Featured in the Co-Creating a Better Tech Future report released by All Tech Is Human
Note: this content is ported from offline notes I kept after working on this project.
In 2022 I volunteered with All Tech is Human to help them shape the Better Tech Future report. The central question they wanted to answer is: how do we create a better future with technology? They recognized there’s no single answer to that question. So they brought together people from around the world and a myriad of disciplines. I appreciated their intention and so I invested several weeks reviewing materials along with many other volunteers to review submissions from hundreds of people.
I found the experience fulfilling. I got to meet interesting people and learn about their history and perspectives while helping society build the capacity to work together.
The full Content of what I wrote
A better future requires the creators of systems, tools, and technology to use their proximity to power. They must support the needs and desires of those in marginalized communities, especially the Global South, by partnering “with” them and not building “for” them.
We must also bridge the gap between the humanities and computer science fields. Our focus should be on respecting what humans believe, acknowledging why they hold those beliefs, and then understanding how that influences the context of how systems are built, understood, and contested.
Better Tech Education In a world where digital technology permeates every aspect of our lives - understanding the personal and social impacts of technology becomes essential. Educating young people about technology involves not just the intersection of digital media and civics and (mis)information, it also includes technology’s effect on mental health, issues of algorithmic bias, essentials of data science, as well as the dangers and opportunities of innovations in AI, among many others. A well rounded grounding in issues of tech and society is the foundation for a better tech future.