for more responsible technology
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
I'm a head of social media by day. So why am I deleting my personal Facebook account? (I'm not deleting the one I use to manage brands' Facebook pages, as then I'd be out of said job. Pages, unfortunately, remain essential for business today. As long as you have a paid budget, as organic post … Continue reading How to leave Facebook in 5 easy steps… and why
Few initiatives better prove technology's potential for good than TechFugees. Founded in 2015 by TechCrunch's Mike Butcher and led today by entrepreneuse Josephine Goube, the non-profit, which encourages startups to devise solutions to help refugees, organised its second Global Summit at Paris' Station F late October. The event's "Global Challenges" competition saw tech companies, as well … Continue reading Techfugees, when technology saves lives
Can tech companies be encouraged to think about social before financial profit? Such is the mission of EthicalOS, which uses highly plausible, Black Mirror-style scenarios of where we could be in the near future if startups and big tech don't think responsibly. Here's why it matters. Why is technological responsibility such a big deal right … Continue reading EthicalOS: Teaching tech responsibility
Then we'll begin! What do Brave New World, Blade Runner and Black Mirror (above, © Netflix) have in common? Hint: it's not "B". They all predict worlds where technology has lost control. Where the ideas of a few, claiming to be set on "making the world a better place" (© Silicon Valley), have managed to impose … Continue reading Welcome! Are you sitting comfortably?
