A recent post in Schneier on Security blog explores the question of “Should There Be Limits on Persuasive Technologies?”
Public-interest technologist and Harvard Kennedy School fellow Bruce Schneier examines the public role and impact of persuasion during a pivotal time in technological development, accessibility and analytics, location-based capabilities and data, and political divisiveness and vulnerability.
“Right now, there are few legal or even moral limits on persuasion — and few answers regarding the effectiveness of such technologies. Before it is too late, the world needs to consider what is acceptable and what is over the line.”
Schneier suggests it is time to look at ways to understand the effectiveness and impacts of persuasive technologies as well as ways to limit and control manipulation. His article pinpoints the ability to include emotion in messages delivered through immediate and targeted technologies and their potential impact on the decision-making process particularly among voters.
Read the full post at https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/12/should-there-be-limits-on-persuasive-technologies.html.