Technology has woven itself into society’s fabric and influenced its character. The relationship between technology and culture, which gives rise to various notions of social repercussions, is a subject that has generated some debate in the academic community. Western culture is based on the principles of personal autonomy and freedom (Buchanan, 1992). While designing the menu so that they win regardless of what people select, technologies give people the impression of having a free choice. Technology hijacks how individuals see their options and substitute new ones by modifying the selections they choose from. They will become more aware of when the selections do not genuinely meet their needs; however, the more closely they pay attention to what is being offered. Digital designers are not allowed to use designs or functionalities that have a proven negative effect on or make use of the human psyche.
One of the most profound human motives is the desire to fit in, to be accepted or esteemed by one’s peers. By mechanically proposing all the faces people should tag in photographs, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat can control how frequently people are mentioned in images (Harris, 2019b). This might be given a better ranking on Facebook so that it appears more often in news feeds and receives more likes and comments from friends. They will be quickly retracted every time they like or remark on it. Everyone has a natural tendency to seek social acceptance, but certain groups of people are more susceptible than others. Because of this, it is crucial to understand how influential designers can be when they take advantage of this weakness.
Most people view technology more as a product than a discipline of methodical thought. They see technology as objects and machines and are alarmed by how frequently our culture’s devices seem beyond human control and pose a threat of trapping and enslaving rather than liberating. However, at one point in Western culture’s history, technology was a human endeavor that pervaded the liberal arts. The strength of design as argument and discussion comes in breaking the constraints of purely verbal or symbolic argument—the division of words and objects, or theory and practice—which continues to be a cause of disturbance and confusion in modern civilization. Design thinking focuses on the physical interaction and relationship between signs, objects, actions, and emotions.
The influence of technology on human choice is a synthetic choice, which is supported only by the algorithms of the information selection system and technology design. Design is a remarkably flexible discipline, open to dramatically different philosophical and practical understandings. However, the versatility of design sometimes causes misunderstandings among the general public and hinders attempts to comprehend its nature (Harris, 2019a). The contemporary cultural environment presents a number of fundamental design problems to all technology designers. It is worthwhile pausing to consider some of the more significant issues and difficulties that people are encountering with their current technological development and economic marketing practices of global capitalism before individuals proceed to develop the future of immersive platforms.
In conclusion, in today’s world, technology has begun to directly influence people’s choices by instilling in them, as companies believe, the right solution to human problems, which is definitely a bad influence. Individuals require smartphones, notification screens, and web browsers to function well in their thoughts and interpersonal interactions that prioritize their values above their desires. Time spent by individuals is valuable and has to be safeguarded with the same rigor as other digital rights like privacy. Technological solution creators should focus on the demands of the individual rather than trying to fix all of their difficulties in order to satisfy the promotion department’s desire to sell the product.
References
Buchanan, R. (1992). Wicked problems in design thinking.Design issues, 8(2), 5-21. Web.
Harris, T. (2019a). Ethical design of humane technology with Tristan Harris. Voicesofvr.Com. Web.
Harris, T. (2019b). How technology is hijacking your mind — From a magician and google design ethicist. Medium. Web.