So yesterday, I got a response from a Computer Geeks blog follower. She included an article in which she wrote about one of the biggest ills facing this young generation (Gen-Z). That ill is cyberbullying. The article asks: What do we do about cyberbullying?
First, she talks the differences between older people and young people today. Because back in our day, bullying was more in your face: playgrounds, classrooms, buses, playing in the neighborhood. I myself experienced this in my younger days. But today, with smartphones and social media, there is no escape. Because now, a child or teen can experience bullying, harassment, and stalking literally all day every day, all night every night. They don’t have a safe space like older generations once did.
She then goes on to talk about the types of cyberbullying. They include, but don’t limit: intimidation, humiliation, isolation, gossiping, sexual harassment. It also includes harassment based on race, gender, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, etc. According to many statistics, 70% of teens at least witnessed or experienced this kind of cyberbullying. I don’t have to tell you how bad this can affect people. We all see news articles about suicides and/or mass shootings that are the product of bullying. Other effects include mental illnesses like PTSD, lack of sleep, low self-worth, poor performance at school. Being bullied can lead to high risk behaviors later on in life: drug addiction, alcoholism, overeating, sexual promiscuity.
There’s an age old saying: “When you treat people like animals, then they become animals”. So the Golden Rule is true. Treat others like you want them to treat you. This includes social media and the cyber world. This includes adults too, because in many cases, we’re worse than these teen bullies are. I saw footage of a baseball game in Colorado that made me sick.
But there’s a side effect here. Let’s not be too over-sensitive. Because what I’m also seeing is political correctness on steroids. It’s getting to the point where we’re afraid to even interact with each other because, “What if we say, do, or act the wrong way? What if we offend somebody?” This kind of mentality can have just as bad of effect as being bullied can. You see it in today’s politics, media and pop culture. We can’t even agree to disagree today without being perceived as a bully. I posted something on my Facebook page: “Just because I disagree with you don’t mean I hate you. We need to relearn that in our society”. That is so true. So how do we balance these things in the IT support world and real world? What do we do about cyberbullying?
So we all remember the Google Glass flop from the early 2010s. They didn’t look good. They were too expensive. Also, there was huge issues about privacy invasion. However, one company is giving this smart glass thing another go. Well smart glasses work this time?
In Canada, about 65 miles west of Toronto, there is a IT service company they call North. Their main product is Focals. They look just like regular eyeglasses. Let’s say you walk down the street and see somebody in glasses. You won’t be able to tell if it’s regular glasses or smart glasses. Also, the only physical difference is the smart glasses will weigh more. But don’t let them fool you. These eyeglasses do everything any smart device can do.
If you do wear them, then you can expect notifications on your right lens all day every day, literally. We’re talking everything from texts, emails, notifications, phone calls, appointments, even sports scores of your favorite teams. It comes with a ring to help you scroll through this information. It even has Alexa software you can talk to. But you can’t just get these anywhere, and it’s a process to get these North glasses. They’re only two of them: one in Brooklyn, one in Toronto. Then, through 3D and AI cameras, they examine your head so your glasses have a perfect fit. Your glasses are custom made and takes 3 weeks to get.
If you choose to go through this process, North’s smart glasses will cost you at least $600. At least they look like human glasses, and not some monstrosity out of a horror movie like Google Glass. But I do see problems. How would you like it is you’re wearing glasses, then distractions come on the right lens every second? Not only could this be an annoyance, but it could lead to all kinds of accidents. Think of how crazy you look when talking to Alexa in these glasses. But it looks like you’re talking to yourself. Then look at the process and expenses you’ll go through even wearing these glasses. Will smart glasses work this time?
So while grocery shopping last week, I saw an AI robot cleaning floors, and serving as…ahem…’security’. Basically, that means it watched everything I do and bought. It was a strange experience, but not a shocking one. Then I read this article on Tech Crunch. So it made me thing. Is AI helpful, annoying, or both?
The article gave a few examples. For instance, AI can now make your appointments, from dinner reservations to beauty salon to business meetings. The author uses the example of Amy.ai to book business meetings. He says this is great because it avoids going to everybody in the office to book meetings. But I must respectfully disagree. Because if you and your colleagues can’t even come together to schedule a meeting, then that alone is telling. You probably won’t come to agree on getting other stuff done either. However, I understand that is not the case. So I say, use AI for this as a very last resort. I also say that for booking any kind of appointment.
This article uses AI’s help with driving. Just let me say, in many cases, AI helps with this. I myself experience this. AI technology really helps you get from point A to point B in an efficient manner. Also, our computer repair techs experience this. So yes, AI is very helpful there. With saying that, it can also be annoying. Because they can also stir you in the wrong direction, or tell you to do something, even though you know the route.
Well, here is the article. Yes, AI can make your life easy. But in some cases, it can make life even more difficult.Let’s not even talk about all the jobs AI is taking. Like when I was at the store and saw AI cleaning up. That used to be a human being cleaning up and earning a paycheck and providing for his or her family. Again, I can use my own personal experience to attest to both. I’m sure you can too. So is AI helpful, annoying, or both?
So you know I try to keep this blog all about tech. But this one may be or not be. In a way it is. Because if power goes off, then how will you use your tech devices? What’s going on with power outages?
So first, let’s talk about Target. It’s one of America’s largest retailers. . Saturday, at approximately 2pm Eastern Time, an power outage caused most target cash registers to stop working. That meant all shopping came to a complete standstill. This was on a Saturday afternoon, already a busy day. But this was the day before Fathers Day! They did get power back up by 5pm Eastern. However, the next day, many stores only took cash and gift cards. Target leaders say this was not a security breach, but an ‘internal technological issue’. That’s all they’re saying about it.
Then there was the massive power outage in South America. Last night, it left 40 million people in the dark over several nations. Argentina’s president said this power outage is unprecedented. Uruguay residents say they never saw anything like it. It wasn’t just lights out. IT services like social media and smartphones stopped. So did public transit systems. They had to stop food and water supplies. Even medical supplies were hindered. Thankfully, for the most part, they got power back on by the end of the day. However, investigations of a cause will take many days.
I wish I could tell you these were the only power outages in the world over the past weekend. But I can’t. Here in Boston, home of our computer repair headquarters, this happened to our subway systems, or as we call it, The T. My concern is that things like this will keep happening if we don’t hurry and do something. It could be by accident. Or worse, a hacker or foriegn enemy could cause a power outage. And look at the chaos they cause. So I ask again. What’s going on with power outages?
So by now, we all know about the Hong Kong crisis. We also know communist China wants to further impose their will on free Hong Kong. But this shouldn’t surprise anyone. China is neck deep in things like surveillance technology. Let’s look at China’s facial recognition problem.
Yet a new report exposed China’s government using more facial recognition on minority groups. It came out last week on Tech Crunch. They found a web browser without a password. Then, on that browser, they found hundreds of face images, most of them from ethnic minority groups. The data even uses labels to describe which race the person comes from. Then, human rights groups exposed how police use a smartphone app to spy on the Muslim Jighur population.
And this app captures everything; from car licence plates to where they shop. Not enough surveillance for you? Then more data exposed that two minority communities in Beijing were under constant surveillance watch. This data includes face recognition. And it’s enough to follow them everywhere they go. We also learn that Alibaba, China’s answer to Amazon, is the main host and maker of this tech. But when asked about this, they seem to dance around the issue.
Also, like the US, China is going through a great political and cultural divide. Their IT service issues is only going to add to that. And boy, do they have a lot. As far as this exposure, it can’t come at a more turbulent time. First you have the trade wars with the US, then add the Huawei controversy. If that’s not enough, then add the Hong Kong protests. And now, the exposure of China’s facial recognition problem. And it is a problem. First of all, this kind of intense surveillance is never a good thing. Then, when a nation adds unfair treatment like this, then it’s a recipe for outright disaster. What do you think?
