The sentence “the industry needs to enable and push forward ...

    The pandemic has exposed a contradiction in modern society. We are more connected than ever – proven by the speed and truly global spread of the virus; nevertheless, we are also deeply divided.

    Today’s connectedness, enforced by social distancing, has pushed the role of technology in every aspect of our lives to a new level. The tech industry is now in a challenging space: trapped between the increasing politicization of technology, the still superficial social debate around its impact and the slow adaptation of appropriate legislation. Right now, the industry needs to enable and push forward this ethical debate, recognizing its responsibility in this historic moment.

    The first step is to end the myth of tech neutrality. We need to acknowledge that technology is caught between private economic interests and its social value. Some tech business models, for example, prioritize commodification of data or advertising revenue over the social value of their services — the sharing of knowledge, connecting people, etc.

    The social impact of tech is deeper than we usually perceive and most of the time invisible to us. Digital architecture determines, increasingly, social interactions in our digital society. An example of this is the invisible influence of search engine and social media algorithms, the results of which shape our understanding of the world.

    In this moment of crisis, technology can play a fundamental role in overcoming the economic recession and reducing the systemic injustices that have been exposed.

Social exclusion - the next pandemic.

Internet: <www.thoughtworks.com> (adapted)

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