Ara Shirinian: Government must regulate technology market to ensure social progress

If you are reading this, chances are you’re viewing it online through a smartphone, tablet, or computer (or watch). No big deal.

Except that it is.

Consumer technology has brought more change in the last decade than it did in the century that preceded it. Yet, it’s something we almost always take for granted. I think people in younger generations forget about that too often. My worry is not that we lack appreciation of what we have, but that we lack understanding.

Despite how it may seem, technology doesn’t inherently make our lives better. A problem arises when we only focus on making technology better, but we forgo finding ways for technology to make our society better.

Over the summer, I spent my time trying to identify specific ways in which new technology eroded protections we spent generations putting in place. They are prime examples of how marketplaces often facilitate new technological developments, but not new ways of thinking, which can lead to a social regress.

I covered topics such as Uber’s abusive use of contract workers, Google’s fight against the right to be forgotten and Congress’ attempt to limit the Federal Communications Commission regulatory’s powers. These issues affect college students more than anyone because the trajectory of the technology industry at this crucial stage is going to affect the entire landscape for this generation’s future.

Though the market often works out in a way that is beneficial to most, sometimes it fails to address the needs of some, or ensure that it is used in a way that brings about genuine social progress.

Technology and social progress have always had an interesting relationship. New technologies create avenues for social change, but they don’t bring it alone. Technology needs to be available to everyone and in a way that facilitates progress, not sidesteps it.

In order to complete the connection between technology and a better world, we must regulate the market so that it can grow organically, but also bring meaningful change.

Unfortunately, technology moves quickly and legislatures move slowly. So sometimes, when technology changes, it negates the protections that have been put in place to ensure that companies do not abuse the public.

Most of the fundamental technologies we know today, like the Internet and GPS, have either been created by government agencies or been heavily funded by them. But the real spread of consumer technology has arisen from the private market, where companies have created countless products and services that people have used as tools for social change.

Increased production quantities have driven down costs and democratized technology, leveling the playing field.

Cellphones were once a toy for the super-rich, but now they are available to everyone, including those in the most impoverished countries. The same thing is happening now with smartphones and access to the internet.

For this reason, it’s paramount that legislatures at both the state and federal level work to keep up with new developments and change the laws accordingly.

Thankfully, technology has made it even easier to make sure that Congress stays on track. With online petitions and social media activism, it’s become significantly easier to tell lawmakers how we feel about regulations. Though these methods don’t always bring fast results, they at the least have an important effect on public opinion.

Though it’s easy to take the technology we use every day for granted, it’s important to keep in mind what it took to get us here. For decades, the government has been helping shape the adoption and development of technology for the better. It doesn’t always make the right decisions, but it’s the best tool we have for shaping the market from a utilitarian standpoint.

Internet service providers, search companies and sharing services are some of the most important businesses around. We use these services constantly. The companies that control these businesses are only doing what companies must: looking to create better products and make a profit.

If we can shape products and services just a little bit, those two things can remain unharmed, but result in a better environment for us all.

Just think about it, without government intervention, you’d probably still be waiting for this article to load on an AT&T dial-up connection. Ouch.