Facial recognition technology has evolved at breakneck speed, with consequences that could be benign or altogether more sinister, depending on your point of view. High-definition cameras combined with clever software capable of measuring the scores of “nodal points” on our faces – the distance between the eyes, the length and width of the nose, for… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Ethical Issues
How smartphones are proving clickbait for fishermen
Braving the choppy waters of the South Atlantic four days a week, fisherman David Shoshola says a mobile phone app is helping him worry less about the risk of not being able to support his family. The 50-year-old and three colleagues fish from two small, open-deck boats based in the seaside town of Lambert’s Bay,… Read more »
Your tech habits leave a carbon footprint, too
The company you are using and the way you power your home are all factors in the way your technology affects the environment, researchers say. Source: Washington Post Date: February 1, 2017 Link: https://www.thestar.com/business/tech_news/2017/01/25/your-tech-habits-leave-a-carbon-footprint-too.html Discussion 1) “How do our tech habits affect how much power we use and the environment? Finding an answer is harder than you may… Read more »
Digital sexism: Why are all virtual assistants women?
Why are virtual assistants from Amazon, Google and Apple all “female”? Technically speaking, of course, virtual assistants don’t have genders. But they do have names and voices that suggest to users they are more “female” than “male” — a characterization that reinforces some of the worst gender stereotypes in our society. Source: CBC Technology News Date: January 26th,… Read more »
The AI that knows when we cheat
Detecting online crime typically means knowing what to look for. Artificial intelligence that monitors any unusual behaviour can do it better – and step in when habits get out of hand. Source: BBC – Future Date: January 26th, 2017 Link: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170126-the-ai-that-knows-when-you-cheat-by-learning-your-habits Discussion 1) “By monitoring frame-by-frame data from the game, Aric flagged unusual hikes in the accuracy of… Read more »
Sextech as a necessity?
Note: the video in this article contains graphic language. Viewer discretion is advised. Entrepreneur Cindy Gallop is hellbent on bringing “sextech” out of the fringes. You’re probably thinking: Does the world really need more connected vibrators or smart kegel trainers? But Gallop defines “sextech” as any technology venture designed to innovate and enhance human sexuality…. Read more »
Dropbox Didn’t Actually Delete Your ‘Deleted’ Files
Dropbox recently restored years-old “deleted” files for some customer accounts by accident, drawing attention to a potential privacy problem. Files supposedly deleted by customers from the company’s servers were instead retained for as long as eight years, according to several reports over the past few weeks. The company apologized for what it has described as… Read more »
Gadget trash is piling up in Asia
In Asia, electronic trash has reached new heights. A growing number of gadgets — and more people who can afford to buy them — has led to a 63% increase in electronic waste in Asia, according to a study from the United Nations University. And that’s only in the past five years. Phones, computers and… Read more »
Facebook ‘to launch ads within videos’
Facebook is to test “mid-roll” video advertising – in which ads are played after a video has already started. The ads would probably first appear in Facebook videos by professional publishers, said one analyst. To date, the social network has resisted allowing “pre-roll” ads that play before a video starts. Publishers would receive 55% of… Read more »
Uber to share data to help ease city congestion
Uber is launching a website outlining how its cars move around cities, in an effort to appease city authorities who have long called for more data sharing. It will provide data on dozens of cities from next month. Uber’s transportation data could help cities to improve traffic flow. The controversial app-based taxi service had previously… Read more »
Leading Titles
Introduction to Information Systems, 3rd Canadian Binder Ready Version Update Edition
R. Kelly Rainer, Casey G. Cegielski, Ingrid Splettstoesser-Hogeterp, Cristobal Sanchez-Rodriguez
ISBN: 978-1-119-13385-8
August 2015, © 2016
CDN $98.95; CDN $114.95