Importance of Computing and Actor Network Theory

The statement “Within modern computing, every actant acts or is acted upon by at least one other actant” is true concerning the Actor-Network Theory. In the present time, there is a strong relationship between computers and humans. The main thing to take care of here is that a computer can be any sort of device. The present essay is based on two stories regarding new technologies. The file includes actor-network theory, its relevancy, the relation between hardware and software actors, and issues related to the stories.

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Actor-Network Theory and its Relevancy

Actor Network Theory (ANT) is a continuous process that shows the relationship of society with technologies and other non-human actors. This theory explains both the human and non-human actors as well as provides them equal agency within the web or actor-network. It is one of the most effective and appropriate tools that describe the processes through which invention and technological systems succeed or fail (Fang, Marle, Zio, and Bocquet, 2012). While developing a new technology, the inventor passes it through various stages of innovation to connect it with the users and different components. An inventor needs to employ both the analytical and descriptive framework while dealing with humans and machines. In ANT, the actor is something that acts, and the actant is the one to whom the activity is granted by another (Armbrust et al. 2010).

In addition, actant refers to a collective or individual agent who can be connected to the other agents, whereas actors are the combination of symbolically invested things, relations, or inscriptions. Both actors and actors combine and form a network by connecting each other strongly (Banks, 2011). This theory is a conceptual frame that helps in exploring collective socio-technical processes in which the spokesperson gives more attention to science and technology. This theory does not make a comparison between science and technology. In ANT, networks overcome the resistance and make strong bonds internally by getting coherence and consistency. Three principles are given by ANT, which are agnosticism, generalized symmetry, and free association. While forming the network, such theory emphasizes all the surrounding objects and adds them to it (Feldman and Orlikowski, 2011).

Story 1: Facebook's Internet.org Initiative Aims to Connect 'the Next 5 Billion People

The story is based on the innovation of Facebook concerning internet.org for connecting the world with the help of the internet. Concerning the actor-network theory, the actor of this story is internet.org, whereas actants are people, structural actants, and computing assemblages. By combining both the actor and actant, Facebook is trying to achieve the objective of world connectivity (Chowdhury, Chen, and Tiong, 2011). It is also thinking of providing internet access to developing nations for their development and enhancement. This will help in connecting the people and reducing the distances. By developing relationships between the internet and humans, various businesses, diverse customers, etc. will get many advantages (Cranmer, Desmarais, and Kirkland, 2012). There are reductions in the cost of internet access and the formation of such applications, which can minimize data usage. Further, it will also increase employment and provide various opportunities regarding development as well as improvement.

With the help of ANT, Facebook can bring revolution to the world. The actor of this story is acting and impacting positively on the actors. It is taking all the factors of surrounding and involving it for developing a good relationship (Degenais, Fodor, Schulze and Toohey, 2013). By taking advantage of various services, such as music, Wikipedia, messaging, social networks, etc. free of charge, people can enhance their knowledge and skills in different fields. Respecting this innovation will change the cultural and social lives of people. It will increase virtual communities, easy access to information, changing beliefs, perceptions, and opinions of humans, etc. (Scolari, 2012).

The connection between hardware and software actors is important, as its combination helps an individual to perform and complete his/her task effectively. Both the hardware and software actors play a specific role in the story of internet.org of Facebook. With the responseware actant, this story includes machines, people, computer systems, and tech, technologies (Internet.org, 2016). On the other hand, software actors are programming, developing, designing, and structuring the hardware and software, as well as different languages. Facebook can effectively and efficiently accomplish its objective of connecting the world and providing internet access to developing countries by combining both the hardware and software actors properly. This will provide smooth working, various services, etc. to the people without any mistake, which will also lead to high customer satisfaction (Venturini, 2010).

Despite the advantages, there are some problems also, which can affect the various factors. Internet.org will use Big Data due to the large amount of information. Cloud computing is also a new stream in computing and networking. Although management and maintenance of big data are not easy tasks, along with this, it will change the lifestyle of people as they will start giving more time to the Internet instead of their relationships. On the other hand, this will decrease the thinking, problem-solving, and risk-taking abilities of individuals due to the internet. This will also increase ethical issues such as stealing of information, lack of privacy, increased victimless crimes, etc. This will decrease the morale, values, and ethics of people as they will start using Internet services for their benefit (Berzai, 2012).

Story 2: Yahoo Exc Shows Encrypted Email at SXSW

This story is based on encrypted email services for providing more security to the people. Concerning the actor-network theory, the actor of this story is Yahoo, and the actants are digital actants, computing assemblage, encryption protocol actants, and humans. All these create a network for accomplishing Yahoo's objective of encrypted email. Yahoo is going to improve its search option as it is one of the most used functions by users (Armbrust et al. 2010). The reason behind providing the service of encryption is the increasing cause of cybercrime and pervasive computing, as well as issues faced by WikiLeaks and Snowden.

By providing the service of encryption, Yahoo can satisfy its users more effectively and can increase their trust as well as loyalty. Concerning various levels of assemblages, the technical level includes encryption protocol, which makes unreadable emails to any but intended recipient (Rydin, 2012). Along with this, the innovation of Yahoo will affect the cultural factor as it will change the functioning of sending and receiving emails. In addition, the encryption agent will connect people to the business plan of Yahoo, which will increase the willingness of people to sign up with a Yahoo account to use its new and improved services. On the other hand, the service of encrypted email will reduce the ability of states and businesses to keep spying on emails (Arnaboldi and Spiller, 2011).

Understanding the relationship between the hardware and software actors is important for this story, as it will help in providing simple, easy, and protective access to emails. Hardware actors include people, computer systems, and smartphones, whereas software actors consists of appropriate connectivity, coding, designing, developing, and structuring so that encrypted email service can work effectively (Borgatti and Halgin, 2011). It is essential to connect both actors properly to get effective and expected results. A combination of hardware and software will provide smooth functioning to the user without any error or problem. Yahoo can implement and execute its service efficiently, which will also lead to fulfilling the requirement of security by the users (Hooper, 2012).

The story contains some issues that also need to be solved. The company is unaware of the reaction of people towards the change in the email service of Yahoo. Users may dislike this due to higher security as well as encrypted data, and in such a case, they will like to switch to other search engines. By this action, the company can face great failure. In addition, encrypted data will create problems for the users in searching for data or information. This will also lead to customer dissatisfaction (Durepos and Mills, 2012).

Conclusion

The above study helps in explaining the statement “Within modern computing, every actant acts or is acted upon by at least one other actant” with the help of two stories. It is concluded that computing is one of the most important parts of innovations and improvements. Along with this, actor-network theory helps in combining all the factors for developing a network, which assists in achieving the objectives effectively. The story of Facebook and Yahoo helps in understanding how various actors are working by creating networks. Both stories are facing some issues that need to be improved to make the technology and services more effective and efficient.

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References

• Armbrust, M., and et al. 2010. A view of cloud computing.Communications of the ACM.
• Arnaboldi, M., and Spiller, N., 2011. Actor-network theory and stakeholder collaboration: The case of Cultural Districts.Tourism Management.
• Borgatti, S. P., and Halgin, D. S., 2011. On network theory. Organization Science.
• Cranmer, S. J., Desmarais, B. A., and Kirkland, J. H., 2012. Toward a network theory of alliance formation.International Interactions.
• Degenais, D., and et al., 2013. Charting new directions: The potential of actor-network theory for analyzing video making.Language and literacy.
• Durepos, G., and Mills, A. J., 2012. Actor-network theory, ANTi-history, and critical organizational historiography.Organization science.
• Fang, C., and et al., 2012. Network theory-based analysis of risk interactions in large engineering projects.Reliability Engineering & System Safety.

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