Society's Relationship with Technology, Technology's Relationship with Us

My Relationship with Technology

I believe my relationship with technology to be healthy. Most of my early interactions with technology were through the lens of video games-an experience that I don't find comparable to iPhones or social media. 

 

The Dangers of Misinformation

Media misinformation has been an issue long before the Internet-though the spread of falsified stories has become more common in the age of social media. More than ever, it has become up to digital consumers to determine the accuracy of information read online.

 

Acceptance into Society and Diffusion Theory

Typically, a new technology means some will hate it. The telephone and automobile, for example, faced notable resistance from people in the late adopter or laggard category. This is how I have felt similarly about artificial intelligence, since it has posed a danger to artists.

 

Chart from Smart Insights

AI Art

Notably, Disney artist Holly Mengert had her recognizable art style stolen by an AI model and re-posted as original work. This is one of the most concerning 

 

Left: Original work, Right: Stolen work

 

Artwork by Lexi Tuley

Technology and Relationships

Technology has had a mostly positive impact on my relationships. I would never know my online friends without platforms like Discord. However, I did find difficulty in online school during the pandemic since I was used to that type of communication being face-to-face. A study during the 1990s found increased use of the Internet to cause "a decline in participants’ communication with family members, a decrease in their social circle, and an increase in depression and loneliness." Technology has also made worldwide shipping far easier, mainly with the automation of "freight forwarding requests."

 

Online Footprint and Presence

Everything online is tracked and logged-reducing privacy. Facebook, for example, tracks users interests, though "a new Pew study indicates that after all this time, a large majority of users still don’t know that Facebook compiles this kind of information." Technology has both increased and decreased our safety.

The Verdict 

Technology has increased our ability to communicate across vast distances, along with how many ways humans can communicate. However, concern has been raised about the "public nature" of communication through online technology. Technology grants individuals more ways to be creative, but also could hinder our own skills through AI-generated content. Using technology as a tool rather than something to rely on could alleviate the issue, while also being mindful of your usage.