Tuesday 6 December 2011

Technology in a highly controversial World!

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/glitch-sees-apples-siri-find-its-voice-on-abortion-6270754.html
The previously mentioned famous new software of the Apple iPhone4s has been a topic of conversation in highly opinionated America... People in different states of America are getting different answers from Siri when the question is posed as to where people can get abortions.  In one state, Washington DC, users get sent to an anti-abortion religious 'crisis centre'; in New York: 'I didn't find any abortion clinics.'  Apparently, a computerised person cannot take part in sensitive debates... how disgraceful?! 'When Siri is asked "why are you anti-abortion?", she replies chirpily: "I just am!"' So sensitive isn't something a computer can do very well, what did we expect?! Perhaps today our world is too technologically advanced, we expect so much that nothing is ever that astonishing anymore? I'm afraid to say I am part of that generation- the one that has everything everyone else has none of- but I'm realistic, a human is always (I hope) going to be a better medium for discussion of sensitive, life changing decisions and topics.


However, the annoyance seems to be that Siri happily helps out with the tools for making said baby such as viagra and prostitutes.  It's also tuned in to the local drug dealers apparently- now that's a bit controversial!!!  Of course, there are people that are embracing Siri's anti-abortion view- the pro-life activists and such.  


I fear that this article merely highlights the power that technology has today, a computer's view is almost as shocking as a person's... Jeremy Clarkson for example which is also rather controversial.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/dec/05/jeremy-clarkson-one-show-complaints?newsfeed=true


The fact is, issues that are so life changing should not be dealt with by a computer with little knowledge about the users life, situation and feelings, should be allowed any influence on their life. Even deciding what abortion clinic to tell the user can have an effect on their life experiences.  This is the curse of the filter bubble, allowing us only to see what they want us to see, giving us a very limited view of the World.  The anti-abortion clinics that appear in Washington DC may pressure people into keeping babies they don't want because of a fear of what other people may think.  One user may want to be talked out of abortion, but another may not.  How can a computer decide what we see that influences the rest of our life?  Perhaps both results should be shown, we should not be guided in our lives by the 'general belief' but it is very scary that this is what happens when we use technology and the internet everyday!

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