One thing technology has clearly given us is more information--is this always a good thing?

A different point I don't want you to miss in this chapter: technology comes to seem natural to us (p. 188-190)

• think about that--what do we even mean by saying technology seems natural when by definition it is not?
  
• if something seems natural have we forgotten we have choices?
• can we resist having technologies seem natural?
• on the other side consider Nye's example of sound recording--natural is no longer the goal
• we live in an increasingly artificial world
  

Nye focuses first on the problems of too much information:

• lack of privacy
• do we want to live in a world with easy access to almost any information?
• hard to find the best information (would you want an internet where only official information is allowed?)
• dangerous information (eg. Anarchist's Cookbook)
• biased information (but unbiased knowledge doesn't necessarily exist)
• protecting children
  
• too much information: overwhelming or makes it hard to find what you want (has Google search gotten worse?)
• lack of focus
• lack of quiet time

Communication has taken away our ability to be alone or focus just on one thing

• we are always reachable
• we are expected to juggle more things
  

The argument against multitasking:

• multi-tasking causes stress and stress is unhealthy
• research shows student learning drops when multitasking
• focusing on just one thing is an important skill for creativity and productivity
  

Living with too much information

• is information still power?
• how do you find the information that has a strong consensus--a large majority of experts agree on what is reliable information
  
• Suggestions on dealing with information overload
  
• can prediction software reduce information overload?
• we need better search engines
• can we teach people to better evaluate what information to trust?
  
• search engines reduce the need to organize information
• call numbers in the library are a careful scheme of how to organize information
• search engines are replacing that--the information doesn't have to be organized
• chaotic information isn't such a problem any more
  

Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the world wide web, thinks more information is a good thing.  He wrote a book titled: Weaving the Web: The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web.  He says he:

• wanted the web to be out of control--not possible to regulate it
• wanted information to be unlimited so that everyone would have the power that comes from access to information
• knowledge is power
  
• having the information available has more benefits than loss of privacy does harm
  
• everyone to be able to contribute
• believed radically in freedom of expression
• how do we think differently with so much information available?
• but instead we live in bubbles of limited information
  

People like Berners-Lee who saw the internet as a new world sometimes used the slogan: "information just wants to be free"

• make information available to everyone--so you don't just have a select few who have the information (most information gets out eventually, it is hard to keep secrets)
• information gives people ability to affect the things around them--makes it possible for people to take a more active role (for good or for evil)
• change in the balance between experts and ordinary people
  
• people living in repressive countries can learn about alternatives
• people are more equal if information is available to all
• problem--digital divide (are people who don't have access losing out)
  
• people can try out being someone else
• privacy is outdated and we shouldn't worry about it any more
• we can't have the good without the bad
  
• no censorship--we will trust people reading to evaluate information for themselves (buyer beware)
• anonymity is common
  

other people see reasons to restrict information:

• information we don't want people to have, such as bomb recipes
  
• security may be compromised
• false information spreads more easily
• everyone shouldn't be able to know everything--privacy and security
• for example Case Records Search web sites allow you to search for anyone's run-ins with the law by county
• military should be able to keep secrets
• restrict what children can see
• laws to protect against stalkers and pedophiles
  
• anonymity protects dangerous activity, you don't know if people are telling the truth
• people don't learn real world social skills
• problem of too much information--how do you find what you actually want (or can we leave it to human ingenuity to solve the problem?)
• Will Google provide a search engine in China?
• China blocks Facebook, Google, Wikipedia...
• Will Google provide a search engine for the separate Chinese internet (behind the Great Firewall) that follows the government's rules for what information is not allowed?
• Google already shows different maps to people in different countries
• Google is not going to be allowed to offer search in China unless they follow the government rules
• controversy over whether Google should go ahead
  

example: medical information

• we can find medical information
  
• people often get bad information
  
• people may go look for diseases to be scared they have
• people try to tell their doctors what to do
• people get the information to try to treat themselves, not well enough
• some people can benefit from information their doctors don't have
• more information available on rare disorders
• there is a lot of wrong and dangerous information (but sometimes the experts disagree or information changes)
• can/should the web partially replace doctors?
• can you have a computer figure out the diagnosis?
• there are a lot of Artificial Intelligence systems being developed for medical diagnosis
  
• should doctors communicate with patients by email or messages on MyChart?
• we're figuring out the balance in an era of more information and easier communication
  
• people who have more information can make better choices (people have wanted to be more involved in making their own choices)
• since there isn't one clear right answer people should be involved in the choice
  
• do you want to take the time to learn as much as the doctor knows?
• sometimes we don't want to know all of the possibilities
• do we really want the responsibility for making decisions?
• I'm not sure we want to be equal to our doctors

What do we fear?

Top 10 Fears of 2023	% of Very Afraid or Afraid
1. Corrupt government officials	60.1
2. Economic/financial collapse	54.7
3. Russia using nuclear weapons	52.5
4. The U.S. becoming involved in another world war	52.3
5. People I love becoming seriously ill	50.6
6. People I love dying	50.4
7. Pollution of drinking water	50.0
8. Biological Warfare	49.5
9. Cyber-terrorism	49.3
10. Not having enough money for the future	48.0

Do we have too much information? Or, better, how does it change how society works when information is much more available

• can we find the information that is relevant to us?
• Google search is getting worse because they have prioritized making money
• using artificial intelligence to give simpler answers
  
• who uses that information and how well do they use it
• doctors can look up details they don't remember
• does that lead to computer replacing people
• do we know how to use the information well
• what happens when we know more than the doctor?
• How far do we want this to go?
  

Benefits

• internet brings together people who share a medical issue
  
• support groups can be very helpful
• to not be alone and to share information
  
• support groups for unhealthy behaviors
• doctors can share information and discuss problems with other doctors
• telemedicine and remote controlled surgery
• order medication from other countries--save money, people get medication illegally...

Look further at privacy issues. 
What right to privacy do we have?

• businesses such as banks are going to lose business if they don't make maximum effort to protect us from theft
• our constitutional right to privacy is in the 4th amendment: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated."
• the principle taken from that is that we have a right to privacy in places that we would reasonably expect to be private--our homes, inside our cars, first class mail in sealed envelopes.  We have no right to privacy when in a public place or for material we share publicly
• we have no right to privacy of our work email or browsing history if we use equipment or internet services supplied by our employer.  The supreme court has ruled that it is not an invasion of privacy to search the trash you put out at the street for collection
  
• Some professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, have a legal duty to protect confidentiality.  But that is fairly limited--it does not apply to store clerks, for example.

What can we do to protect our own privacy and data security?  What information do we choose to share, to what extent can we limit sharing?

• don't put embarrassing information in social media, and check your privacy settings
  
• think about the choice when you allow a company to gather information about you in return for free services or discounts
  
• what limits should there be on what information the government makes publicly available?
• search court records
• search real estate records
  
• what about a commercial service like Google Street-view?
• Germany has tried to demand that pictures of homes and businesses not be shown unless people opt in
• But there are benefits to the public if information is available, and few people would opt in

Some people say young people are no longer concerned about privacy

• judging by what people post on social media
• yet people seem to still be concerned about privacy

Is it inevitable that technology will mean less and less privacy?

The internet is only the most recent of a long series of technologies that were seen initially as bringing us into a new world, but we get used to them and they are no longer a big deal

But is it a potential problem that our world is becoming increasingly artificial?

• would you want your senses enhanced?
• or a memory chip in your brain
• we get used to some things that initially seem too unnatural
  

Other issues:

• our lives become more and more not direct experience but experience filtered through technology
• "Technology... the knack of so arranging the world that we don't have to experience it."  ~Max Frisch
• will it do us harm to depart too far from nature?
• No Child Left Indoors
• Should we have more regulation of the internet
  

• does the ability to be different people on the internet lead us to have multiple personalities?