Slowing The Spread of Assistive Technology in 2021
Governments and individuals across the world are stepping in to slow or ban the use of novel technologies which have the potential to transform our lives. The United States federal government recently banned an autonomous fleet of vehicles from carrying passengers. Several initiatives are underway to stop the flow of data among certain countries and to stop the use of technology developed in disfavored nations. The government of India has proposed a ban on cryptocurrency. The European Parliament has raised the prospect for a breach of encrypted communications in the fight against crime. Numerous governments across the world have banned facial recognition technology. Automated processing of big data having the potential to solve many problems is effectively banned in places. The use of robotic technology is harshly criticized and banned in many applications including industrial assembly, killer robots and assistive sexual technology.
Our society has come a long way since the replacement of the horse with the automobile. We learned how to effectively regulate cars, airplanes, railroads, electricity, appliances and other industrial change. But if you think hard enough you can find plenty of instances in each where regulation differs geographically, does not go far enough or could be strengthened even with time-tested technologies. We have developed a fairly consistent pattern of regulation and control to slow down the transformation of our world into something we hardly know. And yet, change marches forward. It’s difficult or quaint to find a horse nowadays; to travel by ship or light one’s home with candles. To be sure, there are benefits to slowing down and regulating transformative technology. But time will press forward and nobody wants to be left behind.
The balance between regulation, control and outright bans will become more sensitive in the years to come as our society grapples with faster, more transformative change as a result of new technological capabilities. Just think how our world will be changed through self-driving cars, decentralized and democratized currency, fully encrypted communications and robots to serve our every desire. What is the proper balance to be struck so that we don’t move too fast and break too many things? With a world so small, who is the proper body to regulate these things across nations and continents. What price does our society pay for fully encrypted communications, currency without banks, cars without drivers, unfettered access to misleading information, automated processing of big data? What do you think about all of this? How will you have an impact on these things and make your voice be heard? Start with your favorite novel technology. Think about how it is regulated, limited or banned in certain places around the world. What would you make different?
