Technology is not neutral. Every new invention, from the printing press to the smartphone, comes with a set of embedded values and has the power to reshape our society in profound
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-07-16
Introduction
Technology is not neutral. Every new invention, from the printing press to the smartphone, comes with a set of embedded values and has the power to reshape our society in profound ways. As technology becomes more powerful and more integrated into every aspect of our lives, the ethical questions it raises become more urgent. The field of technology ethics forces us to step back and ask not just "Can we build this?" but also "Should we build this?" and "How can we build it in a way that aligns with human values?" This article will explore some of the key ethical battlegrounds of our technological age.
Learning objectives
After reading this article, you should be able to:
- Explain why technology is not ethically neutral.
- Analyse the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence, including algorithmic bias.
- Understand the ethical dilemmas of autonomous systems, such as self-driving cars.
- Discuss the ethical implications of surveillance technology for privacy and freedom.
- Reflect on the responsibility of tech creators and users.
The Problem of Algorithmic Bias
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms are now used to make incredibly important decisions about our lives. They are used to decide who gets a loan, who gets a job interview, who gets accepted into university, and even how long a prison sentence should be. We often assume that these algorithms are objective and unbiased because they are based on data and mathematics. However, this is a dangerous misconception. …