Angel Acuesta 01 November 2020

STS 1 – Activity 7

A. Name 2 ways in which society has influenced developments in science & technology
and briefly (4-5 sentences) explain each.

1. Society’s culture and challenges influence the direction of science and technology

The societal issues, needs, values, and traditions could determine the progress
of the scientific and technological developments and trends. Challenges and issues in
the society sometimes provide questions that requires for scientific investigation. In
addition, social needs and priorities influence how resources and funding are deployed
to provide support in scientific and technological works. An example is funding
priorities for government health agencies and scientific institutions that aid and assist
in providing specific health problems that societies are facing such as COVID – 19.
Thus, society and their interactions to the scientific community directs the scientific
and technological developments towards topics and questions that will serve the
society.

2. Diversity of scientific community

Scientific community is made up of people coming from different regions of the

world and with diverse societal backgrounds and cultures. Through this community of
scientific minds with diverse societal backgrounds, scientific inquiries could be viewed
or answered by different approaches, and providing more thorough and
comprehensive explanations. Moreover, difference in societal backgrounds and
cultures could filter or keep in check any biases originating from the individual’s
personal beliefs that could hinder or prevent the evaluation and interpretation of the
data collected from scientific research of the scientific inquiry (The University of
California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of
California, 2013). Collaboration and sharing of scientific ideas and techniques within
the scientific community could spark inspirations and progress for new strategies and
research methods from different point of views that are exchange.

B. What would you consider as 2 examples of S & T developments that were meant to
benefit man but also had negative impacts (pitfalls). Provide a brief (4-5 sentences)
explanation for each.

1. Electronic and technological devices

Electronic and other technological devices are significant S & T developments

which provide more efficient and easier access for communication, finding
information, and for entertainment. However, the rising production of these devices is
Angel Acuesta 01 November 2020
STS 1 – Activity 7

causing negative impacts to countries, especially in Congo, because of coltan mining

and exploitation of coltan miners. Coltan is essential mineral for the production of
electronic devices and technological innovation, for coltan ore itself is a vessel for
technology minerals (tantalum and niobium) and provides tantalum capacitors that
allow an electrical charge to be stored and used in smartphones (Blanco & Villaecija,
2016). Countries leading in electronic industry and some tech lobbies provide financial
and military aid to armed groups from places like Uganda and Rwanda to invade the
region with large coltan reserve, and forcing Congolese miners (many are children and
teenagers) in a state of quasi slavery (Blanco & Villaecija, 2016). These exploitations
and slavery led to estimated 5.4 million people since 1998 (Banco, 2011).

2. Internet connectivity and digital platforms; fake news are spread

The present health crisis, COVID – 19 pandemic, which the world currently
faces highly illustrated how important internet connectivity and digital platforms
where these S & T innovations serve as alternatives for activities and services that are
usually in face to face setting such as communication, education, and work. However,
easy access to digital platforms has adverse consequences to the society such as faster
access to private information and data, and proliferation of fake news. In this age of
information, almost all personal information and data are digitally stored, and
therefore, it is more vulnerable to the violations of basic privacy or civil rights and
susceptible in cybercriminal practices such as phishing scams, identity thefts, and
cyberbullying (ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
(OECD), 1999). Digital platforms, especially social media platforms, are supposed to be
use in faster and more efficient communication and dissemination of information,
however, these platforms have also become home to millions of bots and trolls that
sole intention is to propagate fake news and proliferate misinformation which result to
confusion and misunderstanding between millions of internet and digital platform
users (Center for Information Technology & Society (CITS), 2020).
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STS 1 – Activity 7

References:

Banco, E. (2011, July 10). Is Your Cell Phone Fueling Civil War in Congo? Retrieved November
01, 2020, from https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/07/is-your-
cell-phone-fueling-civil-war-in-congo/241663/

Blanco, A., & Villaecija, R. (2016, January 19). Blood and minerals: Who profits from conflict
in DRC? Retrieved October 31, 2020, from
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2016/1/19/blood-and-minerals-who-profits-
from-conflict-in-drc

Center for Information Technology & Society (CITS). (2020). How is Fake News Spread? Bots,
People like You, Trolls, and. Retrieved November 01, 2020, from
https://www.cits.ucsb.edu/fake-news/spread

ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD). (1999). 21st

century technologies: Promises and perils of a dynamic future. Paris: OECD.

The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the
University of California. (2013). The social side of science: A human and community
endeavor. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from
https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/socialsideofscience_02