Technology is a Human Creation

Have you ever seen a wild laptop roaming around the woods while on a hike? How about a smartphone sprouting out of the cracks of a sidewalk? Probably not. That’s because technology does not occur naturally. It’s created by humans to achieve human interests. Even its earliest definitions by philosophers including Aristotle stressed that technology can reflect one’s way of knowing or carrying out a specific task. It would follow, then, that the machines created to perform jobs would  likely reflect the designer or programer’s way of knowing.

Technology is NOT Objective

Because digital tools and platforms are created by humans, they are embedded with the biases of their creators. It’s important to note that biases do not always suggest malicious intent, or to suggest that someone is doing something to cause harm. Rather, creators design tools and platforms in a way that reflects their understanding of the world, as opposed to intentionally causing harm. There are some instances, however, where digital tools and platforms are leveraged to benefit one group at the expense of another group.

Impacts on Writing and Research

A common component of most digital tools and platforms is that they are highly personalized, designed to reflect the interests, preferences, and needs of the user. Consider the differences between your For You page and your friend’s on TikTok; you two likely aren’t seeing the same content presented in the exact same order. Rather, you are presented content in a way the platform deems best for your interests based on your previous viewing habits.

Personalizing Information

Good academic writing hinges on exposure to diverse perspectives and ideas. Engaging your ideas with the ideas of others shows you have a well-rounded understanding of the topic you’re writing on; however, exposure to different views is limited when a search engine like Google or a social media site like X or Facebook prioritizes ideas that you already agree with and limiting ideas you may disagree with.

Preferred Language

The technologies we use to compose our ideas often show bias to certain language practices. For instance, spelling the word “color” as “colour” (the British spelling) will likely be flagged by word processors, showing a bias for American English. The keyboard you use to type may not provide immediate access to accents commonly seen in languages outside of English, suggesting a preference for one language over another.

Why does it matter?

Digital tools and platforms are now inescapable, meaning that you will have to use digital tools and platforms to learn more about a topic and share your ideas Because of that, it’s important to be aware of how they can impact the information you gather, how you construct your ideas, and how you share those ideas.