Global crisis ... if the major changes to our lifestyle ..... triggered by technology are to disappear tommorrow

KS Wong - Wednesday, 17th October 2012, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

(a wide topic; thus, I have to pick on an aspect and perspective to keep the post in a manageable size) .... 

Prime focus shall be  "everyone has become a photographer" .....  a very major change that we have taken for granted .... something that many of us went into without our conscious effort into it ..... and what will happen if this disappears. 

To kick start the discussion........

The technological advances in portable mobile communication devices such as the 
mobile phones, ipads, galaxy notes, etc etc ....., which started primarily in the periods at the end of the 80’s and beginning 90’s and the big leaps at the turn of the century into the 2000’s;  ...... triggered and spurred changes to our life styles ...... things that we may now take for granted; our mobile communication devices and the mode of communications took big steps forward ..... and are currently still being redefined to new heights. 

a Global CRISIS.... if it disappears.

Just sit back and think for a moment,  what will happen if all these were to disappear from our lives by tomorrow? ...... no mobile phone, no SMS, no Facebook, no twitter, no mobile apps, no emails, no mobile internet and 3G services, no more photos and videos from your mobile devices, etc etc .... the entire band of mobile possibilities just disappear from our lives.

It will be a global crisis ...... not a social crisis but also a financial crisis and even more ..... as businesses have also evolved to be dependent on mobile technologies; so it will be big a tsunami that will throw the whole world off its feet .... a catastrophe. 

Digital photography and Mobile Devices

Zooming in a specific dimension .... digital photography .... this itself has changed our lifestyle ..... one has to remember that it was still in the 90's and even early 2000"s that film photography was still the thing .... the ritual of taking photographs than to be limited to professionals and enthusiasts in photography ...... it was than also very expensive.

The arrival of digital photography in the 2000's, and in particular when the digital cameras became more affordable to a large number of people, and the subsequent leap of mobile communication devises being equipped with cameras ... to the extent it is the norm today for any mobile device to be with a camera ....... literally revolutionised the world of graphics and imaging ..... everyone became a photographer and videographer.

At the same time, camera manufacturers saw the change and the potential ...... step up its rollout of digital compact and DSLR cameras, now even equipped with HD video capability, .... as the hassle of film photography and the need to print photos seem to have been alleviated by the technology ...... there was a clear path of market growth and they dive into such a direction ... all these drastically expanded the number of photographers (pro or otherwise).

The developments were also driven by the technology platform for the communication of photos, which took a drastic up turn with all going through electronic means; and are nearly FOC to users .... through emails, Facebook etc etc.......The iPhone's icloud technology of streaming photos is another amazing development.

Even professional photographers have often made statements towards their industry being redefined, and they are forced to differentiate in their capabilities and offerings to remain in business...... just look at an event or a wedding, there may be a professional photographer trying a group shot but at the same time there will be 10-20 others taking photos with their mobile phones and compact digital cameras (something we don't see perhaps 15 years ago) ........... and almost immediately some of it will be on its way to Facebook.

The number of photos being taken per day, around the world, have taken a massive leap  ..... perhaps, even billions of photo per day ........ and are easily communicated to others around the world.

What will happen if this capability is gone or restricted?

snap here, snap there .... with our mobile phones and cameras ... and than share it electronically ..... a common scene; and we have taken this for granted.

The massive availability of cameras ... and the number of photographers, mean that the quantity of activities and happenings around the world being recorded would have reach unprecedented levels .... ... and there can be incidences of abusive and violation of privacy.

What happens if one day:

1) The technology platform fails ...... you can't transfer your photos electronically - such as you can't put it up Facebook or email or even MMS or on your WhatsApp....... perhaps, at that time one will realized that we are today very dependent on certain technologies and we took them for granted in our daily lives...... and to many it can be a very miserable thing................. (one may even ask if there any backup scenario that the world can fall back on if it happens? .... I don't know if there is one, perhaps .... someone can comment on this)

2) if, one day, the Governments in the world decide that mobile devices are not permitted to be fitted with cameras by virtue of the abuses and invasion of privacy.......... I cant imagine how much we will complain ...... perhaps, for the first time, we will see a highly synchronised global protest.



 KS Wong
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia