TECH
where you live and without the need to relocate. Services are offered online or at least jobs are offered remotely. Next, digital applications allow us to do what one could even not think of. A mobile can serve as source of information and on the device, we can store and get access to unlimited data thanks to cloud. Documents on paper are less frequently used. Finally, nowadays, humans are more empowered and equal when relying on digital solutions. In the past, somebody could have been judged by their presentation: the better you looked, the more you could get. This might have put off a lot of people from attempting to even go outside. At present, when using an application on the phone, one doesn’t have to worry about what they look like and what impression they make. They can simply concentrate on the target which is, thinking of me being overweight, magical. The downside of reliance on digital applications is that there is, and always has been, a social margin making use of human gullibility. Fraudsters approach innocent people with offers that may lead to disclosure of confidential information that can be processed to access their bank accounts. According to UK Finance *, in 2022 £ 1.2
suffice to run a family/social life and do a business. Mind you, last week I went to City of London Magistrates’ Court as a linguist to assist the judge, the prosecutor and the defendant. Physically, in the magnificent historic building next to the Bank of England there was only a security man, the judge and me. The defendant was produced remotely and they could be seen on the monitor. The office wasn’t staffed at all. It felt like an abandoned building, yet such an important affair in the interest of the public took place there, courtesy of new digital solutions. Q: What are the best three pros and the worst three cons of today’s digital age? And why? A: The good thing about today’s digital world is that it is easier to communicate, get in touch with others and function in community; a lot of hassles have disappeared. There is no need to travel to the other part of the country to have a nice chat with somebody close to your heart as long as you have access to WhatsApp, Skype, Messenger or any other similar programme. You can apply for a job advertised by a company with its headquarters far away from
to plan a trip from a particular bus stop, which also can have its own digital timetable to the satisfaction of travellers. Unfortunately, there are setbacks. For example, mobile applications can be targeted by fraudsters who may as well steal confidential data that can be down the line taken advantage of by organised criminals. Victims of such crimes are often traumatised and they have to offer a therapeutic support to fully recover from the impact of the life-changing event. Q: With the advent of social media, messaging applications, and video conferencing, what is your personal and professional take on the way we communicate and interact with others has changed? A: At present, it would be extremely difficult to function in society without a mobile whose applications enable us to interact with others and often to engage in business activities. Video conferences are commonplace at courts and in communication between counsel and their client. Parties can also participate in hearings remotely, and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home was a standard. Whatever you think of accomplishing, there is always either a portal or an application you are bound to utilize. Forget about going to an office or even calling a service: AI will guide you and provide you with the sought-after support or advice. Consequently, a mobile may turn out to be an item that preoccupies our attention. On tube trains and buses, people used to read newspapers and books or even chat with their companions; currently, they tend to hold and cherish a mobile in front of their tense faces expecting to get as if a life-changing message. You’d better not interfere in the precious relationship between a human and their digital Big Brother. In the past, face-to-face contact was inevitable both in private life and when doing business; one looked forward to getting together with family members or friends or at work one was judged by what communication skills and what job-related abilities one had. Everything has dramatically changed. As a result, a contact through Skype or being aided by an AI programme would
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EC Magazines | London-T aipei Edition 202 6
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