We explain what Information and Communications Technologies are and what they are for. Advantages, disadvantages and examples.
What are ICT?
When we talk about ICT or Information and Communications Technologieswe refer to a diverse group of practices, knowledge and tools, linked to the consumption and transmission of information and developed from the dizzying technological change that humanity has experienced in recent decades, especially as a result of the appearance of the Internet.
There is no clear concept of ICT, however, since this term is used in a similar way to that of the “Information Society”, that is, they are used to indicate the paradigm shift in the way we consume information today, compared to past times. This has to do with areas as different as romantic relationships, corporate finance, the entertainment industry and even everyday work.
This means that the new Information and Communications Technologies have revolutionized our way of living, allowing the invention of new goods and services new methods of marketing and collection, as well as alternative means for the flow of information, which are not always legal or pass through controlled areas of society.
Unlike previous times, ICT today allows us instant communication over enormous geographical distances, overcoming borders and promoting the process of global interconnection known as globalization.
See also: HTTP
Advantages of ICT
The virtues of ICT are not difficult to list: their greater speed, capacity and distribution of information They allow users from different parts of the planet to connect using computers and other specialized devices, to communicate in multiple ways and undertake various transactions: buying and selling objects and information, sharing personal data, conversing in real time, even playing online video games even without speak the same language.
This, there is no doubt, has revolutionized daily life. The information that was previously in books, in specialized services and databases, today is dispersed in the multiple corridors of the Internet and can circulate much more freely and democratically, although at times in a much less organized way. The idea of the postal service and messaging changed, too: a smartphone with a camera and an Internet connection is enough to share information with someone on the other side of the world.
Likewise, ICT specialized work areas were inaugurated and new forms of consumption of goods and services, such as business Community Managers or how Freelancers at the distance. They have even left their mark on interpersonal and love relationships, which no longer perceive distance as something insurmountable.
Disadvantages of ICT
Not everything is positive with ICT. Among other things, have encouraged a dispersion of information devoid of knowledge cataloging and legitimation systems, which translates into a greater degree of content disorder (as occurs with the Internet) and even premature access to it, promoting ignorance and irresponsibility in the general public, unable to discern whether The sources are reliable or not.
Likewise, these new technologies have promoted an enormous exhibition of intimate and personal life in addition to the obligation of a permanent connection to the different virtual communities that have been established, giving rise to addictive or unhealthy behaviors, and new forms of risk. Cultural autism, social isolation and childhood hyperstimulation, as well as the enormous risks to privacy, are some of the most worrying problems surrounding ICT today.
ICT examples
Some examples of ICT may be the following:
- Electronic commerce More and more services and products are offered through the Internet or applications on mobile devices, allowing the development of an entire immediate and international commercial branch.
- Virtual communities Networks of users who share similar topics, passions or simply want to expand their social circle, find digital spaces conducive to interaction across distances.
- Instant messaging Services for computers or smart cell phones that allow immediate, efficient and direct communication are increasingly used today.
- Email The digital version of postal mail does not go out of style, since it allows the sending not only of written information but also of photographs and other attachments, whose reception is however instantaneous, no matter how far away the sender and recipient are.
Continue with: Information technology
