My day job is designing and developing websites, but in my off time, I like to build all kinds of things, including Ruby gems, iPhone apps, and Alexa skills.
I use Google not in spite of the fact it collects my information, but because it collects it. I like that when I buy plane tickets to LA and then search ‘California’ in Google it's smart enough to display my flight information right there in the search results. Oh, and targeted ads? I’m all for those. The way I see it, if I have to spend 15 seconds watching an ad before a YouTube video, I’d rather be introduced to some cool new developer tool than watch a commercial about a mattress.
But I do understand the ramifications. I understand how frail technology can be and how easily vulnerabilities pop up. I understand how much data is hacked and how much information is shared without my knowledge. And above all else, I understand the dangers of allowing big tech to get a little bit too big.
I just don’t think that the solution to these problems is to throw away our Echo’s, stop using our smartphones, or delete our social media accounts. I don't think we can stop innovation and I think we as developers, and as a society in general, need to find ways to put laws and practices in place to protect user's data and to limit corporations power without all the fear-mongering that goes on surrounding new technology.
I still use Gmail out of laziness, in spite of the fact it collects my information, but because it collects so much of it, I might be more inclined to stop. I don't like that when I buy plane tickets to LA and then search ‘California’ in Google it displays my flight information right there in the search results - I'd never think of googling my own tickets, for Gods sake. Oh, and targeted ads? I’m all against those. The way I see it, I don't spend even 15 seconds watching an ad before a YouTube video because I use an ad blocker, but that poor person targeted by high profit loans, for-profit schools, and other nasty businesses probably doesn't.
You see, I do understand the ramifications. I understand how frail technology can be and how easily vulnerabilities pop up. I understand how much data is hacked and how much information is shared without my knowledge. And above all else, I understand the dangers of allowing big tech to get way too big.
I don’t think that the solution to these problems is to throw away our Echo’s, stop using our smartphones, or delete our social media accounts - there's no reason to buy an Echo in the first place, Apple seems ok-ish on privacy side, and not all social media is as evil as Facebook. I don't think violating privacy is innovation and I think we as developers, and as a society in general, need to find ways to put laws and practices in place to protect user's data and to limit corporations power without all the justifiable fear-mongering that goes on surrounding "new technology".
PS. I used your post as a template to comment on the same topics that you had in mind. It wasn't meant to attack/shame/whatever you by any means!
My day job is designing and developing websites, but in my off time, I like to build all kinds of things, including Ruby gems, iPhone apps, and Alexa skills.
But yeah, I totally see your point of view on this.
My perspective is that almost every innovation throughout history had a positive and a negative side. It increased efficiency or time, while also decreasing privacy or the power of the people.
The wheel made it faster and easier than ever to travel places, and it gave tyrants a new way to transport weapons, armies, and slaves. The car made it even faster and even easier to travel, but it gave governments and spies the ability to stalk, track, and find people more easily. Cameras allowed us to capture spectacular moments and create brilliant shows and movies, but it also gave companies and criminals the ability to capture our most intimate moments if they so desired.
Smartphones were a big one.
They gave us the ability to talk with people on demand, get directions wherever we're going with ease, search the web to our hearts content, pay for meals and items without worrying about wallets and credit cards, listen to music anywhere and everywhere, order food on a whim, and so much more.
They also came with a huge downside. They gave hackers, corporations, and governments the ability to track the location of the people like never before. Archives of our most personal and intimate conversations are now stored on databases across the world. Our photos, search history, credit cards, addresses are all more vulnerable than ever.
But we never could have gotten the upsides of the smartphone without finding a way to deal with and minimize the downsides.
Same thing goes with something like Alexa.
You gain the ability to purchase products, turn on and off lights, have all your questions answered, play music, order food, talk with friends, and more, all with the sound of your voice. You also put your personal conversations at risk to be recorded and spied on by Amazon, the government, or hackers around the world. It's not much different than the smartphone, it's just the next step.
And in my opinion the solution is to find ways to minimize the downside while maintaining as much of the upside as possible.
That being said, I respect your point of view, and I'm definitely open to the idea that I might have it all wrong!
My perspective is that almost every innovation throughout history had a positive and a negative side. It increased efficiency or time, while also decreasing privacy or the power of the people.
The wheel made it faster and easier than ever to travel places, and it gave tyrants a new way to transport weapons, armies, and slaves. The car made it even faster and even easier to travel, but it gave governments and spies the ability to stalk, track, and find people more easily. Cameras allowed us to capture spectacular moments and create brilliant shows and movies, but it also gave companies and criminals the ability to capture our most intimate moments if they so desired.
I don't think that innovations themselves decrease privacy, it's what people do with those innovations. What most people miss is that you don't have to give up your privacy to be able to enjoy the benefits of innovations and new technologies.
You don't need to violate privacy to create a good search engine and/or display relevant ads (DuckDuckGo). You don't need to violate privacy to create a good smartphone (Apple outside of Russia and China). You don't need to violate privacy to create a good home assistant (home-assistant.io/). You don't need to violate privacy to create a good browser (Firefox). The list could go on and on.
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I'll kick things off.
I’m on #teamtime all the way.
I use Google not in spite of the fact it collects my information, but because it collects it. I like that when I buy plane tickets to LA and then search ‘California’ in Google it's smart enough to display my flight information right there in the search results. Oh, and targeted ads? I’m all for those. The way I see it, if I have to spend 15 seconds watching an ad before a YouTube video, I’d rather be introduced to some cool new developer tool than watch a commercial about a mattress.
But I do understand the ramifications. I understand how frail technology can be and how easily vulnerabilities pop up. I understand how much data is hacked and how much information is shared without my knowledge. And above all else, I understand the dangers of allowing big tech to get a little bit too big.
I just don’t think that the solution to these problems is to throw away our Echo’s, stop using our smartphones, or delete our social media accounts. I don't think we can stop innovation and I think we as developers, and as a society in general, need to find ways to put laws and practices in place to protect user's data and to limit corporations power without all the fear-mongering that goes on surrounding new technology.
I'll dare to disagree.
I’m on #teamprivacy all the way.
I still use Gmail out of laziness, in spite of the fact it collects my information, but because it collects so much of it, I might be more inclined to stop. I don't like that when I buy plane tickets to LA and then search ‘California’ in Google it displays my flight information right there in the search results - I'd never think of googling my own tickets, for Gods sake. Oh, and targeted ads? I’m all against those. The way I see it, I don't spend even 15 seconds watching an ad before a YouTube video because I use an ad blocker, but that poor person targeted by high profit loans, for-profit schools, and other nasty businesses probably doesn't.
You see, I do understand the ramifications. I understand how frail technology can be and how easily vulnerabilities pop up. I understand how much data is hacked and how much information is shared without my knowledge. And above all else, I understand the dangers of allowing big tech to get way too big.
I don’t think that the solution to these problems is to throw away our Echo’s, stop using our smartphones, or delete our social media accounts - there's no reason to buy an Echo in the first place, Apple seems ok-ish on privacy side, and not all social media is as evil as Facebook. I don't think violating privacy is innovation and I think we as developers, and as a society in general, need to find ways to put laws and practices in place to protect user's data and to limit corporations power without all the justifiable fear-mongering that goes on surrounding "new technology".
PS. I used your post as a template to comment on the same topics that you had in mind. It wasn't meant to attack/shame/whatever you by any means!
I like what you did there!
But yeah, I totally see your point of view on this.
My perspective is that almost every innovation throughout history had a positive and a negative side. It increased efficiency or time, while also decreasing privacy or the power of the people.
The wheel made it faster and easier than ever to travel places, and it gave tyrants a new way to transport weapons, armies, and slaves. The car made it even faster and even easier to travel, but it gave governments and spies the ability to stalk, track, and find people more easily. Cameras allowed us to capture spectacular moments and create brilliant shows and movies, but it also gave companies and criminals the ability to capture our most intimate moments if they so desired.
Smartphones were a big one.
They gave us the ability to talk with people on demand, get directions wherever we're going with ease, search the web to our hearts content, pay for meals and items without worrying about wallets and credit cards, listen to music anywhere and everywhere, order food on a whim, and so much more.
They also came with a huge downside. They gave hackers, corporations, and governments the ability to track the location of the people like never before. Archives of our most personal and intimate conversations are now stored on databases across the world. Our photos, search history, credit cards, addresses are all more vulnerable than ever.
But we never could have gotten the upsides of the smartphone without finding a way to deal with and minimize the downsides.
Same thing goes with something like Alexa.
You gain the ability to purchase products, turn on and off lights, have all your questions answered, play music, order food, talk with friends, and more, all with the sound of your voice. You also put your personal conversations at risk to be recorded and spied on by Amazon, the government, or hackers around the world. It's not much different than the smartphone, it's just the next step.
And in my opinion the solution is to find ways to minimize the downside while maintaining as much of the upside as possible.
That being said, I respect your point of view, and I'm definitely open to the idea that I might have it all wrong!
I don't think that innovations themselves decrease privacy, it's what people do with those innovations. What most people miss is that you don't have to give up your privacy to be able to enjoy the benefits of innovations and new technologies.
You don't need to violate privacy to create a good search engine and/or display relevant ads (DuckDuckGo). You don't need to violate privacy to create a good smartphone (Apple outside of Russia and China). You don't need to violate privacy to create a good home assistant (home-assistant.io/). You don't need to violate privacy to create a good browser (Firefox). The list could go on and on.