Ethics and Responsibility in the Age of Technology
Let’s be honest, technology is ubiquitous; our classrooms, our health systems, workspaces and even how we relate to each other, are all transformed by technology. While that is exciting, it also opens the door to an important question: when do you say to yourself, “Is this really good for us, or simply convenient?”
In a tech-engulfed world, young people need more than coding skills, they need ethical awareness; this means understanding whose interests are at the center, whose interests may be sacrificed, and what unintended effects may arise as a result of even the most beautifully designed technology. Technology is not neutral; it embodies and reflects the values and biases of the people who develop, design and build it. This is important for all of us to recognize.
There is more and more advocacy for young technologists to not just simply learn how to create, but to understand what serves their design practices. When students are taught to ask questions like: “Who is actually benefiting from this technology? Who is being excluded?”; learners are accountable, thoughtful designers and users, not just effective designers. We need to see more of this thinking.
Tech leaders in all sectors are calling for a new type of trust — one that is earned by committing to designing technology that is:
Inclusive - making sure no group is excluded or inappropriately disadvantaged.
Fair - recognizing how it may treat people differently, and being designed to mitigate biased outcomes.
Sustainable - being aware of environmental impacts and not just pursuing short-term profit.
It is about designing systems that are socially responsible, not just technically sound.
Some companies are already putting ethics first by developing governance structures. They put together groups with experts in law, engineering, privacy, and ethics so that they can monitor the journey of AI’s development and deployment. Not just because we say they do, but to build the kind of ethical thinking into everyday decisions among their teams.
Making technology ethical will help make your world on-line much more trustworthy:
You will see less biased platforms that present your content.
You will take more control over your own data.
You will feel safer that innovation is more than new and shiny; it's thought through.
Let’s use technology to empower, not exclude.
When we design and deploy technology ethically, we ultimately create empowering rather than exploitative solutions—and that's the future we want to build. It ultimately starts with the mindset, and not the mechanics. It doesn't matter if you are making apps or just clicking "Next" on social feeds, we need to keep ethics part of the conversation.
Sources:
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/tech-strategy-leaders-inclusivity-ethics-responsibility/