Information and communication technology is the convergence of computer and telecommunication technologies that enable the collection, transmission, and utilization of information. Korea is at the forefront with the spread of high-speed internet, and these technologies are shaping new ways of communication through social networks. At the same time, ethical responsibilities and dysfunctional issues must be addressed.
Information and communication technology, a combination of information technology and communication technology, refers to the software technology required to operate and manage information devices such as computer devices and all methods of collecting, producing, processing, transmitting, and utilizing information using them. Since the mid-1990s, Korea has been promoting the information and communication infrastructure construction project in earnest, building a high-speed information and communication network that connects 144 major cities nationwide with optical cables, and has achieved the world’s No. 1 ranking in high-speed Internet penetration rate.
In addition, in the future information and communication environment, the phenomenon of digital convergence of all media and services is expected to advance rapidly, and convergence and broadbandization are expected to spread throughout society. The above developments in information and communication technology have provided a user-participation-centered Internet environment, and social networks and media consumption culture have reached and influenced our lives around the world.
We are enthusiastic about using social network services under the infrastructure of wireless communication networks to share our status and appearance with our peers through photos, read online newspapers, criticize them, and communicate our thoughts with third parties. I think the reason why interaction using communication networks is so active is due to the nature of creative motivation. The motivation to create and the inclination to contribute to the community have led to the rise of human interaction online.
The above-mentioned factors of building a user-centered information and communication infrastructure and the motivation to communicate and create have replaced the way we communicate with each other in our lives from words or letters to Facebook walls, comments on internet news, and photos on KakaoTalk. It’s no wonder that we want to be in constant interaction with others and try to create a large network around ourselves. Even at this moment, we are not writing letters or sending texts longer than two lines, but we are talking to our colleagues on KakaoTalk in real time, sentence by sentence.
Consider the social paradigm shift in communication between humans due to the development of information and communication technology. One of the major changes in communication in the new era is that the subject and object of communication have changed. The subject of communication has shifted to individuals, not companies or organizations as in the past. The expansion and widespread use of wireless optical communication technology has enabled interactions such as consumer-centered data delivery from the one-way information and data delivery of the past. Like Facebook, which emphasizes openness, connection, and sharing, what is clear to us in today’s advanced communications technology is that opportunities for communication using communications technology exist in many aspects of our lives.
We are seeing endless possibilities for social interaction. We are also experiencing the unintended consequences and unexpected tragedies of this process. The use of a tool depends on the person who wants to use it. Concerns about the dysfunctional nature of science and technology are no exception to this rule. Along with the development of communication technologies, communication ethics and social network dysfunction also arise and are often raised as social issues. Consider the following words as a typical example of the problems that arise in communication ethics. “Keyboard warriors, flamers, cyber terrorists, and new fluffers.” What these words have in common is that they are spontaneous, socially impulsive expressions. The same technology that allows us to send and receive large amounts of data in real time, enabling human interaction to take place across space and time, is also being used as a tool to slander and attack others. While the widespread use of online data transmission and distribution has made our lives more convenient, it has also been used negatively, leading to extremism and moral hazard.
While the development of information and communication technologies has brought us many benefits, we cannot ignore the negative side effects. In particular, issues such as data breaches threaten our privacy, and the spread of misinformation can lead to social disruption. In order to solve these problems, it is not only the legal and institutional mechanisms that are important, but also the ethics and responsibility of the users themselves. What can we do to use information and communication technologies properly?
First of all, we need to think about the meaning of true communication to establish the right use and ethics of information and communication technologies. In an era where networked technologies have greatly influenced human interaction, the meaning of true communication is no different than before. True communication must be two-way. It requires an understanding of the other person’s position, i.e., an effort to understand the situation they are in, where they stand in that situation, and what they want. Along with understanding the other person, we must also recognize the limitations of technology-based interactions.
Everyone has a Facebook account. In the movie The Social Network (2010), Mark, a Facebook developer, has 500 million online friends around the world, but he hesitates to unfriend an old friend because he wants to reconnect with someone he really wants to talk to. Online communication and interaction through social networks cannot replace all of the face-to-face interactions we once had.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is important for individuals, companies, and leaders to utilize networks effectively in order to respond appropriately. It is also important to have one’s own philosophy and standards for communication, and to make wise judgments to live in harmony with others. Communication technology has made it possible to use social networks as a tool for communication. As a result, individuals, consumers, citizens, etc. have become communication agents, allowing them to make more decisions about their lives and organize themselves voluntarily. This trend is leading to a paradigm shift in the way we communicate, and I think it is changing democracy for the better. I believe that democracy becomes stronger when more people participate in the process of freely expressing opinions, interpreting, and reconstructing meaning, not only in the consumption of media culture but also in social issues. I think this is the greatest achievement of network infrastructure and interaction and communication through social networks. I hope that we can capitalize on this positive aspect and realize more stable communication.
Information and communication technologies have revolutionized our lives, and the pace of change will continue to accelerate. In the midst of these changes, we need to properly utilize ICT, minimize its side effects, and live a more enriched life. This will require continuous education, research, and social consensus. The future information and communication environment will converge more diverse technologies and services, and our mindsets and behaviors will need to change to keep pace with these changes.
