AI Aids in Altering Attitudes

Sometimes, it’s hard to focus on tech ethics without feeling cynical and annoyed with the digital world. Despite all my ramblings about the so-called tech overlords, I remain hopeful about the future of technology, believe it or not. Today, we will concentrate on things that aren’t bad—just for balance.

Smartphones Make Teens Happier, But Also More Bullied

A recent study explored screen time's impact on teenagers' well-being. The Life in Media Survey provides intriguing insights, though it contains contradictions.

The study suggests that children with their own smartphones report greater well-being. This aligns with the original purpose of the internet: a means of connecting and enhancing the positive aspects of life. I would never have expected such a result from a survey—but I’ll take it. However, the darker side of the digital realm is also explored. Cyberbullying, even in its mildest forms, is shown to have significant negative effects. The digital world is not immune to the cruelties of human nature. Unsurprisingly, publicly posting online is associated with adverse outcomes like depression and anxiety. Heavy social media use is linked to sleep deprivation and restlessness.

The study’s methodology involved administering online surveys to 1,510 young people aged 11 to 13 in Florida, with participation contingent upon parental consent. Demographic data, collected from parents or guardians, enabled subgroup analyses based on factors such as age, gender, and household income, offering a nuanced understanding of the findings. From what I can tell, the study is cross-sectional, meaning it cannot establish causality between digital media use and well-being outcomes. It only identifies correlations.

AI — The Family Reunion Savior

There’s hope for your long-lost uncle, who always spews the wildest conspiracy theories. Debunking such beliefs proves difficult, as debates often backfire. However, new research suggests that generative AI models might offer a more effective approach. Who would have thought that AI chatbots could actually be useful? Not me. An MIT study found that using the GPT-4 model, which powers ChatGPT, reduced the strength of conspiracy beliefs by 20% after just three rounds of conversation, with one in four participants completely disavowing their beliefs. AI chatbots are deemed more effective because they provide what appears to be rational, data-driven responses without emotional bias.

Turns Out Big Brother Has An Orange Face

Okay, let’s stop avoiding the obvious. We know we can't go a week without either the orange face or his annoying sidekick. This week, the Trump administration plans to link government databases. Intimate details about Americans' lives are stored in fragmented data systems across federal agencies. They now want to use all this to create one vast database of personal information, including financial records, medical diagnoses, and biometric identifiers. And who’s to say they won’t also do that with individuals outside the US next? Also, why not throw all your social media posts in there while you’re at it?

Overall, this highlights the dangers of our data falling into the wrong hands. I’m really trying hard not to mention George Orwell again. Oh well, I failed. But seriously, the risks are substantial: Centralized databases create a single point of failure, making them more vulnerable to cyber attacks, data breaches, and misuse, which could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and political manipulation. The consolidation of personal data raises significant privacy concerns, as it could be used for surveillance or political manipulation, reminiscent of authoritarian regimes.

But, as always, most people will be indifferent to these risks. And after years of no one caring about Facebook’s abuse of data and power, I have no idea how to change that.

It seems I really need to work on my promised piece about how Orwellian our current times are. Please give me a few weeks.

Thank you for reading.