ARE YOU A USER ? OR JUST BEING USED ?
Robert Bell
The 1982 Disney movie , Tron , contains a valuable lesson for users of digital systems . In other words , for us all .
Image is the property of The Walt Disney Studios
In the movie , released 40 years before ChatGPT , the hero is transferred bodily into a computer system under the control of an evil AI . Because he ’ s the good guy , he tries to lead a revolt , mostly in vain . But just when things look bleakest , he discovers that he has ‘ user power ’. Simply by willing it , he can make magical things happen in this alternate universe . Because , under the digital skin , he ’ s a human being who uses computer systems , not the other way around .
Since 1982 , the line between using and being used has grown fuzzy . Most of the world ’ s favorite applications – social media , maps , ecommerce – gain their power from the information users provide through our use . Digital maps know when you will reach your destination because they are tracking the location and speed of thousands of vehicles along your route . Social media and e-commerce analyze the content of your posts or purchases to determine what content to put in front of you next . You are using and being used at the same time . You can say that it is your personal choice to do so – and tech companies insist it is . But in practice , the ‘ being used ’ side of things is invisible to most of us most of the time .
WHAT ’ S IT FOR ? Today , big sums of public money are flowing into making municipalities smarter and more connected , after a pandemic taught us the immense public value of such systems . But when local government makes technology choices for its constituents , it raises big questions . How can we protect privacy while creating a good user experience ? What forms of monitoring and surveillance are acceptable ? How do we manage social media for the good of the community ?
Behind these concerns is the biggest question of all . What is all this smart city technology ultimately for ?
VOL 16 NO 3 2023 18 www . edaustralia . com . au