The Risk of Convenience

I understand blog posts like this won't have the same reach as a video or podcast, but I see these entries as a faster way of sharing updates before any videos are shot and edited but they also serve as a litmus test for readers.

Like the online Tzintiliztli Workshop Series, we try to make sure our community members are able to take some time to read and comprehend as all avenues for better material conditions require this skill. If you or someone you know is having a difficult time, its okay, keep practicing!

I wanted to follow up the last blog post with some thoughts I had on questions and discussions we've had with many individuals at our events. While the topics were diverse, I did notice one general theme and the more I personally go about my day to day the harder it is to ignore:

We put too much faith in technology alone (read through to the end for our solution to this broad problem) and it’s become obvious that there is a drastic difference between tech professionals and tech enthusiasts.

We see it everyday in IoT, Ring cameras, artificial intelligence and so on. Each of the named technologies came to mind due to their appearance in conversation as well as their risks. Our perspective never failed to surprise community members we spoke to, most of whom were in agreement, but hopefully this reading will clarify our reasoning.

IoT, Internet of Things, devices are objects that contain sensors, processors, and networking components that transfer information on a network. This includes smart televisions, smart refrigerators, and smart thermostats that have been manufactured to be accessed from any location and any device that you choose to access them from. While IoT serves as a technology of convenience, the feature lends itself to vulnerabilities that can compromise other systems in the network which may not be patched in time. A notable example of these types of vulnerabilities is noted in an event where a fish tank's thermostat was hacked and compromised a casino's entire network, though countless examples exist.

Ring cameras were a relatively recent conversation due to a Superbowl commercial that demonstrated how the devices could be used to communicate with one another to help find lost pets using artificial intelligence. This conversation was brief in that it was easy to recognize the issues that arise from this type of technology usage in a time when civilians are being hunted and the definitions of suspects, criminals, and terrorists have become rather fluid to suit the needs of those defining them.

The most notable subject discussed with the community centered around artificial intelligence. This technology in particular seems to have become far reaching and has cast a wide net being used to produce works of various formats and used by individuals, organizations, and governments around the world. Its adoption has come at a cost and the effects will be long lasting, demonstrated in its effect on the human psyche, resource usage and pollution, copyright infringement, and false advertising (its a long language model, not a true artificial intelligence).

Each of these topics can be drastically expanded on but, for now, we want to explain where we as a community should go from here. While these technologies are incredibly convenient, the benefits simply do not outweigh the risks to our communities. So what do we do? How do we make these technologies more in-line with our values?

In the short term, there is seemingly no way. We have to accept the fact that we do not, currently, have the resources or leverage to mitigate these issues en masse to change these technologies or change how these companies operate. For this reason, we need to make the sacrifice necessary to avoid these technologies to the best of our ability.

This is undoubtedly a big ask for some, but adversity is a foundation for innovation. Every day we see new technologies that are open-source and community made that provide alternatives to popular products. This is an aspect of a greater movement that allows us to come together and take a deeper look into the world around us and how things work so we can improve the material conditions of our community for generations to come.

Even that last point needs to be expanded on, but that'll be in due time. Until then, stay safe and tlazocamati huel miac!