As technology continues to evolve at breakneck speed, we find ourselves constantly adapting and keeping up with the latest advancements. Just consider how many products and innovations we have experienced in the last decade. Everyday technology such as iPads, smartwatches, fitness trackers, true wireless earphones, and electric cars became dominant, and virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa changed how we interact with technology in our homes.
Today, almost seven-in-ten Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information, and entertain themselves, according to data from Pew Research Center. Due to the pandemic, the smart wearable technology industry is expected to surge to $81.5 billion in 2021 from an estimated overall spend of $69 billion in 2020. Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) is also seeing growth in its adoption in several industries as a result of the pandemic.
Looking ahead, technology will expectedly continue on its path of transformation, affecting individuals and society on many levels. Facebook has plans to create in the next five years a metaverse—a new 3D internet, connecting digital worlds where people can hang out in virtual reality. Many industries are on the cusp of technological disruption, which will lead to more change. Experts believe that as early as 2025, our society will be more tech-driven, creating even bigger challenges related to issues such as inequality, authoritarianism, and misinformation.
Sociologists are uniquely positioned to understand and influence the implications of these technological transformations on communities. In this issue of Footnotes titled “Technology’s Role in Society: It’s Complicated,” authors put a sociological lens on issues associated with social media; social media evidence; artificial intelligence; wearable technology; digital privilege; the relationship between occupations and technology; implications of smart technologies; the pandemic and people’s access to technology; and Black cyberfeminism and hybrid gaming cultures. The authors bring forth the many promises that technology presents and explain how policymakers might address some of the existing challenges and stem those that may emerge in coming years. What becomes clear through these essays is that technology is socially complex, and its utility and dangers are dependent on how accessible it is and how it’s deployed by people.
