Data scientist Jon Gosier refutes the notion that all technological advancements inevitably improve the lives of all people. IT developers generally champion “trickle-down techonomics,” the idea that the solutions they design for the elite eventually will be available to everyone. However, Gosier disproves this misconception using several brief case studies. Though Gosier poses more questions than he answers, getAbstract believes engineers and IT developers should heed his thought-provoking warnings and consider the impacts of the products and services they create.
Jon Gosier told us about his own experiences trying to help others avoid government surveillance on their mobile phones for expressing dissent, and trying to help other activists stay connected when their governments were deliberately shutting off connectivity as a means of population control.