(Expansion) – In recent decades, digital technology has gained ground exponentially. 30 years ago there were few privileged people who could access a mobile phone, while today it is a widely used product, whose wide range allows even the poorest population to have a cell phone in their hands.
Computer equipment, which until the middle of the last century was reserved for scientific development in specialized centers, is now an indispensable tool for study, business, and entertainment. Every home has at least one computer for carrying out various activities that depend on the connection to the network.
The Internet, which was born as an experimental project of the US government to share information, currently serves as a basic good for communication at multiple levels. Thanks to this technology we have an immense universe of data within reach of a single click.
The Internet is so crucial to understanding the contemporary world that this digital platform is even spoken of as a next-generation human right. More and more people are connected to the web; the train of the digital age advances with force.
For their part, social networks such as Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram democratize the ability to share ideas and opinions. Now anyone can express their point of view via a tweet, a short video, or the publication of an image. The most critical discuss whether these networks really contribute to healthy socialization, or if, on the contrary, they promote antisocial behavior.
And it is that digital technology has revolutionized the way of interacting, working and learning. Of course, there are important advantages that the connection to the network offers us. However, it would be a gross mistake to ignore some issues, due to their sensitivity and importance. We need to ask ourselves certain questions.
How healthy is it that younger children prefer to be glued to a screen rather than go out to play? Has being so immersed in the virtual world made us disconnect from the physical world? Do we know how to differentiate between real data and information false in a web so saturated with content?
The issue is that digital technology has had such an accelerated and forceful impact that we rarely have time to reflect on its scope, risks, and areas of opportunity. We are so dependent on cell phones, computers and the Internet that we cannot imagine life without them.
There are regulations and rules to prevent minors from buying cigarettes or entering a casino to gamble, but there are practically no restrictions on surfing the Internet, when it is evident that using social networks and staying online for a long time can also create a powerful addiction.
Digital technologies are not bad by themselves, it is the inappropriate use that can be harmful to their users. Therefore, the first step to reverse such a threat is to be aware of the problem and the challenge it represents. The key lies in promoting critical thinking and responsibility.
Neither are they perfect, nor are they the downfall: social networks and the Internet are nothing more than tools that can be very useful or too harmful, depending on the use we make of them. Good judgment and decision-making will be the main allies to take advantage of technology, while avoiding latent risks.
Limit the hours we spend online, learn to identify reliable sources of information, try not to lose human contact by prioritizing the virtual connection. All of the above are tasks that we have to carry out so that this era of hyperconnectivity does not generate regrettable effects in the near future.
Let’s use technology to grow and advance as humanity, always with responsibility and sensitivity. Without a doubt, the digital age is here to stay.
Editor’s note: José Guillermo Fournier Ramos is a professor at the Universidad Anáhuac Mayab. Vice President of Masters AC, a civil association that promotes effective communication and social leadership. He is also a communication and image consultant, analyst and doctoral student in Government. Follow him on and on . The opinions expressed in this column belong exclusively to the author.
