Technology Development: Dystopian or Utopian?
It is exciting to see the advancements of technology in this digital era. The ever-growing development of the Internet of Things (IoT) accompanied by the introduction of 5G networks has become a milestone of human process that spawns plenty of new applications and smart devices simplifying our lives. Meanwhile, the Internet is emerging stronger and more important than ever before as it keeps the world functioning under the pandemic. We rely highly on the Internet in the digital world. It is hard to imagine living in today’s world without digital engagement as technology has been omnipresent in our lives.
However, numerous examples of the sinister aspects of technology lead me to wonder: Have we been spoiled by the convenience of hi-tech products and become too lazy and complacent? Will the gain that technology brings to us outweigh the hassle? Is the technology of smart devices smart enough? Or has technology advanced too far? Bearing these questions in mind, I will take a critical look at the implication of living in our digital society.
👣 Digital Footprints
Many services we use every day are powered by different systems of recommendation. The next Tiktok video could always go more viral than the last; the online shops always know what we need even we had never searched the products on the websites; web music players always understand our taste in artists and are able to prepare a tailored playlist anytime we need.
Nowadays, we are flooded with masses of information according to our search queries, browsing history, screen time, interactions, account setting, etc. In other words, our digital footprints leave traces that can be exploited by businesses to target us with specific (or profitable) offers and adverts. Social media websites or shopping apps offer us the most compelling content and avoid serving the information we might not be interested in. That is why social network sites are so addictive and why it is so hard to stick to our shopping lists.
However, an algorithm for recommendations is not necessarily a bad thing for digital users. One remarkable advantage is that intelligent recommendations can provide us with a personalized and user-friendly online experience. Recommendation systems can help us reduce our effort to find the most popular products that suit our needs the best. This option is really a time-saver! An example that I find so useful is Taobao.com. Powered by artificial intelligence, Taobao Recommendation System can get involved in a shopper’s decision-making cycle, helping them make purchase decisions.
As for online shops, AI solutions accelerate business performance. Valuable and accurate recommendations can boost online sales while increasing the conversion rates and average order value. 35% of Amazon’s revenue is from its recommendation system. For social media companies, recommendation technology can enhance users experience and ensure user loyalty. However, the lack of accurate input data might contribute to the spread of extremist ideologies, disinformation and misinformation.
👾 Reshaped Lives
Our society has adopted digital technology to a great extent. By 2030, 125 billion devices will be connected using IoT. At that time, the average person will own at least 15 connected devices. This is not about smartphones, smartwatches, or self-driving cars; the proliferation of smart homes also plays an important role in the expansion of the IoT market. Installing smart plugs, thermostats, and fridges can add a great deal of convenience to homes. With smart lighting systems, we don’t have to worry if we turned off the lights in the kitchen when sleeping upstairs; with a smart speaker, we can communicate with our families in other rooms without getting up out of our seats.
Opportunities often come with risks. While customized content and intelligent devices may improve efficiency in many aspects of our daily lives, we should explore the advancement of technology more cautiously. The increasing connectivity might lead to a greater loss of privacy, causing unexpected trouble. Our data is the new gold in this digital era; hackers can steal and make a profit from our browsing histories while mobile apps can collect and store our internet activity (which is difficult to erase). Especially, when the home appliances are all made online, we will be at a higher risk of experiencing privacy and security issues. We will never know if the video doorbells, digital pets, or smart TV (which often have microphones and cameras) are now spying on us.
🙈 Rationalized Laziness
Anyway, we need to freely admit that these smart devices and new technologies are the products resulting in laziness, which create further doubts on the necessity of smart devices investment.
Founder of InfiniEDGE Software, Czarina Walker：
“The Internet of Things encourages laziness and drives innovation. ”
Surrounded by hi-tech gadgets, our lives become undoubtedly more convenient than before. But do we really need a smart salt shaker to measure a teaspoon of salt? Or the AirTag to track our keys and glasses? Or any of the products that recommendation engines encourage us to buy? Ironically, technology sometimes becomes the master of our lives rather than a useful tool.
🌟 Updated Ethics & Our Roles
The online world is a reflection of our reality, and a specific online code of morality is urgently needed to enforce boundaries. Mozilla’s “Privacy Not Included” report on connected devices shows that tech giants are doing a good job at securing their products while smaller companies are paying less attention to it. Yet even if the devices are secure, our data can still be traced and exploited. For smart home appliances, there is no common standard for operation and control except Wi-Fi. However, even when we understand the risks of these devices, how many of us had ever read through the privacy policies of the smart devices we are using now.
✒️ Conclusion
It is natural that humans are making technological advancements all the time, which are neither good nor bad. How we see and apply new technology is the problem we need to make a joint effort to solve in this digital world from the present to the future.
😊 Reflection
As a student major in East Asian Studies, I am used to immersing myself in a sea of readings about culture, history, and international relationships. Taking this unit is a perfect opportunity for me to learn more about the world we are now living in, also to take a breather from my field.
All of the topics we learned in this semester are so engaging! From the basic knowledge of the Internet to the profound insights of ethics and morality in the networked digital society, we explore the boundaries of digital engagement while taking a closer look at artificial intelligence, the IoT, and smart cities. Studying the Digital Society unit makes me reconsider how does technology change our lives and what we should do to face the challenges the digital society brings to us.
💗 There are so many things that I love in this unit:
1. “Down-to-earth” Contents
I am not saying it is an easy option to choose this unit! Instead, as insiders of the digital world, it is even harder to see the whole picture very clearly. The topics we discussed are closely related to our lives, which can remind us of the details we had previously ignored. How many times did we just click “yes” when apps inquired about our location information? And how many times had we unconsciously accepted websites to use our cookies? After studying Digital Society, I have started to take more precautions when surfing online and think twice before posting anything. Also, the last topic, employability for a digital future, is quite a helpful reminder, telling us to get prepared in a more competitive job market in the ever-changing digital world.
2. Stimulating and Thought-provoking Assessments
I enjoyed all the three different assessments in this module. Honestly speaking, it made me a little bit anxious at first, but I also gained a lot from them. The assessments provided us with a lot of chances to explore the theme we are interested in. For example, in digisoc1, I was introduced to my favourite content creator, He Tongxue. I would never take a further step without watching his video without the platform at Medium, where I can share my ideas. Moreover, I learned from my mistakes in the previous two assessments and now have a better understanding of copyright and reference in blog posts.
Posting thoughts online seems to be a second nature, especially for us Gen Z who grew up during the most accelerated period of technology development, and almost everyone is using social media. However, writing blog posts for assessments is a brand-new thing for me. It is a challenge to change the writing style I am used to in other academic essays and try to write in a humorous style as a blogger. As an international student, this has improved my English writing skills and critical thinking as well!
3. Interaction
Although this unit was a completely online one, the interactions between peers still brought me a very unique learning experience during the lockdown. Adding my own contribution and having “debates” with others through the colourful boxes did widen my views and deepen my understanding in discussions. Plus, I am so happy to see my posts have been viewed by other people. That’s very encouraging!
Overall, thanks to the Digital Society unit, I am now a more responsible netizen and able to use the technology properly and wisely.
