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Terrorism and Technology


It wasn?t until the morning of September 11th that America began to question just how safe we really are. As the world watched the devastation on the news, everyone was looking for comfort. However, often times when something as horrific as this happens, the ones you look to for comfort are looking back at you for comfort. Many people found what piece of mind they could, through technology during this horrible time.

The September 11th terrorist attacks have had both positive and negative impacts on the use of computers and technology. It is hard for many to believe that good things can come from bad situations. In this case it took a terrorist attack to make us realize that there is room for improvement in the quality of our technology that we rely so much on today.

On September 11, 2001 so many people tried to log onto the internet to get information about the terrorist attacks, that there was a huge jam. No one could get online. Modern technology, televisions, radios and scanners rescued our curious minds. Most everyone found himself or herself glued to the television, watching the gruesome scenes over and over again, after the computers had failed us.

Computers were not the only devices that let us down on that tragic day. In New York cell phone connections even went out. Too many people were trying to use their cell phones at once, that there was an overload, making it extremely difficult for anyone to get through the lines.

Another technological advance that we entrust our safety to, that failed us was airport security system. Those men managed to get past out high tech security systems and onto those planes. Thousands of innocent people lost their lives because some men out smarted out fool proof system. The creators of airport security must have been unfamiliar with the saying, "where there?s a will, there?s a way". No one wants to admit to himself or herself, or anyone else for that matter, that sick people who thrive on pain and suffering, really do exist. Because airport security creators didn?t think about this fact, or they thought about it and chose to ignore it, innocent people lost their lives.

This horrible act of terrorism has opened the doors to many necessary changes. These changes were discovered necessary upon an evil act. However, these changes are going to prove beneficial to American citizen?s safety and their piece of mind. Among these changes is a machine developed by Rapiscan called the full body X-ray. This machine allows airport security officers to "examine every person who comes through an airport checkpoint as an alternative to a pat down." However, even though this is designed to be beneficial to human safety, many people feel that it is an invasion of privacy.

All of these shortcomings just go to show that our technology is only as good as the human beings who design it. Most people don?t take every little aspect of life into consideration when designing new technology.

It is hard to believe that something that makes our lives much easier, such as the computer, played a big part in our falling down. Granted we are getting back up, but if it weren?t for computers, cell phones and other technological devices we use everyday, chances are the terrorists would not have been able to organize such a mass destruction. It is a win lose situation that we are faced with. On the one hand we don?t want to have to see another disaster such as the September 11th one. Therefore, we want to make it as hard as we possible can for terrorist and terrorist groups to get a hold of computers, scanners and radios. However, on the other hand, society would not be able to survive without these things. Our worlds revolve around technology. Whether it?s the television, the phones/cell phones or the computers, the majority of the population uses this technology everyday.

Everyone knows that what?s hot and new today will more than likely be pretty much forgotten about tomorrow. This also applies to technology. Everyone felt fairly secure with airport check in points and security systems, until the terrorist proved to us that we actually do have something to fear. Many people are afraid of change. However, without change we?ve got nothing, just the same old thing on a different day. It is time for us to feel secure with this society. If it means putting extra surveillance cameras or even full body X-ray vision machines in airports, this shouldn?t be a problem.

Many people are too consumed by the bad points of this event to realize that we are going to be all right. We are just going to have to rearrange our thinking. We are going to have to heighten our security and not be so trusting to people we don?t even know. This is about the only way we can prevent this from happening again. We also need to take into account that events like this are entirely possible. Therefore, allotting for computer and phone line jams would be a necessary improvement.

Bad things happen to good people. There is no controlling these things either. We simply have to take what is given to us and make the best of it. In this rude awakening we have learned that we need not be so sure about all of our technology. There is always room for improvement, especially when our lives depend on it.

Source
ABC News Online http://www.abcnews.com