Predicting the Negative Impact of Technology

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Predicting the Negative Impact of Technology
Impact and Controlof Computers

• Bret Mohler
• CSC 385
• 3/27/06

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Famous Predictions

• I think there is a world market for maybe 5
  computers Thomas Watson, IBM
• Computers in the future mayonly weigh 1.5 tons
  Popular Mechanics, 1949
• There is no reason for an individual to have a
  computer in their home K. Olson, DEC, 1977
• This telephone has too many shortcomings to be
  seriously considered as a means of communication
  Western Union memo, 1876

These predictions were wrongwhat about our
current predictions.
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Topics of Concern

• Virus/Trojan Treats Growing complexities of new
  virus / backdoor exploits / rootkits.
• The fight for control of the computer
• What software can do to help prevent
• Wire Tapping are computers making it easier to
  take our privacy away?
• is the government setting precedents in privacy
  elimination

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Topics of Concern

• Image recognition Image processing
  advancements. Are you feeling watched
• Like wire tapping, is the ability to process
  image feeds facilitating the Big Brother
  conspiracy.
• Is it ok to feel watched.
• Digital Paper are e-communications really more
  anonymous?
• Unlike tradition wood pulp, digital documents
  leave paper trails that can be easier to track
  then real paper trails.
• Attributes, great for indexing, terrible for
  anonymity

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Topics of Concern

• Bio technologies research is catching up to
  ethical and moral? Issues.
• Everyone wants to live longer, genetic research
  promises this
• Do we really want humans growing in Glad Ware
• DRM the digital FU
• I bought this so tell me again why I cant use
  it..
• Is protecting intellectual property more
  important than facilitating creative advancement
  in society?

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Who takes control?

• Are people misusing technology and bringing
  constraints on themselves?
• Camera Phones, internet DIY bombs
• The internet infrastructure as a whole.
• We made it its ours is that fair to other
  governments?
• Should the people ultimately be in control and
  not .gov and or ICANN

Should we even try to predictwe know how wrong
we have been?
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Sources

• A Gift of Fire, 2nd edition, Sara Baase
• Arstechnica.com
• Slashdot.org