Former Facebook Exec says social media "Destroying how society works"

Former vp of user growth Chamath Palihapitiya has come out recently saying recently expressing his sense of guilt for helping to turn Facebook into what it is today. Chamath feels that Facebook is exploiting human psychology and is using dopamine to hook people onto social media.

Chamath says that the "dopamine-driven feedback loop" is used to spread misinformation and deceive people with sensationalized news stories and ads. I believe that Chamath is correct, however, I wonder how it will affect our societies in the long run. How will we evolve with the technology and how will it evolve with us?

There are many uses for social media not all of them bad not all of them good. In my life facebook has been a valuable tool. Hopefully, it can evolve to be less addicting but there is not really an incentive for Facebook to do so unless the public decides to make them change they probably never will.

Does this news of former Facebook execs concern you? What do you think the long-term effects will be?

San Francisco says No to Delivery Drones

Yesterday, government official elected to put restrictions on the recent implementation of autonomous delivery robots. These robots work much like driver-less cars in that they navigate through the environment using an array of different sensors and lasers to find their way around. Unlike cars though, these robots need not be concerned with high speeds, instead they must navigate the business of the sidewalk. Currently these robots are remote controlled by a person following behind, the ultimate goal is to be able to monitor this from a distance. Due to the vote companies like Dispatch, Marble, and Starship are now only allowed to use the robots for research and only in certain locations at certain times.

The most interesting part of this article is the social implications that come from robots roaming among us. What kind of relationship will man form with these robots? Imagine seeing a security bot roaming the mall looking for trouble, or robotic nurses giving care to the sick. Both of these have awesome implications of eliminating a prejudiced justice system and a more sanitary and precise way to care for the sick. The implications of seeing delivery bots as you walk around in public is enough to make anyone feel uneasy. It will be interesting to see how robots integrate into our society, but I hope that it doesn't turn out like most sci-fi stories on the subject.

What do you think about the use of automated robots for delivery and other service jobs?

Article link: San Francisco Just Put The Brakes On Delivery Robots

Facebook Messenger For Kids

Social Media and the concerns over privacy have become increasingly popular over the course of our lives. I remember I couldn't wait until I turned 13 so I could create a Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace account.  My parents didn't know anything about social media so this was all new territory and they were worried about an online presence. Privacy and the concerns over online bullying has grown over the course of social media's life and now Facebook has launched a new feature called "Messenger Kids."

This new feature allows parents to create a Messenger Profile for their kids and allows approved friends and family to chat with them using the app. Basically, parents can create this messenger profile so their kids can have Facebook messenger with parental controls over their actions on the app.

I just thought this was an interesting article because we now see kids playing on iPhones and iPads as young as the age of 8 or 9. I never had a phone until I was 12, but even then it was a flip phone to be used in updating my mom where I am at or emergencies. I think this just goes to show that raising a kid has now completely changed to monitoring what they do on their phone or online. This app allows kids to talk to their friends online, but in a more safe and controlled manner as opposed to apps like Snapchat.

I am curious to hear what other people have to say about this new feature.

Should kids be allowed to use this app? Would you sign your kid up for Messenger Kids?

Here is a link to the full article: https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/04/facebook-messenger-kids/

Self-driving cars decide who dies in a crash

As self-driving cars become a closer reality there are a growing number of ethical concerns. These concerns are no longer theoretical questions anymore, with estimates predicting thousands of partially-autonomous cars to soon be on the road. There is currently $80 billion invested in the industry, and the number is quickly increasing. 

However, one incredibly important questions remains: "Who dies when the car is forced into a no-win situation?"

Last year, a Daimler executive created a commotion when he was quoted as saying "its autonomous vehicles would prioritize the lives of its passengers over anyone outside the car." Later the company took a different stance by saying the exec was misquoted. It continued by saying it would be "illegal to make a decision in favor of one person and against another."

Sebastian Thrun, the man who founded Google's self-driving initiative, has said, "the cars will be designed to avoid accidents, but that “If it happens where there is a situation where a car couldn’t escape, it’ll go for the smaller thing.” But what is the smaller thing? What if the smaller thing is a toddler? These are questions that must be answered. 

At the University of California at Irvine, a study last year was conducted and the "respondents generally agreed that a car should, in the case of an inevitable crash, kill the fewest number of people possible regardless of whether they were passengers or people outside of the car." 

The American Automobile Association says three-quarters of U.S. drivers are suspicious of self-driving vehicles. Are you scared of trusting your future car to decide how to handle crashes? Would you purchase a car that could hit a child if it was best possible worst choice?

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