Thought on Web 2.0

Thoughts on Web 2.0

Algorithmic Bias & Ethical Considerations

As a drama teacher and lover of nature I find the internet a challenge. Not in regards of usability, but in terms of what it represents. The internet to me is a series of codes and numbers that provide useful information and tools for communication as and when required. It is a clever library and a super quick method of getting a message from A to B. Now apply this to real life and for me the social impact of technology is terrifying. 

The World Wide Web was launched to the world in 1990, just 28 years ago. That isn’t very long ago, but it is certainly long enough to make serious technological advancements. 

In Adesola’s recent blog post on “Thinking about aspects of Web 2.0” http://adesolaa.blogspot.com/2018/09/thinking-about-aspects-of-web-20.html

She shares a video by Joy Buolamwini who speaks about “Algorithmic Bias” and the detrimental effect if used inappropriately. She cites that we are creating “Widespread mysterious and destructive algorithms” and this is having a serious impact on our civil liberties. It is shocking that this technology is being used without regulation in accordance with American Law and no doubt around the world also. 

But I question, is this really algorithmic bias or is it that the technology that isn’t fully developed yet? I also argue a non-living entity cannot be bias, it is us humans that make it so.

This lead me on to think about our own Ethical Considerations when using Web 2.0. 

The definition of Ethics is: “moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity.”

A computer or it’s software cannot have morality. It lives by the codes and numbers we program it to have. So when ethical questions arise we need to consider whether this discriminatory practice is due to a lack of regulation or down to our own moral principles and poor technological choices.

(How is it that the Data Protection Act’s new law on GDPR only came into effect in May 2018?!)

Advancing upon my thoughts on Web 2.0, we must make our own ethical judgements. We must have Ethical Considerations as to what is and isn’t appropriate. Until these become of set of expected practices, rules and regulations the internet will be a moral unregulated battlefield. 

I suppose the argument is, we need to ensure we are developing technology properly and appropriately, abiding by codes of conduct, UK and European Law as well as our own ethical considerations. Humanity isn’t a computer but humanity drives the computer. So until this time we must remember our own humanity.