KIT311/KIT611: Exploring Utopian and Dystopian Views on Mobile Phones

This essay examines the impact of mobile phones on humanity through the lenses of utopian and dystopian perspectives. It defines and contrasts these two viewpoints, exploring how mobile technology has influenced communication, trade, education, mental health, security, physical well-being, and social skills. The utopian view highlights positive changes such as enhanced communication, global business opportunities, and improved access to education. Conversely, the dystopian view focuses on negative consequences like mental health issues (including addiction and stress), security and privacy breaches (cyberbullying and hacking), physical health problems (obesity and eyesight issues), diminished social skills, and adverse effects on education (cheating and decreased critical thinking). The essay concludes that society leans more towards a dystopian view of mobile technology's impact, emphasizing the importance of understanding both the positive and negative aspects of technological advancements.

Running Head: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA 0
2019
Student name
3/16/2019
Social and cultural issues of interactive digital media

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA 1
Social and cultural issues of interactive digital media
Technology plays a vital role in human’s life and with enhancement of technical devices their
use has been increased to a greater extent. Mobile devices are one of the most commonly used
devices, which have been resulted in various social trends. These devices and updated
technology are useful in human life but at the same time harmful for the health as well. In the
report, the utopian and dystopian views would be considered for understanding the influence of
mobile phones on human life (Habermas, 2019).
These are two views of the technology, which are opposite to each other. Utopia is an imaginary
view of a society that is highly desirable or are seems to be perfect considering the quality of life
of residents as it includes laws, government, and perfect social conditions. For example, this
view considers equality and justice. There were various other thoughts which contradict to this
view, as according to them the communities are not homogenous and there are conflicting
desires which are not possible to satisfy simultaneously. Utopia term was propounded by one of
the Greek terms, which describes the fictional island community in South America, by Sir
Thomas More. Considering this view, it has been considered the technological use would lead to
utopian living standards. This means, that according to view, an optimism view has been
provided related to the use of technology and science (Moylan, 2018).
Dystopia view is a place or society which includes frightening and undesirable situation, from
the word it can be said that it is not a good place. These societies or view seem to be
characterized by the tyrannical government, dehumanization, or environmental disaster.
Therefore, it can be said that it reflects the pessimistic view towards various factors. For
instance, consider the technology and science; it has not considered the use to beneficial to

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA 2
humans like utopian, however, according to technological dystopia considers the negative
influence of technology. According to this view, technologies encourage and reflect the worst
characteristic of the nature of a human. This can be quoted by a saying by “Jaron Lanier”, who
has transformed into digital pioneer; he says “I think it’s a way of interpreting technology in
which people forgot taking responsibility” (Pow, 2015).
The impact of the technology on human’s life considering Utopia view would include, first,
change in communication, this is a major positive impact that has been observed through
technological use on human life, this has become one of the major modes to contact loved ones
without distant hurdle. Earlier, it was very difficult to contact to a person living in distance, and
the cost for communication was very high too. This problem has been able to solve due to the
use of technology and mobile devices (Chuang & Hu, 2015). Second, impact on trade, industries,
and business; this reflects that the business in various industries has been positive change due to
technology. The e-commerce has been made possible due to the use of technology, which has
been integrated into various industries like fashion industry, food, and beverage industry.
Moreover, the internet and technological devices have made possible to reach the customers
globally with the ease of a click. Third, the impact on education; this is one of the major impacts
of technology, which has enhanced the way of living for students and gain knowledge from
various sources. With the help of technology, the students are able to find the online study
material, which has also reduced the use of paper due to the availability of e-books (Habermas,
2019).
The impact of the technology on human’s life considering dystopia view would include, first,
impact of technology on mental health, One of the greatest intense influences of technology is
the deterioration of the quantity and quality of sleep (Byrne, 2018). Individuals converted

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA 3
addicted to technology, which injurious effect on an individual’s wellbeing and societal life, and
abolish communal and family connections and bonding (Hinduja, 2014). Amongst further mental
complications affected by technical devices is a new sort of stress known as “chronic
Smartphone Stress.” This could be responsible for depression among youths for not getting
desired attention due to the absence of notification on phones (Holt, 2015). Second, impact over
security and privacy, in case the technology has been misused, the chances of cyberbullying,
hacking can be increased. As per the record, every third child is a victim of cyberbullying.
Sexting is one of the risky behaviors that has been observed among youngsters, and caused an
increase in cybercrime (Kim, 2016). This has become easier than ever before, due to
technological use, the privacy has been harmed to a greater extent. Moreover, social media
usage has also become the cause for cybercrime to viruses and hacking, and use of contact,
location, and pictures of the victim to blur the privacy and security (Chen, 2017). Third, physical
effect, the furthermost hazardous impact of technology is “obesity. Getting captivated by mobile
phone or a tablet, individuals incline to snack more, retain late-night hours and workout less. The
additional time one spent with technical devices, a decrease in blood circulation has been
observed, in your body, and not to the state of the collar and head discomfort. Moreover, poor
eyesight and the hearing problem could be another major problem due to the excessive use of
mobile phones. Forth, social skills, the students and individuals are spending maximum time of
phones, and are conducting video conference or video chats instead of meeting up with others.
This has diminished the will of being social and has reduced the social skills among people.
They are comfortable to communicate through devices on social media, instead of meeting in
person and get to know the person in real life. Moreover, for being social on social media, people
share maximum information like where they are having dinner on social media, which has made

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA 4
cybercrime more intensive (Brewer, 2015). Fifth, impact on education, as discussed before, the
education level has been improved due to the use of technology and the internet, however, the
overuse of technology in classrooms can affect negatively as well. The learning process of
students have been diminished, like an increase in cheating and plagiarism has been increased
due to this and the critical thinking among the students have declined, as every solution is
available on the internet, and no one is making efforts in new ideas or innovation (Krikpatrick,
2017). Moreover, studies have researched the impact of entertaining devices like games on
mobile phones and use of social media’s impact negatively over academic performance of a
student (Holt, 2015).
However, it has been observed, that the society is been inclined more towards the dystopia view
when it comes to the impact of technology and mobile phones over human life. Moreover, it can
be concluded from the discussion that there could be different view while considering the
technological impact, where one of the positive views was utopia view, which beliefs in a
positive society with rule and regulation, equality and justice. According to which the technology
has influenced human life positively whereas another view that is a dystopia, provide a negative
view of society. For example, the negative impact on physical health, mental health, social
skills, education of individuals due to excessive use of technology.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA 5
References
Brewer, G., 2015. Cyberbullying, self-esteem, empathy and loneliness. Computers in human
behavior, 48, pp.255-60.
Byrne, E., 2018. Cyberbullying and social media: Information and interventions for school
nurses working with victims, students, and families. The Journal of School Nursing, 34(1),
pp.38-50.
Chen, L., 2017. Comparing cyberbullying perpetration on social media between primary and
secondary school students. Computers & Education, 109, pp.74-84.
Chuang, C.C. & Hu, F.L., 2015. Technology strategy-innovating for growth of ANZ Bank.
International Review of Management and Business Research, 4(3), p.682.
Habermas, J., 2019. The concept of human dignity and the realistic utopia of human rights. In
Human Dignity. London: Routledge.
Hinduja, S., 2014. Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying.
Crowing Press.
Holt, T.J., 2015. Cybercrime in progress: Theory and prevention of technology-enabled
offenses.. London: Routledge.
Kim, S.B., 2016. A Cybercrime Prevention Program based on Simulation and Quiz Game:
Applying Item Response Theory for Effective Information Security Learning. International
Journal of Security and Its Applications, 10(5), pp.165-80.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA 6
Krikpatrick, G., 2017. Transforming Dystopia with Democracy: The Technical Code and the
Critical Theory of Technology. In Critical Theory and the Thought of Andrew Feenberg, 1,
pp.117-38.
Moylan, T., 2018. craps of the untainted sky: Science fiction, utopia, dystopia. London:
Routledge.
Pow, C.P., 2015. Urban dystopia and epistemologies of hope. Progress in Human Geography,
39(4), pp.464-85.