Media & communicationLesson 1 of 4 in the course Media and Technology

Technology and Society: Access, Connectivity, Privacy, and Net Neutrality

5 flashcards · 4 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

Save course
Lesson progress
0 / 5

Your progress is kept in this browser only.Sign up to save it

Summary

Technology is not limited to computers, smartphones, or the newest devices. It includes tools and methods people develop by applying knowledge to practical problems. This lesson introduces technology as an enduring part of human life and considers how technological change can reshape society.

Technology is the application of science and practical knowledge to address problems and meet human needs. A pencil and paper are technologies, just as a laptop, a steam engine, or a robotic surgery tool is. What counts as advanced depends on the historical moment: tools that seem ordinary today could have seemed extraordinary in the past.

All flashcards

E-readiness
The ability to find, sort, interpret, and process information.
Hashtag activism
Using hashtags to share, find, and organize public messages about social or political concerns.
Attachment in a relationship
The bond people form with one another, which supportive communication can strengthen.
Entrapment in mobile communication
Pressure or guilt people feel about responding in relationships that rely heavily on mobile communication.
Net neutrality
The principle that Internet service providers should treat Internet data equally.

Quiz questions

  1. What does net neutrality call for Internet service providers to do?Answer: Treat Internet data equally rather than favoring particular content or customers.
  2. How did participants rate relationships dominated by text messaging compared with relationships that included voice conversation?Answer: They rated text-dominated relationships as less satisfying or lower in quality.
  3. How can hashtags support collective action?Answer: They help people share, find, and organize public messages about an issue.
  4. Which factor can leave a rural community with limited Internet access even as service expands elsewhere?Answer: A lack of high-speed infrastructure in the community.

Based on Introduction to Sociology 3e by Tonja R. Conerly, Kathleen Holmes, Asha Lal Tamang (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

More in Media & communication

All Media & communication lessons
Media & communicationEvaluating Linguistic and Multimodal Transitions5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Media & communicationPrint, Broadcast, and Digital Media: History, Access, and Ownership5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Media & communicationMedia, Mass Communication, and Cultural Context5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Media & communicationBroadcast Media: Education, National Identity, Audience Reception, and Religion5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Media & communicationPress Freedom, Watchdog Journalism, and Media Influence on Politics5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Media & communicationDigital Media, Social Relationships, Activism, and Illicit Economies5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →