Could you imagine using a computer without an internet connection, not having a 2560 x 1600 pixels display, actually using wires to connect the keyboard and the mouse?

When I first asked my dad about the first-ever computer he used? He reminisced then smiled and said “In 1989, The Intel 486 DOS PC, it had a CRT monitor which was around 11 inches, a big box occupying a lot of space which was obviously the CPU, a floppy disk as the storage around 1.44MB and a 500MB hard drive “, wait did he just say MB yes that’s a 1/1000 of a GB. Today we use our computers for a variety of tasks, from education to entertainment. But in the olden days, the usage was only limited to creating documents for work and using it to type out something and then print it by going to the cyber cafes. But today I can dictate my notes and the computer will type it out for me and by one click I can print it out. Ah, wonder if this is a benefit or a drawback. We recently got our physics tests back and the first thing our teacher said was to pay more attention and read the questions carefully,  wonder why?  As today’s generation we are used to reading everything online or rather watching videos which has now taken a toll on our attention span and instilled the habit of skim reading in us, it means reading rapidly in order to get a general overview of the resource. So when it comes to writing a test on pen and paper, we make such silly mistakes. Would my parents have made the same mistake? No, they are actually used to scanning and analyzing everything well in order to process information for which today’s generation depends on their desktop computers or laptops.

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Luckily my dad said that “oh we played games like Super Mario, Pac-man, and road rash too “, that was the only thing I could actually imagine and relate to. Talking about PC’s it was hard to believe that the first PC my parents ever used was after my elder brother which was 1999, hmm does that make my brother an immigrant or a native? It was the Compaq Presario. And that was the year when they used the internet for the first time too luckily, it was a weird way, to connect it through the telephone line which then plugs into your computer. But it was only confined to using it to send emails and maximum job applications, it was the DIAL UP. Needing to use a wire every time you need to connect to the wifi? that sounds tiring, today there is no nook and corner left in the world without being able to use the internet, which brings up the topic of, equality of access back then? Was it a bigger problem? Yes, my parents were privileged to use computers and laptops at such a young age, but they’re still many people who don’t know what a phone is. Some things never change with time, it is surprising how it is still a pressing issue today with no reasonable solution.

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Today the only downside of owning a PC is bringing the office back home which then affects your daily life and relationships with your friends and family. Yes, it surely is more portable but as it is said anything excess is poison. Overall, my parents would put technology in the boon section, they feel that it all depends on it is utilized because the computer is not holding onto your leg, you are, to a certain extent technology is one of the biggest innovations in the world.  But one of the biggest disadvantages is how physical health has been neglected since technology has adapted easier and better methods to perform certain actions. My parents would still prefer getting up and switching the fan off instead of using remotes. The people of today’s generation have developed anxiety or socializing issues due to a lack of face to face conversations in real life, they are used to living their life behind a screen.

Talking about the future, my dad feels that AI and machine learning should be taught more because those are the systems in use today but my mom is assertive about the fact that no robot can ever replace a teacher, a waiter, or any other job irrespective of how developed it is. It will never be able. to meet the emotional quotient of a real person. They also feel that the overindulgence of today’s generation in technology will kill their survival instinct and might not be able to shape them for the real world. My parents biggest fear is the exploitation and misuse of technology in certain areas like terrorism.

The article I chose for evidence for the following is – https://www.csis.org/npfp/evolving-tech-evolving-terror

Technology like widespread internet access end-to-end encryption and virtual private network (VPN) usage have made new types of operations possible for a higher number of radicalized individuals making terrorism accessible to the masses. The attack on the Curtis Culwell Center is one of the most extreme incidents as the operation was conducted through Twitter.  One of the biggest feature is end-to-end encrypted messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram ,afford their user’s privacy by scrambling data sent from the sending device, through the cell tower and server, to the receiving device. In terrorist applications, these encrypted messaging services allow for unprecedented operational security, limiting law enforcement’s ability to view or disrupt this communique. Even VPNs allow radicalised individuals to play defense. The technology effectively anonymizes the internet activity of the user. For terrorists, this prevents law enforcement from tracking their movement and intentions.

The best solution for this issue is stronger key disclosure laws that compel suspects to surrender their passwords. In many cases, however, as with the San Bernardino attack, the key-holders are deceased. We can also suggest the telecommunication companies to build backdoors into their products, which would give law enforcement a way to access encrypted data only when needed. Although methods for VPN blocking exist, VPNs remain largely unregulated internationally. Counterterrorism policy conversations have become increasingly politicised. But at the same technology is also used to fight terrorism and crime in many cities of the world through multiple means like detecting crime before it happens by using devices like crime mapping platforms, gunshot detection systems, CCTVS, or smart lights.

I want to conclude by saying Technology is like a double-edged sword, it has its beneficial and unbeneficial side and we just have to work towards outweighing the unfavorable consequences.  As more people gain access to more advanced technologies, misuse, and exploitation increases hence, counterterrorism efforts will have to adapt.