Personal Statement v1

21 Oct 2020

Of the many things that I am currently interested in, I have particularly enjoyed re-contextualising technology for use in low-technology settings. The cutting edge of technology is just as fascinating as re-using old technology in new settings. This also ties in with my belief of having an equitable playing field in regard to the access and use of technology. Developing nations and certain communities are deprived of access to technology, and hence find themselves at the wrong end of the power spectrum in the digital era. Access and education of digital technology is becoming increasingly important and can be a conduit for social mobility. There is a need to make technology more accessible, but critically make it so that the people using the technology are also the ones creating it, or influencing it. We have seen instances of tech giants such as Facebook using the naivety and ignorance of people in developing countries for their own interests and profits, which has to lead to the corruption of democracy and genocide. There is a dire need to reclaim the power of technology to voice our opinions, and use it for our benefit. How might we reclaim the power of digital technology to benefit those who often find themselves being taken advantage of in the digital realm. This includes not only the technology itself, but with related policy, laws, ethics, and frameworks. Just like the industrial age, some countries find themselves at an advantage as compared to others in the digital era, and used their power to colonise and pillage wealth. This must not happen again. In the digital age, it’s not just nations fighting for supremacy, but communities within nations which are finding themselves at a disadvantage as compared to others.

Technologies which we consider to be simple, or mature are still cutting edge in many contexts, and can be used to great effect. The use of the technology, and it’s purpose must be defined by the community which will end up using it. But most of this technology is difficult to access and set up. Just as p5js and glitch made the web a lot more accessible and functional, there is scope to create technology which can be used to level the playing field, and equip newcomers with the tools and knowledge they need to not only survive, but thrive in the digital era.

Some examples

How might we use widely accessible technologies such as SMS, IVRS to help people in rural India to _________________ (monitor intake of medicine, track food/fuel prices, access government subsidies, improve community participation, manage finances, etc). Can a simple local area network be used to coordinate trade within communities? Can mini solar grids be used to tokenize and sell power to neighbouring communities?