Ali Alfadala

Jason Karp

ITCS 3688 002

6/9/2017

Technology as a source of information

Technology has opened up many more sources than what might be available in a newsstand, library, or a bookstore. Usually, the

information obtained from these sources has very little to show about the party that is accountable for authoring it. This means

that there are chances that the information could be incorrect. However, since people have come to rely on web sources because

of its convenience, it is important that this information is verified so that its reliability is determined.

One of the techniques of validating web sources is by looking at its authorship. This is a major criterion for use because it asks

the question: Who wrote this? Finding the answer to this pertinent question goes a long way to determining whether or not the

information is accurate. For those web publications dealing with the field of study of the reader, the person will recognize well-

regarded names. There will also be those web documents where the author is not recognizable. In such a case, the reader looks at

the publication to find out whether it is linked to another author or a name that is trusted as an authority (Donald et al., 84).

Another technique of validating a web source is by looking at the publishing body. For print documents, it usually implies that

the document in question has undergone screening and evaluation so as to ascertain that its contents are accurate. It is different

for web publications because they do not go through a process which ensures that they meet certain minimum threshold (Donald

et al., 85). Case in point, information from the Centers for Diseases and Diseases Control (CDC) would differ greatly from an

online magazine on health. This is because the information from the CDC is published by professionals and scholars in the

medical field. Further, all information that is published on the website has been proven to be factual, accurate and up-to-date.

Occasionally, people find themselves checking Google to verify something someone is saying in front of them. It could be a one

on one conversation, during a business meeting, or even when a person is alone. Depending on the situation, phone use has

implications for the people around. Sometimes it violates the rules of etiquette while sometimes it does not. This paper argues

that there are two sides to this matter. Phone use could violate etiquette depending on how it is used.

On one hand, checking Google to verify something someone says right in front of them is right. This is because it just goes to

clear the air and verify that the facts under discussion are accurate and have not been misquoted. It is also a good practice to

check facts on Google and other web sources to verify that they are accurate during a business meeting. This ensures that there is

no margin for error. The good thing about verifying information sources is that it is convenient and it is only a matter of seconds

if the internet connection is good and the normal conversation or discussion in the business meeting can continue.

On the other hand, using phones during a conversation violates the basic etiquette of phone or other devices (IJIP.In 44). It means

that the person using the device is disinterested in the conversation and is not concentrating. Regardless of whether it is in a
business setting or in a personal relationship this behavior may be negatively received. The other party might feel offended even

if the intention of the other person using the phone is good. Perhaps the way to preventing conflicts through verifying information

using Google and other web sources is how it is done. For example, a person who says Excuse me, I read online that..Let us

verify this information may be positively received by the other person. This is because it does not violate the basic etiquette of

not excusing oneself before checking on web sources. Another reason why this practice could be wrong is that it mean that the

person verifying the information does not trust the other person. In a relationship, this may be negatively received and it may

have undesirable consequences.

Without a doubt, technology allows people to maintain or build relationships beyond the neighborhoods and around the world,

and maintain these relationships between live visits. As a result, it may cause you to give priority to technology relationships over

face-to-face relationships. Therefore, the need to balance the two arises. There is no denying that online relationships are

convenient especially when the other person is a distance away. Online tools kill the geographical distance and make

communication possible.

Online relationships are easy to forge because of the availability of technological resources which are convenient. When a person

has data, an internet connection, and a modern electronic device, they can easily communicate from any location. Online

relationships are alluring. However, people need to realize that the more time they spend online, the less time they will spend on

face to face relationships. Also, the online world can be described as a comfort zone that a person can easily fall into and once

a person succumbs to this allure, they tend to neglect face to face relationships.

Time management is key. The secret is not to allow online relationships to phase out face to face communications (Fox et al.,).

People should be conscious and realize that spending hours on an online relationship may kill face to face communication. It is a

risky move to neglect face to face communication as it often dies a natural death. For example, one should set maximum time to

interact online. The time should also be designated and very specific. Usually, the mistake that people make is that they use free

time that they have on their hands to interact online regardless of whether they are in a public means of transport, a class, a

meeting or even during a one on one conversation with the other person.

Social media can be used to filter out job applicants based on their beliefs, looks, and habits. It is a technique that is widely

getting embraced by many firms. To the job seeker, the use of social media may hurt their chances especially when the posts that

they use on social media rubs the hiring people the wrong way. To the employer, using the social media as a tool for hiring

presents a situation whereby details of a person may have to come in handy and affect the hiring decision.

Using social media to filter out applicants needs to be looked at from an objective standpoint. Employers who screen a job

candidate need to look at aspects such as the legality of what the person posts on social media and not merely their opinion on the

issue that the job seeker is addressing. Social media is beneficial as it shows employers the kind of a person that they are hiring. It
shows activities that a person is involved in alongside the people that a person interacts with. For businesses that require people

of a certain behavior, social media is an excellent tool.

An implication of using social media is that it exposes the employer to a persons details such as race, religion, pregnancy, or

disability (Landers 127). These cannot be used as a basis for disqualification. These aspects of a person are protected by the law

and cannot be taken into account whenever the managers are hiring. The problem of using the social media is that once an

employer goes through a persons online profile, they cannot unlearn it. Some may develop some preconceived notions about the

person and end up judging the person wrongly.

Technology as a source of information affects the daily life of a person. It could be beneficial or disastrous depending on how it

is used. However, technology is usually not the problem. The person using it makes decisions based on their judgment of a

person or a situation. However, whenever decisions are made regarding the use of technology as a source of information, the

decisions should be made from an informed perspective.

Works cited

Ary, Donald, et al. Introduction to research in education. Cengage Learning, 2013.

Fox, Jesse, Jeremy L. Osborn, and Katie M. Warber. "Relational dialectics and social networking sites: The role of

Facebook in romantic relationship escalation, maintenance, conflict, and dissolution." Computers in Human Behavior 35

(2014): 527-534.

IJIP.In. The International Journal Of Indian Psychology. 1st ed. RED'SHINE Publication. Inc, 2016. Print.

Landers, Richard N, and Gordon B. Schmidt. Social Media in Employee Selection and Recruitment: Theory, Practice and

Current Challenges. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2016. Internet resource.