www hndit com IT and Society Week 7

www. hndit. com IT and Society Week 7: Evaluating and Controlling Technology

What We Will Cover Information, Knowledge, and Judgment Computers and Community The ‘Digital Divide’ Evaluations of the Impact of Computer Technology • Making Decisions About Technology • • www. hndit. com

Information, Knowledge, and Judgment www. hndit. com Evaluating Information on the Web: • Expert information or ‘wisdom of the crowd’? – Daunting amount of information on the web, much of this information is not correct – Search engines are replacing librarians, but Web sites are ranked by popularity, not by expert evaluation – Wisdom of the crowd - ratings by public of website – If millions participate, the results will be useful

Information, Knowledge, and Judgment (cont. ) www. hndit. com Evaluating Information on the Web (cont. ): • Wikipedia: – Written by volunteers, some posts are biased and not accurate – Although anyone can write, most people do not – Those that do typically are educated and experts

Information, Knowledge, and Judgment (cont. ) www. hndit. com Evaluating Information on the Web (cont. ): • Wisdom of the crowd – Problems of unreliable information are not new – The Web magnifies the problems – Rating systems are easy to manipulate • Vulnerable viewers – Less educated individuals – Children • Responsibilities of site operators – Should identify user-supplied content – Make clear which information has been verified

Information, Knowledge, and Judgment (cont. ) www. hndit. com Evaluating Information on the Web (cont. ): • Manipulation of images: – Movies and videos use special effects to add creativity and enjoyment of entertainment – People can use technology for deception and fraud – Ease with which we can modify digital images and video • Should news agencies modify images and videos? • Faking photos is not a new phenomenon; more people can do it now because it’s easy

Information, Knowledge, and Judgment (cont. ) www. hndit. com Computer Models: • Evaluating Models – How well do the modelers understand the underlying science or theory? – Models necessarily involve assumptions and simplifications of reality – How closely do the results or predictions correspond with the results from physical experiments or real experience?

Information, Knowledge, and Judgment (cont. ) www. hndit. com Computer Models (cont. ): • Why models may not be accurate – We might not have complete knowledge of the system we are modeling – The data describing current conditions or characteristics may be incomplete of inaccurate – Computing power may be inadequate for the complexity of the model – It is difficult, if not impossible, to numerically quantify variables that represent human values and choices

Information, Knowledge, andwww. hndit. com Judgment Discussion Questions • How do you evaluate the reliability of information you find on the Web? How do your evaluation methods compare to the way you evaluate information from other sources? • Some computer models are better than others. What types of models work well? What types don't? Why?

www. hndit. com Computers and Community • It is human nature to form associations based on common interests • Some feared early technologies, such as telephones, thinking communication would be de-humanized • Computers and the Internet were blamed for the decline in community involvement and memberships in clubs and organizations • The Internet provides communities focused on specialized interests or problems

Computers and Community Discussion Questions www. hndit. com • How convincing is the argument that electronic commerce threatens small (“brick and mortar”) community businesses and thus the health of small communities? • Do you think that communicating by text messaging and via social-networking sites depersonalizes or dehumanizes your relationships with friends?

The "Digital Divide" www. hndit. com Trends in Computer Access: • New technologies only available to the wealthy • The time it takes for new technology to make its way into common use is decreasing • Cost is not the only factor; ease of use plays a role • Entrepreneurs provide low cost options for people who cannot otherwise afford something • Government funds technology in schools • As technology becomes more prevalent, the issues shift from the haves and have-nots to level of service

Evaluations of the Impact of Computer Technology www. hndit. com The Neo-Luddite View of Computers, Technology, and Human Needs: • Computers cause massive unemployment • No real need (We use technologies because they are there, not because they satisfy real needs) • Computers cause social inequity • Benefit big business and the government • Do little or nothing to solve real problems • Computers separate humans from nature and destroy the environment

Evaluations of the Impact of Computer Technology (cont. ) www. hndit. com Accomplishments of Technology: • Prices of food are down and raw materials are abundant • Real buying power is up • Food supplies and GDP are growing faster than the population • Dramatic impact on life expectancy • Assistive technologies benefit those with disabilities

Making Decisions About Technology (cont. ) www. hndit. com Intelligent Machines and Super-intelligent Humans - Or the End of the Human Race? • Technological Singularity - point at which artificial intelligence or some combined human-machine intelligence advances so far that we cannot comprehend what lies on the other side • We cannot prepare for aftermath, but prepare for more gradual developments • Select a decision making process most likely to produce what people want

Making Decisions About Technology Discussion Questions www. hndit. com • If you could decide what technologies should be developed, what would you develop? Why? • Does the prospect of super-intelligent robots scare you?