We all use the new technologies to help in our daily lives. It helps us do more, stay organized, get information fast, communicate quickly.
Unfortunately, they come with side effects that lead to major society issues. In this post we would like to highlight some of them and show what SPATIOSOFT stand for.
Addictive tools
Commercially speaking, no doubt that the more time you spend on a platform, the better it is for them to show you ads or offer you paid items.
An addiction to such a platform may have serious consequences on people’s life, their social life, work-life balance, mental health, an so on.
You are the product
For many platforms, you are the product. They sell your profile and attention to their customers who will pay to show you personalized ads.
As you use such platform for free, they collect a huge amount of data regarding your preferences, your actions, or your relation with other people. This data is used to create a very detailed profile of who you are. This profile is then used to show you personalized ads.
Your profile could be also used by a company to decide if they want to do business with you or not and deny you a heath insurance, a credit, renting an apartment and more.
Because you don’t have access to this data, you also cannot verify the accuracy. Is it true, was it true in the past but not anymore ? For instance you had a debt in the past but you paid it back. Your profile may contain such inaccurate data and you cannot do anything about it except paying the consequences.
Authoritarian policies
It is true that a business in most country can decide to do business with you or not. The law in a country can protect the people from abusive behaviors but overall a business is free to not do business with you.
This freedom is good but it can become problematic when the market does not offer many alternatives. If a restaurant does not welcome you, most likely you will find another one close by that offer similar food.
However, if a platform is a monopole and not alternative match their services you have no choice but to comply with all their rules otherwise they will deny you their services.
Some platforms have so vague rules and policies that anyone could be banned for any reason. If they want to kick you out without motive, they can. But if the platform was your main source of customers you will quickly run out of business.
No privacy
Some people say they don’t need privacy because they have nothing to hide. They may have not committed any crime or illegal activities and can show everything about them. However, you don’t know the intention of people around you. Those you love and trust yes, if something happens to you they will stand by you. But other people may use knowledge about you against you.
For instance if you apply for a job where you believe you could perform well but you have a hobby that is legal, would not affect your job but is a bit controversial, someone could use this information to influence the opinion of the recruter.
Uncontrollable tools
The algorithms and the artificial intelligence bring many opportunities to solve problem and tailor they experience online. However, these tools don’t always represent the reality very well and only a limited number of people can understand how they work.
These algorithms and AI decide for us in a very opaque way, we have no understanding and no influence over them. Even the companies editing them may not fully understand how they work and what are the consequences of using them.
Those tools are very useful, they help us and simplify our lives but they should remain tools that we understand and they should not control our life.
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