Advocacy in Technology and Society/Emerging Tech and Social Work

In class edit-a-thon activity

In this activity, you will be contributing resources to our course's 'living syllabus', building towards a class bibliography. In your group, share what you're reading (books, chapters, or articles), listening to (podcasts or other audio), and/or what you're watching (video or other media, e.g. lectures, TED Talks) on emerging tech and society. Draw on what we read for class, what you read for reflections, and/or what you've read in other classes that interacts with our class material. Each group member should contribute at least one resource.

Goal:  Contribute resources on this topic, broadly framed. Please share citations and a brief summary about your contributions.

Format:  Each contribution should include the following:

• APA citation of the resource
• Type of Resource: Book, chapter, article, podcast, etc.
• Brief summary of the resource
• Name of Contributor (that's you! if you choose to include it)

Here is an example of what that would look like when you add it to the page:

Aho, B., & Duffield, R. (2020). Beyond surveillance capitalism: Privacy, regulation and big data in Europe and China. Economy and Society, 49(2), 187–212. Type of Resource: Research Article Summary: The paper employs a comparative approach to analyze two pivotal big data policies: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) implemented by the European Union and China's social credit system (SCS). It asserts that these policies reflect distinct perspectives on data and individuals, serving as tangible governance measures in response to the proliferation of data surveillance infrastructures and the concept of 'surveillance capitalism' advanced by scholar Shoshana Zuboff. The paper contends that while the EU endeavors to reactively curtail the influence of surveillance capitalism through the GDPR, China actively embraces its principles for enhanced state utilization, thereby setting Europe and China on divergent trajectories of socio-economic development in the era of big data. Contributor: Jaclyn Sawyer

Legislation Related to Social Work and Emerging Tech

Jones, A., & Fung, B. discusses two new pieces of legislation to be introduced to regulate social media usage and privacy of minors in New York. Currently, there are no laws in the state limiting online platforms’ collection of personal information from minors. To limit the ‘harmful and addictive’ effects of social media on youth mental health, the bills introduced aim to limit user-generated algorithms and advertisements.

APA Citation: Jones, A., & Fung, B. (2023, October 11). NY officials announce legislation aimed at protecting kids on social media | CNN business. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/11/tech/kids-social-media-mental-health-bills/index.html

Type of Resource: CNN Article

Contributor: Grace H

Futuristic Funeral Technologies

See Also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral

There is an every evolving landscape of funerals, and the technologies shaping them has important implications for social justice and the field of social work. These various changes in funeral practices touch uopon various aspects of our society. Recently with the consecutive releases of AI and VR technology, there has been a shift towards communication with the deceased, which would make funeral services more accesible to a wider range of people.

Social workers are looking to ensure that these futuristic technologies are used in ways that are inclusive and don't create new disparities among people. For instance, In This is what funerals and the afterlife will be like by 2050, according to futurists: From “Digital Twins” that live on after death to downloading loved ones’ onto computers, there is talk towards the idea of potentially "resurrecting" indivuals through AI and VR technologies.

Currently, the potential technologies are very expensive leading towards inequality in its present use, ensuring these technologies are not limited to the wealthy are a prirority for social justice. Grief and mental helath is a topic brought up by many social workers and people alike on the profound effects on indivuals going through the process of loss.

APA Citation: Rob Waugh Tech Correspondent For Dailymail.Com. (2023, September 28). This is what funerals and the afterlife will be like by 2050, according to futurists: From “Digital Twins” that live on after death to downloading loved ones’ onto computers. Daily Mail Online. [1]

Type of Resource: News Article

See Also:Funerals of the future: What types of funerals will we see in 2030: Kuzo and Foulk Funeral Homes. Kuzo and Foulk Funeral Homes | Serving Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. (2020, November 6). [2]

Type of Resource: Website Article

Contributor: John Paul G.

Other Emerging Tech

Patton, D. highlights aspects and qualities that social workers can contribute to the field of emerging technology, and especially for the field of AI. Social workers have connection to diverse population and have expertise in topics pertinent to issues around AI. Social workers can contribute by brining in their anti-oppressive and inclusive framework and approaches in the field of emerging tech. Social workers are crucial in the newly developing field since they can advocate for diverse voices.

APA Ciation: Patton, D. (2019). Why AI needs social workers and “non-tech” folks. Medium. https://safelab.medium.com/why-ai-needs-social-workers-and-non-tech-folks-2b04ec458481 [3]

Type of Resource: Research Article

Contributor: Hyeyoon Jeong

The conference proceeding paper addresses the awareness of AI chatbots for help in handling mental health issues. This is framed in response to the COVID-19 induced mental health struggles that may have caused many to be wary of sharing personal problems with a real person. This conference goes into detail on the pros and cons of two types of chatbots (text-based and voice-based). It also uses a survey to show the need for online help for mental health, especially among students.

APA Citation: Kapoor, A., & Goel, S. (2022). Applications of Coversational AI in Mental Health: A Survey. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Trends in Electronics and Informatics. [4]

Type of Resource: Conference Paper

Contributor: Emilia A.

Ilia Savelev focuses on how AI as an emerging technology has the potential to reinforce gender binaries and perpetuate oppression against the LGBTQIA+ community and what can be done to protect and create awareness within the LGBTQ+ community about AI and technology policies.

APA Citation: Ilia Savelev (2023). Queer Eye for AI: Risks and limitations of artificial intelligence for the sexual and gender diverse community. OpenGlobalRights. [5]

Type of Resource: Research Article

Contributor: Rasa Siniakovas

Virtual Reality and Racism

See Also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world

Dr. Courtney D. Cogburn is a professor at Columbia University School of Social Work. Her focus is on how racism contributes to racial inequalities in health. She is using an immersive virtual reality (VR) to help people experience racism by walking a mile in a shoes of a black boy and later a black man.

APA Citation: Cogburn, C. (2017). Experiencing Racism in VR [Video]. YouTube. https://www.ted.com/talks/courtney_cogburn_experiencing_racism_in_vr_courtney_d_cogburn_phd_tedxrva

Type of Resource: Video

Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice

NASW with partnership with ASWN, CSWE, and CSWA developed a set of technology standards and guidelines for social workers to use in their everyday practice. The implementation and creation of the NASW code of ethics will allow the appropriate use of technology within the social work practice.

APA Citation: NASW. (n.d.). Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/NASW-Practice-Standards-Guidelines/Standards-for-Technology-in-Social-Work-Practice

Type of Resource: Article

Contributor: Jennifer Lisojo