Science, Technology

and Society

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 Module 9: Issues and
Concerns on Science and
Technology and its
impact to the Society
“As research and technology are changing society and the way we
live, scientists can no longer claim that science is neutral but must
consider the ethical and social aspects of their work” - Maurizio

Learning Outcome:
 Analyze and critique specific issues and concerns on Science
and Technology and its impact to the Society.

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GROUP 4
First Issue: The Effects of Assisted Human Reproduction

Assisted Reproductive Technology also known as ART has given

hopes to millions of couples suffering from infertility but it has
also introduced countless ethical, legal and social challenges.

History of Assisted Reproductive Technology

Infertility has traditionally been an area of medicine in

which physicians had limited means to help their patients. The
landscape of this field changed dramatically with the announcement
of the birth of Louise Brown in 1978 through in vitro fertilization (IVF).
This historic moment was eloquently encapsulated by Howard Jones
who observed “Eleven forty-seven p.m. Tuesday, July 25, 1978, was
surely a unique moment in the life of Patrick Steptoe. This was the
hour and minute he delivered Louise Brown, the world’s first baby,
meticulously, lovingly, and aseptically conceived in the laboratory, but
popularly referred to as the world’s first test tube baby”. The
importance of this birth to scientists, clinicians, and most particularly
infertile patients throughout the world cannot be overstated. In
several short decades, IVF has exploded in availability and use
throughout the world.

Worldwide, more than 70 million couples are afflicted

with infertility. Since the first successful IVF procedure in 1978, the
use of this and related technologies has expanded to become
commonplace around the globe. Over the past decade, the use of
ART services has increased at a rate of 5–10% annually.
In Vitro fertilization

IVF is a form of assisted reproductive technology

(ART). This means special medical techniques are
used to help a woman become pregnant. It is most
often tried when other, less expensive fertility
techniques have failed.

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There are five basic steps to IVF:

• Step 1: Stimulation, also called super ovulation

Medicines, called fertility drugs, are given to the woman to boost egg
production. Normally, a woman produces one egg per month. Fertility drugs tell
the ovaries to produce several eggs. During this step, the woman will have regular
transvaginal ultrasounds to examine the ovaries and blood tests to check
hormone levels.

• Step 2: Egg retrieval

A minor surgery, called follicular aspiration, is done to remove the eggs
from the woman's body. The surgery is done as an outpatient procedure in the
doctor's office most of the time. The woman will be given medicines so she does not
feel pain during the procedure. Using ultrasound images as a guide, the health care
provider inserts a thin needle through the vagina and into the ovary and sacs
(follicles) containing the eggs. The needle is connected to a suction device, which
pulls the eggs and fluid out of each follicle, one at a time. The procedure is repeated
for the other ovary. There may be some cramping after the procedure, but it will go
away within a day.

In rare cases, a pelvic laparoscopy may be needed to remove the eggs.

If a woman does not or cannot produce any eggs, donated eggs may be used.

• Step 3: Insemination and Fertilization

The man's sperm is placed together with the best quality eggs. The
mixing of the sperm and egg is called insemination.Eggs and sperm are then
stored in an environmentally controlled chamber. The sperm most often enters
(fertilizes) an egg a few hours after insemination.If the doctor thinks the chance of
fertilization is low, the sperm may be directly injected into the egg. This is called
intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).Many fertility programs routinely do ICSI on
some of the eggs, even if things appear normal.

• Step 4: Embryo culture

When the fertilized egg divides, it becomes an embryo. Laboratory staff will
regularly check the embryo to make sure it is growing properly. Within about 5 days,
a normal embryo has several cells that are actively dividing. Couples who have a high
risk of passing a genetic (hereditary) disorder to a child may consider pre-
implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The procedure is done about 3 to 4 days after
fertilization. Laboratory scientists remove a single cell from each embryo and screen
the material for specific genetic disorders. According to the American Society for
Reproductive Medicine, PGD can help parents decide which embryos to implant. This
decreases the chance of passing a disorder onto a child. The technique is
controversial and not offered at all centers.
• Step 5: Embryo transfer
Embryos are placed into the woman's womb 3 to 5 days after egg retrieval
and fertilization.The procedure is done in the doctor's office while the woman is
awake. The doctor inserts a thin tube (catheter) containing the embryos into the
woman's vagina, through the cervix, and up into the womb. If an embryo sticks to
(implants) in the lining of the womb and grows, pregnancy results.More than one
embryo may be placed into the womb at the same time, which can lead to twins,
triplets, or more. The exact number of embryos transferred is a complex issue that
depends on many factors, especially the woman's age.Unused embryos may be
frozen and implanted or donated at a later date.
•

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• Issues and Concerns

Practice Regulations and Multiple Gestation Pregnancies

The transfer of multiple embryos in a single cycle increases the rates of

multiple births. Because of the increased social costs and health risks associated
with multiple births, legislation or guidelines from professional societies have been
introduced in many countries restricting the number of embryos that may be
transferred per IVF cycle in an effort to limit the incidence of multiple gestations.

Financial Aspect for IVF Treatment

Perhaps one of the most obvious ethical challenges surrounding ART is
the inequitable distribution of access to care. The fact that significant economic
barriers to IVF exist in many countries results in the preferential availability of
these technologies to couples in a position of financial strength. The cost of
performing ART per live birth varies among countries. The average cost per IVF
cycle in the United States is USD 9,266. However, the cost per live birth for
autologous ART treatment cycles in the United States, Canada, and the United
Kingdom ranged from approximately USD 33,000 to 41,000 compared to USD
24,000 to 25,000 in Scandinavia, Japan, and Australia. The total ART treatment
costs as a percentage of total healthcare expenditures in 2003 were 0.06% in the
United States, 0.09% in Japan, and 0.25% in Australia . Some have maintained that
the cost for these cycles pales in comparison to the social advantages yielded by
the addition of productive members of society. This is especially true in societies
that have a negative or flat population growth rate coupled with an aging
population.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and diagnosis (PGD) offer the unique
ability to characterize the genetic composition of embryos prior to embryo transfer.
Given the
recent successes of these technologies, the broader implementation of this
technology in the future is likely. Although controversial, using PGD to choose
embryos solely on the
basis of gender is currently being practiced. Sex selection in the proper setting may
offer a substantial health benefit. For example, choosing to transfer only embryos
of a certain sex may confer a therapeutic benefit if used to avoid a known sex
linked disorder. However, sex selection PGD
purely for the preference of the parents could conceivably, if practiced on a large
scale, skew the gender proportions in certain nations where one gender is culturally
preferred.
In the near future, with refinements in microarray technology and the defining of
genetic
sequences associated with certain physical characteristics, it is conceivable that
specific physical or mental characteristics may be evaluated to guide the decision
as to which embryos to transfer. This possibility raises concerns on both ethical and
practical levels. Of more concern is the possibility that in the future, technology will
permit the manipulation of genetic material within an embryo. Rigorous public and
scientific oversight of these technologies is vital to ensure that scientific advances
are tempered with the best interests of society in mind.
Second issues: GM Products: Issues and Concerns and
Ensuring their Safety

As crop production expands to keep pace with human population

growth, many farmers have begun to rely on genetically modified crop plants.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens, is a type of bacteria that infect plants. This is used
for GM crops. Flavr Savr ( also known as CGN- 89564-2) was the first
commercially grown genetically modified tomato, engineered food to be granted
a license for human consumption.

In the Philippines, the commercial planting of Bt corn (MON 810) was

approved in the Philippines in December 2002. From 15, 000 ha in 2003, Bt corn
hectarage more than doubled to 50, 000 ha in 2004. Presently, the
commercialized GM crops in the country are Bt corn, herbicide-tolerant corn, and
corn with traits of Bt and herbicide tolerance.
In 2012, GM corn (Bt, herbicide-tolerant and stacked Bt and HT) was
planted to 800,00 hectares in the Philippines.
A ten-year study (2002-2012) conducted by Dr. Leo Gonzales, an
economist and president of SIKAP/STRIVE Inc. revealed the following:

- In terms of socio-economic impacts, compared with ordinary hybrid corn, Bt

corn had 19% higher yield, 10% less production cost, and 8% higher income;
- On environmental impacts, Bt corn farmers used less land (15%), fertilizers
(9%) and pesticides (54%)
- On macroeconomic effects, because of higher income from harvest, less
pesticides and labor used, income from seed, fertilizer and others, the
overall profit from the se of Bt corn over that of ordinary hybrid corn during
the period of 2002-2012 was Php 17.178 billion or US$ 399.5 million.

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 Technological Issues:

1. Biosafety to the environment.

• a. possible effects on nontarget organisms such as beneficial insects,
mammals, wildlife or endangered species;
• b. possibility of gene flow to or crossing with other varieties, including
native or indigenous crops, or wild relatives;
• c. possible formation of resistant insect pests; and
• d. possible persistence or non-breakdown in the environment.
2. Food safety
a. possible allergenicity
b. toxicity
Social Issues
1. access to technology
2. ownership of GM technologies by multinationals
3. the “playing God” issue.

All throughout the world, 94 million hectares of GM crops were grown in

developing countries by 18 million farmers, more than 81 million hectares of GM
crops in industrial countries. In the Philippines, about 400,000 small farmers
planted GM corn in 800,000 hectares. For the first time, the Philippines is
exporting
corn because of the Bt and Ht corn technologies. Thus, the issue of access to
technology is not valid since farmers can and do access the technology- buy GM
crop seeds, plant them and earn a profit.
While multinational corporations may own some of the GM technologies
like Bt- Ht corn, benefits accrue not only to the technology owner but also to the
local companies involved and their employees, the farmers and those that provide
support to the farmers, etc. From the China experience in planting Bt cotton, it
was shown that 70% of the profits went to the farmers and only 15% went to the
technology owners. Many technologies like cars, pharmaceuticals, computers,
cellphones and the like are developed by multinationals and we all benefit from
these.

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Biosafety and Risk Assessment

Biosafety is defined as the assessment of the impact and safety of products

of modern biotechnology or recombinant DNA technology and the development of
policies and procedures to ensure this.
Before any biotech product is approved for commercialization, it has to pass
risk assessment wherein hazards to health and environment which can be brought about
by the release of said product are identified. Moreover, the magnitude and the
probabilities of its possible adverse effects are also determined.

The components of risk assessment are as follows;

• 1. Risk identification- identifying the possible danger if the GM plant is handled, or
eaten as food or feed, or planted as a crop beyond that obtained when the traditional
counterpart is used.
• 2. Risk evaluation- what is the probability that such danger or hazard will occur?
How much damage can be expected from the occurrence of such danger? How will
this compare with other products?
• 3. Risk mitigation- what measures can be adopted to reduce the probability that
the danger will occur, or to minimize the damage if such danger occurs?
• Thus, risk assessment of various GM crops on its possible effects on the environment
and safety as food is required, addressing questions identified in the previous section.
• Any new modern agricultural biotech product has to undergo rigid risk assessment for
its safety to the environment and to human health before it can be commercialized.

GROUP 5

The Concept of Substantial Equivalence

• The assessment of genetically modified food crops is based on the concept of

substantial equivalence first formulated by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) in 1993 and discussed and established by several technical
expert panels of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)/ World Health
Organization (WHO) of the United Nations in 2000 and Codex Alimentarius Commission
in 2003. This concept is based on the comparison of the transgenic crop with its
conventional counterpart that is generally accepted as safe because of its history of
use as human food. If there is not much difference, or if the difference is similar to the
variation between or among varieties of the crop, the transgenic crop is considered to
be as safe as its conventional counterpart.

• Since the commercial release of GM crops in 1996, there have been many published
scientific articles on the food safety assessment of GM food crops based on substantial
equivalence. Since 2009, such studies have been summarized and reviewed and have
shown that many transgenic crops are similar in composition with their conventional
counterparts using compositional analyses from simple proximate chemical to complex
transcriptone analysis. However, various studies have also revealed the large
variability in the composition of non-transgenic crops. Thus, while some groups oppose
the use of the concept of substantial equivalence to provide evidence for food safety of
GM foods, others believe that evaluation should be restricted only to potentially
harmful coonstituents which are known to be present in some crops and which could
affect their safety. Recently, an examination of 20-years data on compositional
analyses of GM and nontransgenic counterparts revealed overwhelming evidence that
genetic engineering is “less disruptive of crop composition” than traditional breeding
and the authors concluded that the requirement for compositional analysis may not be
warranted.
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 Biosafety Regulation in the Philippines

The Philippine biosafety system under EO 430.

In 1990,the first biosafety system in the developing world was established in

the Philippines by Executive Order no. 430 signed by president Corazon C. Aquino
wherein the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines was established to
implement the biosafety system .
In addition, the NCBP’s functions included the review and monitoring of
research and development involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs). NCBP, an
interdepartmental committee, consisted of the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Health (DOH), and the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The NCBP under EO 430 was
attached to DOST with the DOST Secretary as NCBP Chair.
From 1990 to 2002, the NCBP’s scope of mandate included research and
development in the laboratory, in the screen housed and in the field.
In April 2002, the Department of Agriculture issued Administrative Order No. 8
“Rules and Regulations for the Importation and Release into the Environment of Plant and
Plant Products Derived from the Use of Modern Biotechnology.” The Bureau of Plant
Industry since then has led other agencies of the Department of Agriculture in processing
of applications for field tests, propagation, or for importation of regulated article, for
monitoring and other related regulatory activities.
The other agencies of DA that are involved in regulating GM or bioengineered
crops are as follows: the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) evaluates and registers
bioengineered crops with pesticidal properties; Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) evaluates
feed safety and the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards evaluates food
safety (BAFPS) of Primary and secondary-processed agricultural and fishery products.

The Philippine Biosafety system under EO 514.

In March 2006, EO 514 creating the National Biosafety Framework was

approved and implemented in 2009. The DOST Biosafety Committee is tasked with the
regulation and monitoring of contained experiments in the laboratory and screenhouse.
The DA Biosafety Team based at the Bureau of Plant Industry follows the procedures for
field testing and commercialization started under EO 430. It is involved in the processing
of applications for the entry of GM crops for food, feed and processing.

Lab research
Field work
Concept/ Strategy;
choice of Agronomic or Product Advance
gene(s)sources of horticultural traits Evaluation of food and
gene(s); environmental evaluation; genetic feed safely; safety to
or ecological stability; impact on environment
consideration of gene environment.
or product

Assuring the safety of GM products:

Regulation from lab to market

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R & D and commercial products involving GM technology are regulated from
laboratory research, to field work and to product advancement in the market.
Assessment is strictly science-based, conducted by the regulatory body and its
Scientific and Technical Review Panels and done on a case- by-case basis. There
is
public consultation on any technology that will be field-tested or commercialized.

THIRD ISSUES: The Effects of Using Smartphones on the

Economy and Society

Technology has long been a driver of economic development

throughout the world, but it is only recently that mobile technology – and
smartphones in particular – have been significant economic factors. One
reason is that much of the manufacturing of the phones themselves is
performed overseas.
According to a major report conducted by GSMA, the mobile
economy contributed an estimated $2.4 trillion to the international
economy in 2013, representing about 3.6% of global gross domestic
product. This number includes more than 10 million jobs created, and
contributed at least $336 billion to public funding in the United States
alone. Not only that, but the size of the mobile economy is growing at an
aggressive pace, with estimates that it could contribute as much as 5.1%
to global GDP by 2020.

How the Smartphone has Impacted Economic Development

The evolution of the smartphone saw communication equipment
that was designed for business use quickly transform into smaller and
smaller consumer devices. The BlackBerry was the desired phone for busy
executives, and then in 2007 Apple introduced the first iPhone. These
phones, and the many apps that soon followed, changed the way we
communicate, do business, entertain ourselves, socially interact with
others, and learn.
According to a major report conducted by GSMA, the mobile
economy contributed an estimated $2.4 trillion to the international
economy in 2013, representing about 3.6% of global gross domestic
product. This number includes more than 10 million jobs created, and
contributed at least $336 billion to public funding in the United States
alone. Not only that, but the size of the mobile economy is growing at an
aggressive pace, with estimates that it could contribute as much as 5.1%
to global GDP by 2020.

I. Economic Impact of Smartphones and Apps

One of the clearest indications that smartphones are an integral
part of the mobile economy, and the economy at large, is the fact that so
many people now have them. There are numerous articles that conclude
smartphones have contributed to economic globalization and growth as
they’ve been adopted at arguably unprecedented rates. The following are
few ways in which smartphones have contributed to economic
development around the world.
Another incredible impact of the smartphone is its ability to bridge the
technology and infrastructure gap that exists in the developing world.
Cellular signal is far more practical than hardwiring telephone and data
lines in many parts of the developing world. Access to mobile technology,
and increasingly affordable smartphones, offers incredible promise and
economic opportunities for companies across the globe.
a. Dramatically Increase in the Ability to Communicate and Collaborate
There is no question that the ability to communicate with others from
anywhere in the world has contributed significantly to economic growth.
However, it has also helped companies save money on expenses that are simply
no longer necessary. For example, mobile-compatible conferencing software,
such as Citrix’s GoToMeeting, allows smartphone users to share both voice and
data from worksites or any other mobile location. This reduces delays and
substantially decreases the need for executives to physically travel to locations
around the world.
b. Creation of a Brand-New “App Economy”
One of the other benefits of the so-called app economy is the
dramatically lower barrier to entry that this new sector offers. Instead of
requiring a massive manufacturing capacity or labor pool, entrepreneurial
individuals can take a great idea, learn how or hire someone to code, and utilize
the platforms built by Apple, Google, or Microsoft to distribute their software
solution to a truly global market.
c. Ability to Better Utilize Excess Capacity
One of the other major advances that smartphones have facilitated via
the app economy is the growth of apps that utilize “excess capacity.” Excess
capacity is an economic term that refers to capital or other assets that are being
underutilized.
Perhaps the best example of this is Uber, the ridesharing app that is
taking the world by storm and severely disrupting the taxi industry. Uber allows
anyone with a car, presuming the car is new enough and well maintained, to use
it to get paid for giving other people rides. Uber, through the use of their
smartphone app, is able to manage drivers with riders very effectively, reducing
costs associated with getting a ride. Car owners are able to utilize their vehicles
that would otherwise just sit idle.

II. How the Smartphones Impacted the Society and our Personal Lives
Mobile phones have changed how we negotiate our relationships with
family, spouses and close friends. Increased levels of mobile phone
subscriptions are linked with improvements in education, gender equality and
political participation, particularly in developing countries. They are also
associated with higher economic growth.
1. Relationships: Mobile phones have altered our relationships with family,
spouses and close friends. But while they seem to promise a wider social
network, more than half of the average person’s calls and texts go to only four
to six different people.
2. Health: Mobile phones significantly help to maintain physical and
psychological health when family members move away from home. And they
enable women to maintain three roles within the household, simultaneously
being wives, mothers and wage earners.
3. Political participation: More mobile phone subscriptions are correlated with
more democratic participation, less gender inequality and longer time spent in
education. In all three areas, the impact of mobiles on social development
indicators is stronger in developing countries.
4. Economic growth: Mobile technologies contribute significantly to GDP growth,
with a forecast range of between 1.8% in the UK and 24.9% in Egypt over the
years 2010-2020, compared with today’s GDP. Again, the effects will be larger in
developing countries.
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 ISSUES AND CONCERNS
Smartphones has changed our lives for the better in some ways, but it definitely has its drawbacks, too.
Here are some issues and concerns about using smartphones:
1. Smartphones contribute to sleep issues. Research has found that using your smartphone before
bed can make it harder to fall asleep due to the blue light it emits, as Business Insider previously
reported. “Not only does the bright light emitted by digital devices impact in our sleep, but social
media content distracts and entertains us, too,” Dr. Flores said.
2. They can ruin romantic relationship. Smartphones could also be damaging people’s romantic
relationship. It’s probably happened to you at some point – the person you’re on a date with looks
at their phone more than you. Furthermore, some couples are spending more time engaged with
their significant others, which can take a toll on intimacy.
3. They have a negative influence on parenting. Research has shown that when parents are on their
smartphones while with their children, they are not fully present, which can lead to a host of
emotional issues in kids, according to Psychology Today. “Children feel loved when they obtain
attention from their parents; otherwise, they will feel emotionally neglected,” Dr. Flores said.
“What’s worse is when parents are physically present, but their attention is absorbed elsewhere.
The message children receive is they are not an important part of their parent’s lives (compared to
their contacts on social media networks).”
4. They’re replacing in-person communication and conflict. Some people now choose to have in-depth
“discussions” and disagreements via phone messaging instead of in person, from ending
relationships to having heated debates.
5. People expect us to be online and connected to our phones all the time. In the smartphone era,
people often expect you to be digitally connected 24/7 and to get back to them instantaneously,
too — especially with email and social media read receipts. However, this is not realistic, and can
cause problems when one party has the 24/7 availability mindset and the other does not.
6. Studies show that reading on a smartphone is worse for learning and comprehension. With a mini-
computer in your pocket everywhere you go, it’s easy to opt for reading on your smartphone rather
than carrying around a newspaper, magazine, or book. Despite the convenience, some research
indicates that you may want to rethink ditching paper reading material altogether. For example,
one study found that students learned better from print textbooks versus screens. “A healthy
practice is to limit digital exposure, and this includes the types of reading you do on your
smartphone,” Dr. Flores said. “Plus, doing so will help minimize the negative effects of over-
exposure to negative messages and news articles seen on social media networks.”
7. Some research says smartphones are not great for our brains. Smartphones can encourage mental
laziness. For instance, instead of doing math in your head or with pen and paper — say, when you’re
splitting a restaurant bill with friends — you may just use your phone calculator instead. But research
shows that smartphone use can slow down your thinking process, as Business Insider previously
reported.
8. They may not be good for our mental health. Increased smartphone use may also lead to
depression. For instance, according to researchers who studied college students, the more they used
Facebook, the more their well-being decreased. “I recommend putting smartphones away as much as
possible, and doing so may be quite beneficial towards your mental health,” Dr. Flores said.
9. Security related hardships. Most individuals are concerned about the security of their information or
the physical security of their device.
10. Some research says smartphones are not great for our brains. Smartphones can encourage mental
laziness. For instance, instead of doing math in your head or with pen and paper — say, when you’re
splitting a restaurant bill with friends — you may just use your phone calculator instead. But research
shows that smartphone use can slow down your thinking process, as Business Insider previously
reported.
11. They may not be good for our mental health. Increased smartphone use may also lead to
depression. For instance, according to researchers who studied college students, the more they used
Facebook, the more their well-being decreased. “I recommend putting smartphones away as much as
possible, and doing so may be quite beneficial towards your mental health,” Dr. Flores said.
12. Security related hardships. Most individuals are concerned about the security of their information
or the physical security of their device.

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FOURTH ISSUES: Effects of Using Internet and Its Issues
and Concerns.

The Internet has turned our existence upside down. It has revolutionized
communications, to the extent that it is now our preferred medium of everyday
communication. In almost everything we do; we use the Internet. Ordering a pizza,
buying a television, sharing a moment with a friend, sending a picture over instant
messaging. Before the Internet, if you wanted to keep up with the news, you had to
walk down to the newsstand when it opened in the morning and buy a local edition
reporting what had happened the previous day. But today a click or two is enough to
read your local paper and any news source from anywhere in the world, updated up to
the minute.
The Internet itself has been transformed. In its early days—which from a historical
perspective are still relatively recent—it was a static network designed to shuttle a
small freight of bytes or a short message between two terminals; it was a repository of
information where content was published and maintained only by expert coders.
Today, however, immense quantities of information are uploaded and downloaded over
this electronic leviathan, and the content is very much our own, for now we are all
commentators, publishers, and creators.
The emergence of web 2.0 in the first decade of the twenty-first century was itself a
revolution in the short history of the Internet, fostering the rise of social media and
other interactive, crowd-based communication tools.
The Internet was no longer concerned with information exchange alone: it was a
sophisticated multidisciplinary tool enabling individuals to create content,
communicate with one another, and even escape reality. Today, we can send data
from one end of the world to the other in a matter of seconds, make online
presentations, live in parallel “game worlds,” and use pictures, video, sound, and text
to share our real lives, our genuine identity. Personal stories go public; local issues
become global.
It is the guiding technology of the IT Age just as the electrical engine was of the
Industrial Age. The internet is a global network of inter-linked networks that mainly
provide wireless interactive communication. Though the internet was first deployed in
1969, it was only in the 1990s that it became available to the public.
From there onwards, its use has diffused rapidly throughout the world with
there being around 7 billion users of wireless devices currently that employ internet
technology. With about 7.7 billion people in this world and with limited use among
those under 5 years of age, it’s almost safe to say that the entire humanity is now
connected to the internet! There are however variations in the bandwidths available,
the efficiency and cost of its use.
It’s been postulated that about 95% of all information available has been
digitized and made accessible via the internet. The internet has also led to a complete
transformation in communication, availability of knowledge as well as social
interaction. However, as with all major technological changes, there are positive and
negative effects of the internet on the society too.

The positive impacts of the internet include the following:

It provides effective communication using emailing and instant messaging services to

any part of the world.
It improves business interactions and transactions, saving on vital
time. Banking and shopping online have made life less complicated.
You can access the latest news from any part of the world without depending on the TV
or newspaper.
Education has received a huge boost as uncountable books and journals are available
online from libraries across the world. This has made research easier. Students can now
opt for online courses using the internet.
Application for jobs has also become easier as most vacancies are advertised online
with online applications becoming the norm.
 Professionals can now exchange information and materials online, thus enhancing
research.

The negative impacts of the internet on society include:

Easy availability of illegal or inappropriate materials online that isn’t age-suitable.

Addiction to social networks can disrupt an individual’s life, both personally and
professionally.
Some miscreants use the internet to hack into people’s accounts for spurious activities
including stealing data or banking information.
Yet others have been known to misuse the internet for spreading hate and terrorism,
two dangerously catastrophic scenarios.

FIFTH ISSUES : Ethical Issues and Concerns about Processed

Foods

Since the 1970s and the 1980s, human diets have been changing from raw,
unprocessed foods and traditional dishes to an increasing intake of ultra-processed food and
beverages. Advances in food science and technology and globalized food distribution have made
these foods more accessible and convenient at relatively low prices.

Industrial processing creates food products with ingredients and food additives to
enhance flavor, increase durability and contribute to the consumer’s convenience. However,
these food products have more calories, higher glycemic indexes, more trans fats, sugars, and
sodium, also being lower in fiber, micronutrients, and phytochemicals. There is growing evidence
that the increased consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with overweight obesity
and chronic diseases including diabetes.

What is Processed Foods?

Between the paleo diet, the keto craze and the debate over whether low-carb or low-
fat diets are better for your health, deciding what to eat can seem more complicated than ever.
One issue that health experts seem to agree on is that we should all be eating fewer processed
foods. What exactly are processed foods, why are they so bad for our health and how can we
replace them in our diet?

Processed food is any food that’s altered during preparation to make it more
convenient, shelf-stable, or flavorful. Some foods are much more processed than others. A
bagged salad or pre-cut green beans technically count as processed, but it’s only minimally
processed because its natural state hasn’t changed. In other words, it looks pretty much the
same as you’d find it in nature. A box of macaroni and cheese or a microwavable dinner, on the
other hand, are considered heavily processed (also called ultra-processed) because they’ve been
chemically altered with artificial flavors, additives, and other ingredients.

Most foods we eat have been processed in some way by the time they reach our
plates. However, the concern about processed food isn’t over items like canned tomatoes or
canned tuna, which are processed to lock in freshness and nutrients. The concern is over more
heavily processed foods like crackers, jarred pasta sauces and cake mixes. And we eat a lot of
these foods – it’s estimated that more than half the calories in the average American diet come
from ultra-processed foods. In Canada, the percentage is slightly lower, at 48 percent.

Health Risks of Heavily Processed Foods

1. Increased cancer risk. A five-year study of over 100,000 people found that every 10 percent
increase in consumption of ultra-processed food was associated with a 12 percent higher risk for
cancer.
2. Too much sugar, sodium, and fat. Heavily processed foods often include unhealthy levels of
added sugar, sodium, and fat. These ingredients make the food we eat taste better, but too
much of them leads to serious health issues like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and
diabetes.

3. Lacking in nutritional value. Heavy processing strips many foods of their basic nutrients, which is
why many foods today are fortified with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

4. Calorie dense and addicting. It’s very easy to overindulge in unhealthy food and consume more
calories than we realize. For example, an Oreo cookie contains about 50 calories, while an entire
cup of green beans is only 44 calories. Processed foods like these are also designed to stimulate
our brain’s “feel-good” dopamine center, making us crave more of them in the future.

5. Quicker to digest. Processed foods are easier to digest than unprocessed, whole foods. That
means our bodies burn less energy (hint: calories) digesting them. It’s estimated we burn half as
many calories digesting processed foods compared to unprocessed foods. This fact combined
with the calorie density of processed foods in general can make it easy to pack on the pounds.

6. Full of artificial ingredients. There are about 5,000 substances that get added to our food. Most
of them have never been tested by anyone other than the company using them. That includes
additives to change color, texture, flavor, and odor as well as ingredients like preservatives and
sweeteners.

Reducing Processed Foods in Your Diet

Even if you wanted to, it would be very difficult to remove all heavily processed foods from your diet.
That would mean not eating out at most restaurants and skipping that hot dog at the family
barbeque.
However, there are many things you can do to reduce the amount of processed food you consume:

1. Check the label. The longer the ingredient list, the more processed a food is. If most of the
ingredients are hard-to-pronounce chemicals instead of actual food, it’s a safe bet that food is
heavily processed.

2. Shop the outside aisles at the grocery store. The center aisles of most grocery stores are full of
packaged items and ready-made foods that are heavily processed. Aim to buy more foods from
the produce and dairy aisles.

3. Opt for minimally processed meats. Choose meats that have been minimally processed (e.g.,
seafood, chicken breast) while avoiding heavily processed meats (e.g., sausage, cured meats
like bacon).

4. Start slowly. It’s okay to slowly replace processed foods in your diet with more fresh foods. In
fact, it may make you more likely to stick to these changes long-term.

5. Cook more meals at home. You might not always be in control of your diet while traveling, but
you are at home. Make your own frozen meals by cooking a larger batch and freezing the
leftovers, or whip up your own salad dressing.

While many aspects of our health can be complicated, eating less processed food doesn’t have to be.
When in doubt, just start with real food.

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