Technology's Relationship with Us

Merriam-Webster defines technology as "a capability given by the practical application of knowledge". Based on that definition, we as humans have always had technology. To a caveman, starting a fire would be technology, or the spear he used to catch the food he's cooking. Nowadays, technology is much different. 

When looking at technology as a whole, our relationship with it is dependent. Could you imagine the chaos if planes and cars suddenly stopped working? All phone lines down, no lights in the entire city? All of a sudden, that caveman's fire is much more of a technology again. As a society, it does not matter whether our relationship with technology is healthy or unhealthy because we could not exist without it either way. 

With that being said, it is unhealthy. I believe that we as humans have become so impressed with our technological achievements that we could not exist without them, and that is unhealthy. I believe we are all guilty of this in today's world. 

This summer, I had the chance to work as a summer camp counselor at a local ministry sailing camp. This was a no-phone, overnight camp for 4 and a half days and one 10-day session. Kids would range from 7-14; I mostly worked with 11-14. The amount of media these children consume is concerning. Kids knowing slang and terms I didn't hear until my late teens, political opinions, and other things. A
few months ago, Oxford Press announced the 2024 word of the year, with that word being brain rot. The simple definition is the supposed frying of your brain from over-consumption of media. I fear for younger generations after me, whose world growing up will be entirely centered around their online social presence. 

While these concerns still range into older generations, I believe technology has done wonders for society beyond that. It has transformed the ability to meet people, build communities, rally behind causes, and use creative expression. I've made countless friends from online platforms who have now become best men. It allows my dad to talk to his brother all the way out in Guam and my mom to be able to reach my brother in Florida in a heartbeat. Technology allowed a separated, frightened world to stay united during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of technology like this have truly changed the way we, as humans, communicate, adapt, and grow as people. 

Technology is as dangerous as we make it. Which is very dangerous; we have created nuclear weapons, after all. However, it can be managed and handled if in the proper hands. It is important to understand the threats that come with technology, especially the digital footprint. The more we can be educated on how to properly use technology, the more we can properly teach the youth, the safer technology will become. To conquer an enemy, you must know them. 

In the Age of AI

Living in the age of AI is exciting but frightening. It has become such a prominent part of daily routines and everyday living that it almost feels hard to remember what it was like without it. It has become a game-changer in many fields, such as business, healthcare, and education. After watching In the Age of AI, I realized just how powerful AI had become. 

I was struck to see the benefits AI has in medicine. It allows doctors to be able to identify problems in scans that could go unnoticed or, by processing huge amounts of data that support cancer research. In addition to that, it has a positive impact on social media and public relations by assisting in streamlining marketing or consumer analysis. This, in turn, revolutionizes how the business market succeeds. The potential benefits of AI are incredible; this is just the beginning. 

However, where there is light, there is always dark. Major concerns arise around AI and privacy. Its ability to collect mass amounts of individual data from social media, browsing history, and online purchases poses a real threat to privacy among individuals. Massive corporations and governments can gather this data, which raises ethical concerns. A specific example from the documentary is China using AI to monitor civilians, tracking their movements and using facial ID. 

AI can reform our world for the better or for the worse. What scares me the most is the unethical potential it has in the wrong hands, but for now, I trust it will be used for good as long as we continue to educate and take precautions towards the implications. 

Machine Learning and Generative AI

Remember when the idea was that we would have flying cars in the future? Well, we don't have that yet, but we have technology that can learn and grow, just like us. 

Machines can learn!? Yes, they can. This isn't like The Terminator, though. Machine learning and Generative AI refer to the area of AI that allows technologies like computers to learn the way humans learn and to make decisions autonomously without programming. It is used in your daily life whether you know it or not. Things such as the algorithm on your social media, speech recognition bots like Siri, and ride-share apps like Uber all use machine learning to optimize compatibility. While these all sound harmless, Machine learning has a major impact on societal issues.

Generative AI and Machine Learning have the power to transform lives and reform entire industries. Technically speaking, it has already begun doing that. In January, a study was conducted in Germany that discovered ML systems can detect diseases like breast cancer with improved accuracy over doctors, with one extra case of cancer caught per every thousand women. It should also be noted in the study that they had a higher detection rate with the same amount of false positives. Same risk, higher reward. Financially, ML systems help banks detect fraud by training the model to detect inconsistencies with purchases and alert the bank to any anomalies that need further investigation. For companies, ML enhances supply chain management, helps forecast demand, and helps make market strategies that target specific audiences. In 2023, it was predicted that the Fashion industry would increase profits by 275 million dollars due to the impacts of ML and Generative AI, a major jump for brands in the fashion industry. 

While the benefits are there, concerns are beginning to circulate among people about how impactful this technology can truly become. The concern I hear about the most is Job displacement. For good reason, too, as the World Economic Forum released a report stating that 26 million jobs could be dissolved by AI in the next years. Other concerns resonate with privacy. Companies and Governments can collect insane amounts of data from people to train these AI models. With most people unable to clearly consent, or with the companies simply not asking, this raises concern. An Australian business had breached thousands citizens privacy laws by capturing imagery and collecting information on customers for 3 years, aiding this concern of privacy in ML. 

ML primarily affects those of the working class. The working class jobs are the ones at risk, not the CEO positions. ML and generative AI are risks to those in low-income areas as well, as they may not be able to afford the benefits AI brings. 

ML and AI are neither good nor bad. It provides countless benefits to the majority, but its risks must not be forgotten. It is important to continue to educate people on its implications. It is impossible to avoid in today's day and age, so being educated on the implications and positives is the best way to maximize return and minimize regret. 

Diffusion Theory

Everett Rogers developed a theory in 1962 known as the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. This theory explains how products or technology spread through society over time and is widely used in marketing, social sciences, and various branches of communications. It applies 5 main categories to the population: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. These titles are given based on how quickly people begin using the technology or product. It also covers factors that would influence the spread of a technology, like how easy it is to use or cost. 

TikTok

TikTok has recently become one of the most popular apps on the market. It has experienced intense exponential growth since 2018, going from 133 million users to 1,925 billion users worldwide in 6 years. It has reshaped the way media is consumed, with an algorithm-based delivery system that can feed users hundreds of videos relevant to their interests in minutes. Each year, the average screen time on TikTok goes up, with an average of 27 minutes in 2018 and now a whopping 58 minutes. So why did this app catch on so fast? How did it become so popular so quickly? 

TikTok's success can be directly applied to the Diffusion Theory. TikTok utilized major influences on the masses to make their platform grow. Their algorithm gave them an advantage over other platforms, allowing random users to go viral instead of basing it on follower count. Simple, fun videos would bring the smallest users millions of views, making users more inclined to be active on the platform. The early adopters of TikTok would be Gen Z, due to the short, music-based videos that were simple and fun to create. Most of the generation was already familiar with this type of media (myself included) due to other platforms like TikTok's predecessor, Musically. TikTok really began to take off when influencers such as Charli D'Amelio skyrocketed into pop culture, bringing more attention to older generations. A specific scenario would be when Charli and another influencer, Addison Rae, went to the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. The content was filmed by ESPN, the athletes, and other companies. This brought major attention to the app, branching it out to all types of people instead of just their users. 

Major companies and professionals (actors, athletes, scientists, politicians, etc.) among the prior generation would be considered late adopters. It wasn't until after the monetization and popularity of these influencers that companies would begin to join the app to attempt to make their own products viral and use these influencers to advertise them. Politicians began using the platform as a way to connect with younger audiences, and scientists would use the app to share their discoveries with hopes of becoming famous. These influences caused the app to grow to a wide range of ages and users, and the app has continued to grow and improve to make it more user-friendly and informational for older generations. However, there have been skeptics and nonadopters due to privacy and safety concerns with the Chinese government, while others simply avoid it due to its addictive algorithm. 

The benefits of TikTok far outweigh the negative. The app allows users the freedom of expression to create videos as they please, provides entertainment for billions, and allows thousands of businesses to create and sell products online easily. It creates communities similar to platforms like Reddit while combining the entertainment aspect of previous apps like Vine. The app has revolutionized the way social media is consumed, with nearly every platform following a similar swipe-up algorithm. 

Diffusion Theory allows us to examine technologies such as the iPhone or TikTok and understand why they became so successful or why they fail, providing marketers and companies with the necessary tools to succeed in the online market.

EOTO Presentation: The Carrier Pigeon

 In class, we had the opportunity to listen to our classmates present about a technology assigned to them. 

One of my favorite presentations to listen to was about the carrier pigeon, the ancient form of texting. This topic was presented by Josiah, and I found this to be the most surprising presentation as the majority of my classmates had more current technologies. Does this even count as a technology? It is just a bird after all. 

However, this small bird did have a large impact on major societies, such as ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire. It was considered the fastest way to get a message from point A to point B, faster than horseback. This way of sending and receiving messages most likely spared lives, horseback would require a person to make the journey, which could be deadly. "Don't kill the messenger" had to have originated from somewhere. War times often would require important messages to be sent and received so this sped up the process in a crucial way. 

While Pigeons are considered the rats of the bird world now, they used to be held in very high esteem. 

Some would refer to them as "King's angels", and would be mostly used by wealthier groups of society such as kings. 

However, their usage wasn't just held to ancient times. The British Royal family had kept Pigeons up until the 19th century. Pigeon Racing became an anticipated sport as well, originating in Belgium in 1818, and spreading to Great Britain and the United States soon following. 

Carrier Pigeons also made their way to the battlefront, serving in World War 1 and 2 as crucial members of the Allied Powers. These birds were used in countless ways on the fronts. They were able to fly with pilots and report back to the soldiers what the pilots were observing. This would allow them to know what the enemy was doing behind their lines. Similar to what I said earlier, they spared lives on the front lines by allowing soldiers to stay out of the line of fire, as radio contact was dangerous and often not doable. They'd help organize tank units and battle plans, proving as true allies for the Allied Powers. 

While the pigeon may not have much respect nowadays, they did commendable things for society and humanity alike and will always have a key spot in history. 

The USB Drive

The USB drive, or thumb drive, is a miniature portable storage unit for online files. It can be used to transfer data from computers and carry large quantities of data in the palm of your hand. While perhaps not as relevant today with the creation of online clouds such as Google Drive and OneDrive, it still remains a reliable method for transporting large files. 

Creator 

The creator of the Flash Drive remains a controversial question to this day. Multiple companies and individuals claim they are the inventor, but no one is entirely sure. 

An Israeli company known as M-Systems filed the original patent for a "USB-Based PC Flash Disk". The company was a leading manufacturer of flash memory products like SIM cards as well. It was later purchased by Sandisk for 1.6 billion dollars in 2006 due to it being a leader in multiple markets. 

Pua Khein-Seng

In the same year (1999), IBM also filed a similar patent, as well as Pua Khein-Seng, who was the CEO of Phison Electronics Corporation out of Taiwan. There is one more company that claims to have made the USB drive known as Netac. This company was based out of China, but their claim is the weakest as IBM and Phison both had released versions of the USB drive by 2002, which was when they released theirs. The first company to actually sell a USB drive was a Singaporean company known as Trek 2000 International. The product sold was called a thumb drive.  

Towards the end of the century, people predicted the creation of this portable storage device and was considered bound to happen, which is where the conflict of origin originates. It is believed that each of these companies had simply made their own versions of the USB drive, so no one is able to take full credit for its creation. 

The reason for the invention of the USB was to create the ability to move and store data effectively as well as being able to simply store more data. Most computer users in the 1990s had to rely on floppy disks. Floppy disks only were able to hold 1.44 Megabytes (MB). For reference, a high-quality picture is around 2-5 MB, meaning that the process of moving any sum of data, even something as small as a singular picture, would require a tedious process and multiple floppy disks. The absolute worst flash drive you could purchase on the market right now can hold hundreds of times the amount of data a floppy disk can. 

Impact on our society

As I stated earlier, USB drives no longer have the intense impact that they did since the creation of online cloud services from Apple, Google, and Microsoft. However, they played a major role in revolutionizing data storage.

One of the main features of the USB drive is its convenience. Its small size makes it easily portable for commutes, such as school or work, allowing you to take data from home computers to work or for bringing online homework from the computer lab home in school. They are much faster than internet storage, which makes them the most efficient at transporting large amounts of files that would take longer online. USB drives also allow the user to run software applications off the drive, making software specific to a single computer able to work on any computer with a USB. It also can prevent data loss, most USB drive users (including myself) utilize them to backup their computer data in case of damage to prevent the loss of their data. 

The fact they remain relevant to this day despite the competition and convenience of other forms of data storage is concrete evidence of just how groundbreaking this invention was at the time. 

While the ease of use attracted people to this device, it also attracted hackers for the same reason. Hackers can use the devices' ease of transportation to spread malware from computer to computer by applying malware to the USB drive and plugging it into multiple computers. They can also use them to plug into your computer, downloading specific or even the entire computer's data to use against you. However, most of these threats are easily avoidable and did not cause the inventions' importance to our society to tarnish. 

Privacy, Online and off

 In the current technological era, citizens of nations' privacy remains at risk. As 94.5 percent of internet users today use social media, people's lives have become more exposed than ever. After watching a series of TED talks on privacy, I became aware of just how big of an issue it is. 

A quote from one of the TED talks, "How else can one threaten other than with death? Immortality," really stuck out to me. He used that quote to describe how our individual online presence was permanent, and that they would far outlive us, perhaps forever. His comparison to them being "electronic tattoos" was a great way to get the point across. The following TED talk discussed how the government and police use high-power technology to track and collect data on us. Her viewpoint was that we as a people need to stand up for our personal autonomy and protect ourselves from the inevitable abuse of power by the government/police having this information. Her suggestion was to have the government pass laws demanding this information be deleted, only allowing potential criminals/subjects' data to be kept for examination.

 All of these privacy issues directly affect me, my peers, and my family. It removes the sense of freedom as an individual knowing that you are being listened to, watched, and collected data at all times. It also makes me feel like I can't trust my own government knowing that I am being observed and everything I do they can access. 

According to the videos, we as individuals can simply be cautious of what we post online, say online, or do online knowing that it is permanent. We can also use encryption tools to help prevent wiretaps. Lastly, while I know our government needs to collect data in some aspects for national security, they should limit databases and not collect on each person, just potential threats or targets.