Creepy Technology And You

Facebook’s getting some pretty rough press at the moment.

It’s certainly earned it.

How should we respond?

We may not love the platforms, how they’re governed, what they do with peoples data, or the effects they’re having on our society. But we don’t have to love it. When it comes to the marketplace and our important work, our affections should remain with those in our care. If we love lavishing upon and serving our audience, we’ll be where they are to support them on their way, ethically.

That may mean not deleting your Facebook account, but modeling a better way to socialize online, while equipping your audience with everything they need to get their problems solved.

What about the creepy tracking stuff?

We may not love tracking technology’s reputation, how it’s widely used or how it’s even capable of controlling elections. But we don’t have to love it. If our affections remain with those in our care, if we love lavishing upon and serving them, we’ll be where they are to support them on their way, ethically.

That may mean leveraging those technologies yourself, but while modeling a better way to use them. Atom bombs don’t make nuclear power plants that power millions of homes with electricity and warmth a bad idea.

We’ve a responsibility to model how things would like to be. We can do so by taking a stance and moving away from those we wish to serve, or we can do so by “leading up” and showing a better way.