As social media serves to transform free speech the world over, a pervasive infiltration of the information highway is underway by individuals and entities using bots and human agencies to invade our privacy and channel extremist, hateful speech in propaganda-like campaigns bent on undermining democratic institutions.
Category: Social Implications of Technology
Mundane Is the New Radical
By Rebekah Shirley and Daniel Kammen on August 3rd, 2018 in Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
The increasing number of dam projects deployed in developing countries over the last two decades that perform poorly illustrate a disconnect between planners, stakeholders, and technological energy solutions of choice.
That Dragon, Cancer
By Shoshana Eilon on July 21st, 2018 in Human Impacts, Leading Edge, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Thank You for Playing explores the very personal experiences of a family battling cancer, and the beauty and hope that can be found in the artistic process, while also examining the age-old question of where the boundaries lie in representing difficult emotional experiences in art.
Call for Papers – Special Issue of IEEE Technology and Magazine
By Jeremy Pitt on July 21st, 2018 in Magazine Articles, Societal Impact
The aim of this special issue is to evaluate the social impact and social implications of new and emerging technologies on governance, politics, public administration, and policy-making, and to evaluate the future prospects of digital democracy, and its transformative potential for increasing public engagement, community empowerment, and social entrepreneurship.
Publish or Impoverish
By Jeremy Pitt on June 26th, 2018 in Editorial & Opinion, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
It can be glibly asserted that technology makes accomplishing various activities easier. But it is not always obvious for whom it makes it easier to accomplish what. For example, the Internet has had a profound impact on academic publishing, and the transition from printed paper to digital format has ostensibly made it “easier” for academics to put their work in the public domain and, if they can actually get attention in a social-media sound-bite distracted world, reach a wider audience than ever before.
Digital Empowerment and Socio-Political Stability
By Christine Perakslis on June 12th, 2018 in Last Word, Magazine Articles, Societal Impact
Social media (SM) usage is increasing across the globe. Of the 7.6 billion people populating earth, 4 billion are believed to be Internet users. Over 3 billion are SM users, representing over 40% global penetration.
President’s Message – Operationalizing SSIT’s 5 Pillars
By Paul Cunningham on June 12th, 2018 in Magazine Articles, President's Message, Societal Impact
SSIT Pillar 4 is dedicated to Societal Impact of Technology. Pillar 4 focuses on highlighting and supporting the development of technologies that incorporate the principles of safety, security, and privacy by design.
CALL FOR PAPERS – ISTAS 2018
By Greg Adamson on June 12th, 2018 in Call for Papers, Conferences, Societal Impact
We welcome proposals for papers, parallel panel and workshop sessions focused on the relationship between technology, policy and social issues ranging from the economic and ethical to the cultural and environmental.
500 Years Later: Doors and Disputations
By Christine Perakslis on May 12th, 2018 in Human Impacts, Last Word, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Our authors nail rich scholarship to our portal, thus inviting healthy disputation. In this issue, we considered the value of a mesh of connective vehicles used to overcome the digital divide.
Cultural Perspectives of AI
By Jim Isaak on May 11th, 2018 in Articles, Privacy & Security, Societal Impact
How does your culture view the potential for AI?
BOOK REVIEW: Drone Warfare
By Jacob Ossar on April 27th, 2018 in Book Reviews, Magazine Articles, Robotics, Societal Impact
When thanks to drone use soldiers rarely come home in body bags, members of the public are not often prompted to care about or even notice military activity half a world away.
Monetizing vs Engineering – Motivating Change
By Jim Isaak on April 27th, 2018 in Articles, Human Impacts
Do you want to attract the best people? Give them a problem with a purpose. Give them room to work. Give them recognition for their successes — not just internally, but encouraging them to share these at conferences, or in relevant peer communities.
Why Did the AI Cross The Road: AI Rationale
By Jim Isaak on April 20th, 2018 in Articles, Robotics
We are asking for AI rationale that can be used to improve operations, or attribute liability. This effort is doomed to failure, and may lead to greater problems.
The Danger of Empathy for Robots
By Jim Isaak on April 13th, 2018 in Articles, Robotics, Societal Impact
One result of increased AI integration will be increased empathy for robots. This transformation has potential upsides and risks.
BOOK REVIEW: Drowning in Information, Starving for Knowledge
By Abdullah Shahid and Ningzi Li on April 10th, 2018 in Book Reviews, Communication Technology, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Orman poses “information overload” as a paradox and gives us three mechanisms through which such paradox arises. The paradox is that technologies help us know more, but in the process, we know less.
The Internet of Moving Things
By Rui Costa on March 31st, 2018 in Human Impacts, Industry View, Magazine Articles, Robotics, Societal Impact
Mobile technology isn’t just in your pocket 24/7. It’s everywhere around us today, with its continual byproduct — data — trailing us everywhere we go. The great nexus of this 21st-century trend isn’t really your smartphone — it’s the city where you live, work, and play.
Chris Wylie’s Frankenstein
By Jim Isaak on March 23rd, 2018 in Articles, Case Studies, Ethics, Societal Impact
“Why would a Russian oil company want to target information on American voters?” Chris asks in the article. Cambridge Analytica claims to have 4000-5000 data points on 230,000,000 U.S. adults.
One at a Time, and All at Once
By Jeremy Pitt on March 21st, 2018 in Editorial & Opinion, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Societal Impact
It is necessary to start somehow, even if you’ve got no map, no knowledge of the destination, and no milometer to measure the distance that has been covered. This can sometimes be the essence of collective action for addressing wicked problems. Sometimes human behavior defies top-down direction and even nudge, and begins instead with a single initiating event and snowballs from there.
AI Future: Microsoft’s View
By Jim Isaak on March 16th, 2018 in Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact
Skilling-up for an AI-powered world involves more than science, technology, engineering and math. As computers behave more like humans, the social sciences and humanities will become even more important. Languages, art, history, economics, ethics, philosophy, psychology and human development courses can teach critical, philosophical and ethics-based skills that will be instrumental in the development and management of AI solutions.
SSIT and Sustainable Development
By Paul Cunningham on March 9th, 2018 in Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, President's Message, Societal Impact
As an IEEE technical Society whose focus on all aspects of societal implications of technology complements the technical activities of all other IEEE Societies, SSIT members have a proud history of contributions to sustainable development and humanitarian technology. We have long focused on addressing ethical implications, interdependencies, context, and socio-cultural norms that are essential to avoid unintended and unanticipated consequences. One of our core strengths as a community has been our collaborative, partnership-based approach.