of emotion is very poor. In places such as the workplace and school environments, emotions become very difficult to convey using this method. The diagnosis here would be that communication has definitely become a technological affair.

Many people can be found guilty with using terms such as BRB (be right back), LOL (laugh out loud), ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing), and TTYL (talk to you later). These are abbreviations that are only causing incorrect and inappropriate grammar, and stunting the grammatical development of many people. The real problem exists when these terms begin to be incorporated into the school and the office. How are complete ideas supposed to be formed? These words are the “slang” used today, but where do people aged 50 and above stand here? They may not understand the meaning of these words. The slang is a communication barrier, because of the generational gap. When we view this situation, we cannot help but to beg the question: Is technology helping us, or is it holding us back?

Behavior
Another critical issue that must be touched on is social behavior. In terms of social behavior, always using your cell phone or computer, or the need to always have your cell phone around displays terrible symptoms of this disease. When one is too dependent upon technology, they can potentially miss certain things, such as the big picture or alternative ways to interpret something. Also, someone may want to have the latest technology in every form, causing a strong case of materialism. The true value is lost.

We can conclude that technology has caused people to believe that it can remedy any problem or provide any information, causing social situations and expanding horizons to appear redundant. FACT: **People do notice when you are completely in another world on your “CrackBerry,” or when they can hear the loud music through the headphones on your iPod.**

Etiquette
One displays symptoms of poor etiquette when their technological device takes precedence over anything or anyone else. Anything from using your phone in a group setting, to text messaging at the dinner table, to having the ringer go off in class or the office, to always checking your phone definitely portrays a lack of etiquette. Our diagnosis is that society has established a set of norms and culture that has integrated the justification of technology use.

Group Information
Group Number: 03  Contributors:
 * Yumna Maan
 * Siana Matow
 * Gareth Menezes
 * Kelsey Pariag
 * Jessica Pleysier

Lecture: CPSC 203 W09 L01 Dr. Kawash Tutorial: T18 Maha Shouman