By: Carlos Villalobos
Technology is advancing quickly and people are taking advantage of its capabilities. Many are misusing it.
They are doings things like texting while driving and stealing identity.
Krista Barber is student teacher. One night, while lost on Shop Road, she was texting and looking for directions to get home
She got into an accident that changed her life.
"My car went off the road, into a median. And it flipped off opposite traffic twice, and it landed off the other side of the road. My arm was out of the window, got flung out of the window…as my car was flipping", Krista said.
Krista was in the hospital for seven weeks, causing her to miss school and graduation. She can no longer use her left arm, and had repeated cosmetic surgery.
Krista said the need to having information right away is what made look at her phone.
"It's so much about I need to answer a text right away and you don't want people to think you are ignoring them. In a world where it's so instant gratification, its one of those things people are addicted to, their phones", Krista said.
Technology is becoming so easily accessible, it is no wonder people are using it to their advantage.
USC student Marvin Casasola used to pirate movies, TV shows, and music. He knows how simple it is to get what you want, when you want it.
"Everything is just a lot more easily accessible now. Before, the Internet wasn't even fast back, now with the Internet speeding up getting faster and faster, you're going to use it. You can download more megabytes per second, so it gets down to just downloading a 500 megabyte movie in less than 10 minutes", Marvin said.
Marvin said even the younger generation are pirating, and they are finding simpler and quicker ways to get what they want.
"That's all they do is download things. People are going to download music left and right, but if it's free of course they are going to choose that route rather than pay 99 cent on iTunes", Marvin said.
USC student Lane Smith was a victim of identity theft this past December. Bank of America spotted the crime before too much money was stolen.
Lane says he has no idea how someone was able to take money from his account.
"I thought it was just wild. I guess that is just how technology is now. It can be used for good things or bad things for different", said Lane.
Krista said being a student teacher has shown her that misusage starts at a young age.
She said kids will cyber bully each other, along with have cell phones at such a young age.
Krista believes all we can do is try to keep pace with technological advances, and it misuses.
Lane Smith got his identity stolen last Christmas. Now, he checks his phone regularly to make sure no mysterious transaction has take place
