The Human Side of Tech What is the Human Side of Tech? Technology is increasingly pervasive and influences our day-to-day lives in myriad ways. As a result, it is held accountable for harms such as the erosion of democracy but also societal breakthroughs such as vaccine development, space exploration, and global communication. Whether technological determinism—the idea that technological development determines a society’s social and cultural outcomes—is true or not, it is clear that the “human” dimensions of technology matter. When considering the relationship between tech and more social or cultural phenomena, a few topics are key: Creating tech responsibly: technological innovation for the sake of innovation has potentially harmful ramifications. The recent the “tech backlash” also highlights the growing public dissatisfaction with the prioritization of profit or growth at the expense of people. Limiting tech harms: recently, technology’s negative consequences on the environment, privacy, democracy, equity, and social belonging have surfaced. Yet, these issues stem partly from inappropriate or unhealthy use of technology, and like other advances that carry potential harms, regulations, standards, and incentives can help to prevent or mitigate adverse consequences. Capitalizing on tech benefits: technology has many positive externalities and can be designed to improve the world—green economy examples range from technology for carbon capture, use, and storage to apps that educate users about their carbon footprint. Encouraging technological development that benefits humans and the environment is crucial. Public engagement and user-centred design: individual technological inventions can have significant social impacts. To ensure that these impacts are societally beneficial, public engagement and consultation is needed. Similarly, user-centred design—meaning design that focuses on the needs and experiences of those using a technology—has become a core aspect of technological innovation. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): some technologies are accessible only to certain people (for example expensive electric cars), while others can disproportionately harm distinct segments of the population (for example facial recognition). Technologies should be built with the end user in mind and advance and uphold the principles of EDI.
Thinking Green: Building a Sustainable Digital Economy for Canada
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