Explore the dual nature of technology as we examine both its positive advancements and the often-overlooked negative consequences.
Image: Ron
Technology has been a force for good and bad. Sadly, we have hyped mostly the good and shied away from highlighting its negative elements. As a result, our society is less informed about the real impact of technology.
Leaders and communities often adopt technologies without fully understanding the true cost, risks and implications of embracing technology. Throughout my career as a technologist, storyteller and analyst, I’ve always felt the need to have conversations with an intention to better inform our society.
I have a view that society often adopts tech without fully understanding its real implications. This is partly because the technology ecosystem is offered in a way that grants you limited freedom to choose. It creates an impression that you have a choice, however, that choice is often limited. Take, for example, the choice to accept or decline cookies (text files that study your behaviour as you browse a website) as you are about to access information online. In most cases, you have to accept the cookie to get access. I’ve observed far more major scenarios than just accepting a cookie on a website. They include our way of life as we adopt technology.
Consider e-commerce, the digital infrastructure that allows us to buy goods from the comfort of our homes. In some communities, the elderly are no longer required to travel long distances to get bread and milk.
Through a click of a button, they can get milk and bread delivered to their doorstep. This process has enabled many who were previously unemployed to be economically active. This is the good part. At the same time, delivery guys and girls are exposed to bad traffic conditions.
As a result, some of them sustain injuries without even getting quality medical care from companies like Checkers (Shoprite group), Uber Eats, Woolworths and others in the business of delivering goods based on online orders. If they are fortunate to avoid an accident, there’s a law enforcement officer who is ready to fine them while rushing to deliver goods within 60 minutes.
The poor delivery guys and girls are not alone in benefiting and suffering from technology-enabled advancements. The middle class is having a great time while not realising the negative side effects. Consider the joy of paying for a coffee with your smartphone or smartwatch.
This has allowed many to have a better understanding of their spending as each and every cent is recorded with the potential to assist with better budgeting in future. This is cool as long as you are not a victim of cybercrime. Your life is sorted as long as everything functions with your smartphone or smartwatch. What happens when tech fails and when bad actors strike?
What could be done with so much financial data of each and every citizen (in cases of complete cashless payment adoption)? We have adopted this system without thinking much about its implications. We have also embraced online education without factoring in what we lose when there’s less interaction between human beings in the process of learning.
I have no doubt we have adopted more technologies without fully preparing ourselves for the negative effects. I accept that in most cases it’s difficult to keep up with the pace of innovation.
We can do little to cushion ourselves from the previous negative effects of technology. Granted, negative parts are part and parcel of getting innovations. As we transition to other forms of technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, I think we need to do better. There’s a need to create more awareness about all aspects of technology implementation. It is for this reason that I’d like to have more conversations about tech to highlight the good and bad. I want to do this as part of informing society
I would like to host conversations in communities where technology is hardly discussed and where technology is embraced without a thought. These conversations will include topics such as artificial intelligence, data, robotics, cryptocurrencies and other modern technologies that will shape our future.
Both the good and bad about these technologies will be discussed with people and businesses that are building and designing these tools. I believe the more informed we are about upcoming technologies, the better prepared we will be to use them. I invite institutions and businesses that care about the future to join these conversations to better empower society with quality information.
Wesley Diphoko is a Technology Analyst and is Editor-In-Chief of Fast Company (SA).
