Friedmann tells us that “Information Technologies may either support or undermine human values; sometimes they do both at the same time.” Choose an information technology that both supports and undermines human values. Explain how the information technology does both and discuss which values are supported and undermined.
Online platforms: use Facebook as an example
Facebook enhances our right of freedom of speech, making our voice heard by the public more easily and quickly. From Friedmann’s perspective, the value of usability, conventions, and personal taste are all be addressed and supported. It is very easy to send a post on Facebook and get the voice heard. Also, because of it’s well-designed functions and interface, people like to use it and it is the world’s biggest social network. However, this technology undermines our human values. Our privacy, freedom from bias, moral responsibility, accountability, democracy are all affected in certain levels. For example, our personal information is easily leaked on Facebook as we use the default settings. It follows Belmont Report that it asks users’ informed consent to get information. But if we choose not, the value of usability will be undermined that we can not use the full functions of the technology.
