4/21/2017 5 Comments A Valley of Ethics? #13As the surge of technology in Silicon Valley charges ahead, questions are being asked as to just how important it is, or is not, for the pace of ethical standards to be running with equal importance to the technology itself. On a recent drive up to San Francisco, I was astounded at a number of new technology buildings that are either under construction or have just recently been completed. The valley is red hot, and that is fueling jobs and growth in the technology community at record levels. All this forward movement appears to be what most would consider major good news, with driverless cars and artificial intelligence taking center stage. But if we take a moment to really look at this subjectively, beyond the technology and the amazing newness of it all, are we actually considering the ethical impact it has? I think perhaps not. Have you been online recently and noticed how truly irritating the pop-up ads are that have been directly targeted for you because of your recent searches? Do you feel just a bit manipulated? I do. Data mining is the new gold, and my guess is that it is only the beginning. Got out of an Uber ride lately and find your info is being shared or sold? It happens. Again, it is great to get a taxi, check your home security, or look up your latest credit score, all on your phone. What is not great is that these companies that offer all these charming features seem to be without an ethical compass, and sooner or later it will be just as important as the technology is itself.
Why does ethics get a back seat to the rapidly changing technology world? My guess is because there is no real apparent profit in it. If there was, you’d see it! The money is in the technology development, and any matter of ethics almost becomes something that is addressed only after being challenged by it. Technology must accept the reality that as it constantly progresses and changes, so do the ethical issues that arise from it. It needs to be reviewed and analyzed on a daily, even moment to moment basis. Did anyone who was designing the software for driverless cars imagine that car might make a mistake and cost a life? Apparently not, but it sure did after the unfortunate event happened. In many ways technology is similar to medicine- we all need it, want it, and we also want to be assured it is an ethically based science that supports our best interests. I do think there may be potential profit for companies in ethical discoveries if we can create technologies that are designed around it. Imagine a wristband device that can monitor your emotional mood, and send a positive trigger to your brain to change the outcome of a situation. Instead of getting angry at your spouse, or co-worker, or an irritating driver we get a “pulse” that sends a message to our brain which changes the outcome. This could save endless relationships, money, and wasted time and energy. It is time for Silicon Valley to pair ethics, and the potential of ethics as an equal partner in the technology race. At the end of the day, how we feel and relate to each other matters more than the latest device.
5 Comments
Shaikh Sultani
4/27/2017 02:21:23 pm
How funny your comment on the Uber ride collecting your information. It turns out that Uber has been collecting our data and information without our knowledge! As great as technology is and is helping make our lives easier, it is not a great thing either. We are overrun by technology, physically by the new buildings popping up all the time, but also mentally.
Reply
5/1/2017 03:25:44 pm
Hi Luigi,
Reply
Anita Garcia
5/3/2017 10:14:52 pm
Your idea about the wristband is interesting and one I haven't heard. I don't know how I feel about technology manipulating the way I react. Maybe someone needs to hear me when I'm angry? I'm kidding. I do like the principle of a more controlled nature, but this sounds like some next level stuff. This sounds more like virtue based technology than ethics based. I am too aware of human error and algorithmic imperfection that I would not trust electric pulses coming from technology to change my behavior. There may be a market for it, though.
Reply
Sotheng Uch
5/14/2017 12:12:28 am
I agree with you that Silicon Valley should pay more attention to ethical issues not just their own agenda. In the case of self driving car, I do not agree with you that the software engineers help building self driving car don't care about people's lives. Safety is one of they key factor that they or we are building self driving car, when the road full of self driving cars the road would be safer. I agree that at the beginning there will be some crushing, but we need to be optimist and look for the bright future. I do believe that we can perfect the technology and make a crush proof driving environment.
Reply
Cammron Keehley
5/23/2017 09:02:32 pm
Luigi,
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
May 2017
Categories
|