The effects of technology are inevitable. Technology surrounds every single one of us everyday of our lives. This topic interests me because there are so many conflicting views about how the costs of technology compare to the benefits. It's undeniable that there are many positive aspects to technology, but when we look around at what society has turned into, it's concerning to see the negative effects that come with these advances as well. I personally have always valued personal interactions. I think some conversations are meant to take place face-to-face and should involve direct eye contact. It's true that texting and calling are incredibly convenient, making it easier than ever to reach someone quickly and get a fast reply. However, I find it disheartening how many conversations are taking place in this impersonal manner in this day and age when some of these conversations really deserve a more personal setting. Parents of teens today are definitely witnessing the societal changes that come along with technology, but they aren't actually submerged in this new culture like the current generation of teens is. Since teens are the ones growing up in and being raised in this new technological world, I'm one of the most qualified people to write about this topic. Any teenager growing up in this generation is, in fact, highly qualified to write about the effects of technology. Along with becoming very frustrated with technology in a social context, I've also become angered by technology when it's been used in the school system. In high school, my school tested out an online program for our math homework. I would spend hours on end attempting to finish this homework because even if I had the answer right, the computer wouldn't detect my answer according to the way I entered it. The answer had to be input exactly how the computer wanted it in order for you to get the question right. There were multiple occasions on which I went to my teacher asking what I did wrong, just for him to tell me I hadn't done anything wrong and that it was just the computer software being picky. Although I understand how online homework may seem convenient, there are many problems that can come along with it. After this high school experience, I came to college and all of my exams for psychology were online. The first three exams posed no issues, but in the middle of taking my final exam, my computer booted me out of the system saying the software wasn't supported by my computer. I attempted to redownload the newest software version, I tried calling the online support system, and I tried emailing my professor. However, the exam was timed and I was unable to fix the problem in time. My professor was unrelenting in her decision to not give me a second chance of any sort and I got a C on a final exam in a class where I had not gotten anything below an A previously. This was extremely frustrating to me, as that grade did not accurately reflect my intellect or preparedness; it was simply a flaw in technology. I've had classes with online homework that has actually been very enhancing, so I do see how technology in the school system can be beneficial. However, I think there is much improving to be done, as the Internet is nowhere near fool-proof. 

In "The Four Negative Side Effects of Technology," Pamela DeLoatch  highlights on the negative results that can occur when technology is used both inappropriately and excessively. The four big negatives DeLoatch focuses on are how technology impacts the thoughts of children, the feelings of children, the risks of privacy and safety, and the detrimental impact a lack of physical activity can have. One way technology may change the way children think is by the use of video games, which "can lead to distraction and decreased memory" (DeLoatch para 3). However, video games are not the only way technology can decrease memory. Kids, and actually all people in general, have such quick, easy access to every bit of information they could ever possibly search for. While this is certainly efficient, the information doesn't sink into the brain as well as it would if people had to work harder to find the answers they're looking for. Technology impacts the feelings of children by making them less likely to identify themselves with others and less likely to pick up on emotions of others. DeLoatch writes that, " A study on two groups of sixth graders found that kids who had no access to electronic devices for five days were better at picking up on emotions and nonverbal cues of photos of faces than the group that used their devices during that time" (DeLoatch para 4). This shows that personal interaction with other human beings is truly so important to the normal development of children. Socializing over text and the internet is much easier than real-life interactions, so kids are socially awkward when they come upon a situation where they have to be conversable. 

Similarly to DeLoatch, Martin Bosworth shared his concerns about technology in his article, "Too Much Technology, Too Fast?" Whereas DeLoatch focused on the harms of technology on children, Bosworth focuses more on the greater picture and looks at how technology is affecting society as whole and, specifically, just how fast its effects are spreading. Bosworth writes, "A recent poll found as many as four in ten Americans consider their high-speed Internet connections "essential" to their daily lives ...  Fully half of the respondents said they couldn't live without Internet access, as they depended on it for news, information, and simple communication." (Bosworth para 3). This is sad that people feel that staying connected is that important to their daily lives. Bosworth also found that many people check their work emails while they're at home and also on the weekend when they don't even have work. Weekends used to be a time for working parents to spend time with their families and they wouldn't be able to check back in until they physically went into work during their next shift. However, technology has now become so irresistible that people can't bring themselves to disconnect and draw themselves away from their work. This subtracts away from valuable, personal time that is critical in holding families and relationships together. Bosworth also draws on the fact that video games increase violent tendencies and promote permissive attitudes towards drugs and sex. Kids don't see the harm in picking up a controller and putting on a headset to play their favorite games, but these games may actually be causing kids to unconsciously form unfavorable behaviors. Bosworth is also, like DeLoatch, clearly biased against technology, but all of his information is objective rather than subjective, so his article can be trusted. 

In agreement with DeLoatch's concerns for privacy when dealing with technology, Susanne Posel writes about the lack of privacy involved with technology in her article, "How Your Cell Phone Makes Spying Easier for the Government and Police." Smartphones these days are truly smart phones, but that's not necessarily as good as it sounds. Cell phones track locations and all activity of the owner of the device. Phone companies can record all GPS trackings, text messages, and phone calls and they can then sell that information to whoever is interested and is willing to pay a good price, which is usually either the government or the police. "A CNN article reported that whoever has the biggest offer to the wireless corporations, wins the information war" (Posel para 3). Police and government officials don't hold any warrants giving them the right to obtain such personal information, yet they do it anyway, without the knowledge of the cell phone's owner. The FBI has the capability to basically bug cell phone towers in order to tap into and listen in on people's personal conversations. The alleged goal of this spying is to catch criminals or listen in on suspicious, possible terrorist activity, but everyday Americans aren't happy that their innocent phone calls and text messages are being seen by the government. Posel has quotes and resources in her article from CNN and various cell phone companies who confirm that this information is true, assuring readers that her information is accurate. Posel evidently stands against the lack of privacy with technology, but then again, there aren't many people that would exactly be happy knowing that everywhere they go and everything they say and do is secretly being tracked and recorded.

The question of negative effects of technology on society can certainly be argued against by those that believe technology is doing nothing but benefitting our developing world. There are some people who are ignorant to the fact that their every move is being tracked, or there's people that don't have kids, so they don't see the concerns with technology related to the development of the young today. There are countless amounts of people that would argue that the "harms" of technology are not so significant in the grand scheme of things. Many people believe there are so many positives of technology that the benefits outweigh the goods. People could certainly compose an argument saying how technology has improved speed, efficiency, communication, business, national and international relationships, etc. Most of the sources in my paper appear to agree that technology has caused severe harm to the evolution of society and the individual in a great number of ways. From the impairment of the psychological growth of children, to the privacy and safety concerns, to the worries about increasing obesity, and to the frightening knowledge of the ability of the government to track our phone records, DeLoatch, Bosworth, and Posel all expressed considerable concern related to technology. One thing all three authors have in common is that they all believe changes need to be made to the way technology is being handled, and these changes need to come sooner rather than later. The perspectives of the authors reinforce my own opinion that technology is tarnishing our society. While I can admit there are benefits to technological advances, it is sometimes hard to see past them when everyday I look around and see the continual damage that is occurring, all due to these small devices that fit in the palm of our hands. While my paper will continue to highlight on the main concerns of technology, including those expressed by DeLoatch, Bosworth, and Posel, I have changed my research question to focus on social media itself, rather than focusing on social media along with technological devices. I also narrowed in on the negative effects and decided I'm most concerned with the social and personal effects social media has on the individual.

