Technology for Big Data, and its brother-in-arms Machine Learning, is at the root of, and is the facilitator of, deliberate string-pulling design choices. These design choices are made by people, and so the question actually becomes, do the design choices enabled by Big Data and Machine Learning have the capacity to alter, diminish and perhaps actually “destroy” what it means to be fundamentally human.
Bipartite Approaches: Designing and Delivering Technologies for Body and Soul
By Christine Perakslis on November 19th, 2019 in Human Impacts, Last Word, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Our authors identified risks that can result in diminished humanity, if technology is designed or delivered irresponsibly. Our community addressed much of what it means to be human, in the context of complex and converging processes.
Coming Up This Week – IEEE ISTAS 2019 – Boston
By Paul Cunningham on November 9th, 2019 in Conferences, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
The IEEE Society for Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) invites you to participate in its flagship event, the 2019 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society. IEEE ISTAS 2019 takes place 15- 16 November in Boston MA, hosted by the School of Engineering of Tufts University, on its Medford Campus.
Only Two More Days! Matching Gift Offered for Contributions to SSIT Fund
By Robert Dent on November 1st, 2019 in Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, SSIT Announcements
An anonymous donor has issued a challenge to match donations dollar for dollar up to US$10,000 by December 31, 2019.
If Technology Is a Parasite Masquerading as a Symbiont — Are We the Host?
By Jeff Robbins on October 29th, 2019 in Ethics, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Parents have no idea that lurking behind their kids’ screens and phones are a multitude of psychologists, neuroscientists, and social science experts, who use their knowledge of psychological vulnerabilities to devise products that capture kids’ attention for the sake of industry profit.
Secrets and Lies
By Karl Stephan on October 17th, 2019 in Book Reviews, Case Studies, Ethics, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Holmes’s idea of inventing a cheap, small, fast, reliable blood-testing system to creatively destroy most of the world’s existing infrastructure for blood tests ran into big problems early on. But with her chutzpah, persuasiveness, and eventually with the help of outright obfuscations and lies, Holmes kept Theranos going until a Wall Street Journal investigative reporter named John Carreyrou responded to a lead by a health-care blogger that something fishy was going on.
SSIT Launches: IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society
By Katina Michael on October 1st, 2019 in Announcements, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
The IEEE Society on the Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) are proud to announce the Society’s second refereed publication, the IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society (IEEE-TTS).
Health 4.0: Challenges for an Orderly and Inclusive Innovation
By Eduardo Mario Dias on September 24th, 2019 in Commentary, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology
Healthcare is one of the sectors with the highest expectations for positive impacts of the 4.0 revolution. Healthcare systems must deal with the challenge of providing care without raising costs, given the fiscal constraints of the governments that provide such services to the population.
Let Me Hear from You
By Robert Dent on September 22nd, 2019 in Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, President's Message, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
The IEEE SSIT Technology and Society (T&S) Magazine has been published for decades. The SSIT Board of Governors is very… Read More
BOOK REVIEW: The Revenge of Analog
By A. David Wunsch on September 5th, 2019 in Book Reviews, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
“From today, painting is dead!” is said to have been proclaimed by the French painter Paul Delaroche in 1839 after seeing his first daguerreotype. His was an early name on the list of people who have made fools of themselves when prognosticating a future resulting from a new medium or invention. Motivated by either techno-euphoria or pessimism they have become famously wrong.
Understanding and Strengthening Capacity for Society
By Christine Perakslis on August 17th, 2019 in Human Impacts, Last Word, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
As populations increase, the volume of man and materials increases [1]. Demand can exceed capacity.
Science Communication, Digital Media, and the Human Voice
By cia romano on August 17th, 2019 in Blog Posts, Communication Technology, Environment, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Does access to science communication inevitably lead to greater public understanding of science, its discoveries, and their impact? Does access to online data sets inevitably lead to full comprehension of available information by scientists?
Brain Implants: Hype or Hope
By Tom Harris on August 16th, 2019 in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Video & Podcasts, Videos
Katina Michael, Director of the Center for Engineering, Policy and Society at Arizona State University speaks at TEDxASU 2019 about… Read More
Coming Soon – IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society
By Katina Michael on August 13th, 2019 in Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, Transactions
SSIT’s new IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society will launch in March 2020. Information for Authors and General Call for Papers are here.
Letter to the Editor
By Christine Perakslis on August 9th, 2019 in Letters to the Editor, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
I am hopeful that our younger readership will learn a bit about less known American history from the brief analogy I utilized, and therefore will join us in honoring all such men as George Washington Carver and their marvelous contributions to society! Thank you to Mr. Gadeken for his comments.
Letter to the Editor
By Jim Isaak on August 9th, 2019 in Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology
“Nudging” is the term used in the IEEE standards work on Ethics for AI Design. An AI system that applies deep learning to manipulating human decisions, with detailed analysis of the targeted individual, is a disturbing potential that must affect our trust in both the systems and those that direct their applications.
Microchipping People Is a “Bad Idea”
By Katina Michael on July 31st, 2019 in Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Interview, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology
Sjöström argues that NFC chips are a solution in search of a problem, have limited utility, are less efficient than alternatives, and pose significant health risks.
Transparent Ownership of Mobility-as-a-Service
By Jeremy Pitt on July 20th, 2019 in Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Why would anyone own, or even need to own, a driverless car, if they do not get to drive it? Which in turn begs the question, if the central tenet of the personal car ownership model (i.e., ownership) no longer holds, then what is the replacement business model?
When America Did Something, Not Because It Was Easy But Because It Was Hard
By Joe Carvalko on July 19th, 2019 in Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
On that day, at 2:26 p.m., Eastern time, from Cape Kennedy, Lunar Orbiter 1, the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon, was launched. Four days later, at 8:43 a.m., Eastern time, the spaceship successfully entered an orbit around the Moon, becoming the first human-made object to orbit a heavenly body other than Earth.
Driverless Cars: Another Piece Of The Puzzle
By Teresa Galvao Dias on July 11th, 2019 in Editorial & Opinion, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
It is essential not only to estimate the sales potential of driverless cars, but also to debate how they will affect the society and cities’ livability.