danah boyd on Digital Technology and Everyday Life
Jun 17, 2024
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In a lively chat, danah boyd and Lee Vinsel cover topics ranging from teen social lives in the digital age to the productivity paradox of digital technologies. Insights on collaborative research in AI implementation, regulations on children's online safety, and the transition to census analysis are also explored. The discussion ends with reflections on power dynamics, capitalism in tech, and challenges in digital platform user experience.
Productivity growth from digital technologies in the US economy has been stagnant due to inefficiencies and subpar technology.
Historians should focus on how digital technologies are integrated into daily routines to understand their societal impact.
Ethnographic studies are essential for grasping how individuals interact with digital technologies in real-life scenarios, providing valuable insights into technology's practical implications.
Deep dives
Understanding the Potential of Digital Technologies on Productivity Growth
Digital technologies, while promising revolutionary changes, have not significantly boosted productivity growth in the US economy, except for a brief surge in the 1990s. Despite the continued hype around digital technologies, productivity growth has mostly remained stagnant. The productivity paradox, as highlighted by economist Robert Solow in 1987, questions the discrepancy between the widespread adoption of computers and the lack of significant productivity increases. The productivity paradox is less surprising when considering the challenges posed by inefficient and subpar computers and software in work settings, negating the perceived revolution.
Importance of Studying History of Digital Technology Use
Historians of computing primarily focus on invention and innovation histories rather than on how individuals and organizations integrate and utilize digital technologies in everyday routines. To understand the economic and social impact of computers, it is crucial to shift focus towards exploring the histories of digital technology use in homes and workplaces. Existing historical accounts often neglect the effects that arise from technology use and fail to provide comprehensive insights into the societal and economic ramifications.
Advocating for Ethnographic Studies in Understanding Digital Technology Impacts
Ethnographies and interview-based studies play a vital role in comprehending how people incorporate digital technologies into their daily lives. Researchers, like Dana Boyd, exemplify the significance of studying digital technology in ordinary contexts through empirical research. By delving into how individuals interact with technology in real-life scenarios, scholars can gain valuable insights into the practical implications of digital technologies. There's a growing emphasis on leveraging ethnographic approaches to investigate the societal implications of digital innovation, advocating for a deeper understanding of technology's influence on daily life.
Challenges in Data Quality Assurance and Privacy Protection Efforts at the Census Bureau
Ensuring data quality and protecting privacy at the Census Bureau present significant challenges. Efforts have been made to implement differential privacy to modernize data processes due to past techniques' inefficacy. This transformation faced political obstacles and involved managing various vulnerable populations' data, like undocumented individuals and those living outside legal regulations.
Reflections on the Foundation and Evolution of Data and Society Institution
The creation of the 'Data and Society' institution stemmed from the need to address tech and society issues comprehensively. Initially conceptualized to handle big data concerns, the institution evolved into a network of 'Misfit Toys' working on technology and society inquiries. The institution fostered interdisciplinary collaborations and focused on engaging marginalized communities, emphasizing inclusivity and diverse perspectives.
Peoples & Things host Lee Vinsel talks with danah boyd, Partner Researcher at Microsoft Research, founder of the Data & Society Research Institute, and a distinguished visiting professor at Georgetown University, about her career and work. The pair discuss boyd's the genesis and intellectual background of boyd's now classic text,It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Teens (Yale UP, 2014) as well as her more recent work on digital infrastructure and the US Census Bureau.
