When it comes to technology, it is inseparable from human life. Forever, as long as human civilization still exists, technology will continue to be the most important thing in life. What is currently trending and being discussed is information and communication technology (ICT), which is one of the most important things in this century. It is undeniable that ICT cannot be separated from human life. Starting from small children to the elderly, small traders to large entrepreneurs, whether they realize it or not, they are already so dependent on ICT.
When viewed from a historical perspective, ICT has actually begun to be recognized by humans since hundreds of centuries ago. Since humans were created on this earth, humans have started trying to communicate with symbols and signs. This is the starting point of ICT development. ICT is developing very rapidly until now. Today, distance and time no longer seem to be an obstacle in communication. People who are on different islands and even different countries are now able to communicate even visually. One of the things that is currently trending is internet and electronic-based activities. Some examples include e-learning, e-banking, e-library, e-labolatory, e-mail and so on. These electronic-based activities are definitely very helpful for human activities. With the above, the dimensions of space and time are no longer an obstacle. In addition, the data processing process is getting faster and more efficient. Various electronic goods ranging from televisions, cellphones, pagers, PDAs, laptops to palmtops have become familiar items for the community. The development of ICT is also getting faster along with the discovery of more sophisticated tools.
Seeing what is happening now, we can imagine what might happen in the future. Long distances will no longer be felt. In the future, long-distance communication will be done with three-dimensional holograms that are so real. Human jobs will begin to be done by robots that work automatically and are able to learn from their experiences so that they can correct their own mistakes. Computer technology will also develop rapidly. Future computers will be able to respond to human actions and understand human language. Even more sophisticated, it is predicted that the next generation of computers will have feelings like humans.
Impact of Technological Development
The positive side is that people who are active users of technology, websites, and social communication media can convey information and obtain information more easily. Communication, especially in Indonesia, feels as if it has become easier along with the development of this technology. When viewed from the negative side, this technological progress makes people lazy to communicate directly. People prefer to interact through their cellphones rather than communicating with people around them. For example, a child is busy chatting with friends via his cellphone instead of talking to his siblings during a family event. Sometimes these technological advances also make a person less sensitive to expressions when communicating with the other person.
When people are too busy with their phones or PCs, then they spend quite a long time interacting in cyberspace, they don’t realize that at that time they are wasting their time interacting with real life around them. The large number of social media users and internet access proves that Indonesian people prefer to interact and mingle virtually with other social media and internet users.
One of the mass communication experts namely Harold D. Laswell and Charles Wright once stated the social function of mass media. The actual function, among others, is the first as a form of effort to disseminate information and interpret as objectively as possible regarding the events that occurred (Social Surveillance). Second, as an effort to disseminate information that can connect one social group to another (Social Correlation). Next as an effort to inherit noble values from one generation to the next (Socialization). And the last is as a public entertainer (Entertainment). (Dahlan, 2008)
These four functions, according to Harold D. Laswell and Charles Wright, are starting to erode due to the ongoing technological advances. Now the boundaries of mass communication and interpersonal communication are somewhat artificial. Because with the development of technology, especially in Indonesia, following that new ways of communicating will emerge, in this case, for example through social media. Maybe now the function of a cell phone, which originally only functioned to send messages or call someone, has developed far into a ‘laptop’ that can be easily carried anywhere. An example related to this development is that nowadays a person may not know someone’s phone number even though that person is his best friend. The person prefers to save the bb pin compared to saving that person’s phone number.
Seeing this phenomenon that is currently happening, especially in Indonesia, it is very feared that technological developments will have an adverse impact on the social life of the Indonesian people. In connection with this development, it is also necessary to increase public awareness about the surrounding environment. Changes due to technological developments that occur quite quickly, unconsciously or consciously have changed several patterns of people’s lives, especially Indonesia. For example, now there are lots of children who are addicted to their gadgets and their parents.
In addition, the negative impact is that their development in terms of socializing becomes very slow. Because they are too focused on the gadget. And in Indonesia now, the role of mass media, technology, and social media holds quite high control. It can easily and relatively quickly influence public opinion. For example, in the world of Twitter, the term buzzer is known. The buzzer here acts like an opinion leader, if that person tweets something, many people will think like the buzzer thinks. Advances in technology have had many positive impacts, but so have negative ones. In the case of this buzzer, for example, if the information being disseminated is important and useful knowledge then it becomes a very positive thing, but if the information is fabricated or slanders someone or something then it will harm the parties involved.
The conclusion that we need to pay attention to is that everyone, especially the Indonesian people, must be really smart to sort out which are the positive and negative sides so that technological developments that occur and how communication should be carried out, are carried out correctly and in balance.