CIVIC TECHNOLOGY

            Civic technology basically involves the information technology that allows involvement and engagement of the public in enabling stronger development, better communication among citizens, developing the states infrastructure and generally advancing the greater public good. It involves public applications, government bodies’ platforms as well as institution and other enabling software towards the civic technology goals. Technology in the United States over the years has made some increases and certainties (Sanford & Samuel 50). The US has put more emphasis on the advancement of technology to virtually every other area as they regard it as important. Vast advancement has occurred ranging from the invention of cellular phones to the advancement of the same into cell phones to smartphones and the latest being the tablets. Other technological advancement are witnessed in the computer sector where group of people are advancing the software, hardware and the computer programming thus enabling the public to have an easier access on the computers (Rainie et al 3). The famous of all technological advancements in US is the social media platforms where different companies such as the Facebook, Google and twitter have enabled the global information sharing amongst US members and other citizens globally. Technology therefore is part of the US citizens’ modern life.

            Civic technology has gained so many critics from a number of people who believe that the amount of time spent on the civic platforms such as the social media have acted as distraction of the community’s morals and has led to procrastination. However, this is partly true and partly a lie. Though many of the people may be found so much addicted to social media, the computers and the phones they are not wrong at all since this is the best news update platform for all.

            With the advancement of mobile applications that allow this kind of social platforms, the information is easily accessed from the source anytime at any place thus making the delivery of the information to be instant. This has helped to save emergency cases as people are able to locate an emergency issue once it is posted on the social media using the hash tag technique thus allowing people to assist at that time.

            Civic technology has greatly impacted the lives of many those in US as well as those in other parts of the world. Politically the civic technology is greatly used as the internet enables easier conduction of political activities (Mossberger et al 20). The internet provides information about the different political aspirants thus making it easier for the political parties and aspirants to mobilize the citizens so as to take the political action. Some of the political activities such as the registration of voters can be easily done on the internet. Other activities such as the political donations may be carried out in these platforms (Mossberger et al 20). Also people with the same line of thinking and with a similar goal are allowed to form a group where they can share their ideas and be able to help one another. For instance so may professions like doctors, engineers have formed groups where any update on the area of profession is informed to the group and some of the skills are also passed on to others through the sharing of ideas and incases of any question it is deeply discussed in the group thus giving the best answer. Socially people meet in the social media thus we can all agree that technology is of greater public good.

 

 

 

 

References

Mossberger, Karen, Caroline J. Tolbert, and Ramona S. McNeal. Digital citizenship: The Internet, society, and participation. MIt Press, 2007.

Rainie, Lee, et al. "Social media and political engagement." Pew Internet & American Life           Project 19 (2012).

Sanford, Samuel. Civic Life in the Information Age. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Print.