Social Implications

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

As a Computer Applications Technology (CAT) learner, there are things that you need to be aware of when you use the internet and have ways to correct them effectively. Social implications refer to the correct behavior when a person engages with online activities. There are certain malwares that you are going to learn such as netiquette, worm, viruses, torjan and also the use of e-communication in online networks.

NETIQUETTE

A netiquette is the short term for internet etiquette. Netiquette defines certain manners and standards that should be applied when using the internet an e-mail communication.

Below are the rules or standards that should be applied when using the internet:

do not send other users e-mails such as chain letters or unsolicited advertising mails.
e-mail messages should be clear, without spelling mistakes and grammatical errors
do not type in capital letters as this is the equivalent of shouting online
use an anti-virus program to check your e-mails
use a clear and meaningful subject in the subject line
compress large files before sending them
do not use the Reply to All option unless it is necessary to do so

This rules should be used in order to promote effective internet and have a safe place when using the internet.

VIRUS

A computer virus is the type of malware that reproduces by inserting a copy of itself and becoming part of another program. A computer virus spreads from one computer to another and it leaves infections when it travels.

Viruses range in severity from causing mildly annoying effects to damaging data or software and causing denial-of-service conditions. All viruses are in a executive file which means that the virus may exist on a system and will not be active or able to spread until a user opens the malicious host file or program. Viruses spread when the software or document they are attached to is transferred from one computer to another using the network, a disk, file sharing, or infected email attachments.

TORJAN

A Trojan is another type of malware named after the wooden horse that the Greeks used to infiltrate Troy. It is a harmful piece of software that looks legitimate.

Users are typically tricked into loading and executing it on their systems. After it is activated, it can achieve any number of attacks on the host, from irritating the user (popping up windows or changing desktops) to damaging the host (deleting files, stealing data, or activating and spreading other malware, such as viruses). Trojans are also known to create backdoors to give malicious users access to the system. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they self-replicate. Trojans must spread through user interaction such as opening an email attachment or downloading and running a file from the Internet.

WORMS

Computer worms are similar to viruses in that they replicate functional copies of themselves and can cause the same type of damage. In contrast to viruses, which require the spreading of an infected host file, worms are standalone software and do not require a host program or human help to propagate.

To spread, worms either exploit vulnerability on the target system or use some kind of social engineering to trick users into executing them. A worm enters a computer through vulnerability in the system and takes advantage of file-transport or information-transport features on the system, allowing it to travel unaided. More advanced worms leverage encryption, wipers, and ransomware technologies to harm their targets.

E-COMMUNICATION

Electronic communication refers to any data, information, words, photos or symbols that are sent electronically to communicate with one or more people. Since we live in a life of social media, there are thousands of ways to communicate today such as uploading videos of YouTube to posting on Facebook or Twitter.

Examples of e-communication include:

a. E-mail

b. websites

c. Blogs and Vlogs

d. Video Calls.

We will focus on the use of e-mails, and look at it's advantages and disadvantages.

E-MAILS

Email is short for “electronic mail,” and is one of the most popular uses of the Internet. It allows you to send and receive messages containing text, images, or other attachments to and from anyone with an email address, anywhere in the world.

Email allows us to:

Contact people all over the world for free
Share files with one or more people at a time
Communicate with more than one person at a time
Keep documented evidence of our communication with someone
Send messages any time of day without disturbing people
Advertise to multiple people

When typing an email message, it is vital that you use good netiquette. You should always include a subject that summarizes the topic of the email. Begin each message with the recipient’s name and end the message with your name or “signature”.

TYPES OF E-MAIL APPLICATIONS

G-mail
Microsoft Outlook
Apple Mail

ADVANTAGES OF USING E-MAILS

E-mails are free and easy to use.
They are cost-effective.
They allow mass sending of relevant information to multiple recipients that ensures that everyone is on the same page.
They also reduce business expenses by minimizing the need for physical resources.

DISAVANTAGES OF E-MAILS

Recipient needs to have access to the Internet to receive e-mail.

●You have no assurance that the e-mail will be read until the user logs on and checks the mail.

● E-mail is not absolutely private.

● Unwanted spam or junk mail are an on-going problem.

● Employees may spend too much time reading and replying to their private e-mail.

● E-mail messages can spread viruses.

● Human interaction is lost if we only rely on e-mail to communicate.

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