Technology has some cons as well as pros

INFORMATION technology is now so advanced it has, for some people, become a ‘godsend’; it definitely came into its own during the Covid lockdowns, when “necessity became the mother of invention”.

However, it is only responsible to identify its minuses for a truly balanced evaluation.

Disturbing are the accounts of people losing thousands of pounds through sophisticated scams, losing confidence and self-respect in falling for sweet-heart scams, or being driven to suicide by bullying on social media.

Those not able or wanting to bank online are sidelined as banks, looking after their shareholders, continue to close branches across the country. Preference to shop online has caused closure of shops and narrowing of choice for people wanting to see, touch, and discuss merchandise with real assistants.

I admit to being part of the problem, in occasionally buying online.

But it has opened my eyes to what I presume is pressure on couriers, given the high volume of parcels, to deliver on time.

An e-mail told me an item had arrived, and had been “handed to the recipient”; having regularly checked the front door and newspaper-box throughout the day I concluded it had gone to the wrong address.

Late that evening I went to the front gate – and there, on the ground, was the packet. The lie, I imagine, was part of the quest to meet required performance levels.

Resounding in all our ears now will be the lie “You are the only one” from ITV’s Mr. Bates vs The Post Office; again, an IT system – this time faulty – created a situation which brought out the worst in Post Office officials – self-righteousness, arrogance, bullying and lying.

As a consequence lives were devastated, and some ended.

In short, utilization of IT should always be tempered by consideration for the individual..

Carole Scullion Fulbourn