for more responsible technology
You know how companies tend to say one thing and do the other? When it comes to the environment, this is known as greenwashing; essentially, pretending to be green for good press, then doing the opposite. Like Amazon's leader Jeff Bezos saying initiatives like its wind farms (above) would enable the company to be carbon … Continue reading Big tech is harming the environment; how to stop it
From skull horns to deepfake nudes or a whole new range of accidents that never could have happened before, technology is now increasingly causing physical, as well as psychological problems. How bad is it? And what can we do about it? Darwin would be proud: skull hornsAs far-fetched as it may sound, scientific studies now … Continue reading What is tech doing to our bodies?
Earlier this month, the latest 'responsible tech' bombshell dropped: Chris Hughes (left above), who co-founded Facebook back in the day with Mark Zuckerberg, affirmed in a New York Times op-ed "It's Time to Break Up Facebook". Since the Cambridge Analytica scandal, claims Hughes, "Zuck" and Sheryl Sandberg have done nothing to reign in Facebook's huge … Continue reading Ex-execs dissing Facebook: all the rage. But who’s bringing about true change?
If there's one thing that SXSW, the massive gathering that takes over Austin, Texas every March remains today, it's a tech trends barometer. Twitter, Foursquare and Periscope were all launched there, after all. This year, however, as this excellent post from France Télévisions' Kati Bremme (in French) was first to confirm to me, the big … Continue reading Why Time’s up for irresponsible tech
1. Screens now divide rich from poor "Human contact is now a luxury good," asserts this thought-proving New York Times piece. "The wealthy can afford to opt out of having their data and their attention sold as a product," writes Nellie Bowles. "The poor and middle class don’t have the same kind of resources to … Continue reading 4 more reasons to reduce your screen time… after reading this
I have several idées fixes about technology, that fascinate as much as they scare me. One is that we one day won't be able to tell the difference between reality and virtuality. Another — not that different, fundamentally — is that machines will replace us. Linked to both is another idea I just can't shake … Continue reading Is AI under control?
It's now easier than ever to buy organic food. But what about gadgets? How can we make sure the technological products we choose have minimal impact on the environment, and on others? Whilst no "organic" labels yet exist, there are options. Here are a few. Fairphone: heart in the right place Fairphone, a company founded … Continue reading Can gadgets be ‘organic’?
"If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold." This quote — supposedly from Andrew Lewis/blue_beetle, and more frequently paraphrased as "if it's free, then you're the product" — initially referred to the arrival of ad-funded TV in the 70s. Today, we have become the product 24/7. None more so … Continue reading How to do a data detox
Up until 2018, we'd happily posted the slightest details of our daily lives (ok, only the positive ones) on Facebook, warmly welcomed Alexa into our homes, waited impatiently for the latest iPhone, and not thought twice about letting Google follow us everywhere. This year, we learned, for example, that even turning off Google apps' location … Continue reading 2018: The year we lost Trust in Tech
Earlier this year, we predicted that reducing screen time would be the only 2018 resolution that matters. A quick reminder why: We look at our smartphones for an average of 2-3 hours a day, and at least 50 times a day. And these are low estimates: some of us peek 150 times daily An increasing … Continue reading How to fight screen addiction
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