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Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

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Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#141

Post by un_montagnard »

nperez wrote: post #106

For me, tech has turned into a crutch when I don't know what to do. I've caught myself in the middle of automatic behavior and it's a bit scary - opening Reddit or HN, closing it because I've already read everything on the front page, then opening it again a few seconds later without even thinking about it. I wonder what I would be doing without it. Creating art? Going out? I'd have to do something. It's something I…

This is depressingly relatable. Sometimes when I'm walking back home, I end up checking Instagram, Reddit, work mail at every crosswalk while I'm waiting for the signal to turn green. And I'm not happy because either there's nothing new or because I realize what I'm doing and I tell myself "look what you've become, you're not even capable of waiting 30 seconds without pulling out your phone".

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#142

Post by sjg007 »

Facebook has amplified negativity. I never thought it would be used to develop psychological profiles and the "Russians to elect Trump".

Waze and GPS has ruined local neighborhoods and the sense of direction.

New kinds of addictions due to instant gratification.

Lack of social skills and engagement.

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#143

Post by flyinghamster »

One of the big things for me is the demise of trustworthiness in just about everything. Extremely cheap phone calls plus Caller ID spoofing has made the telephone almost useless (raise your hand if you only answer callers in your contact list!), email has never been trustworthy, and the internet has made it possible for hoaxes to spread farther and faster than ever.

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#144

Post by flyinghamster »

willj wrote: post #12

Everyone is oblivious to their surroundings. Whether it’s because they’re looking down at their smartphone or listening to a podcast or music on their AirPods, people aren’t paying attention to what’s happening around them, and they are walking out into streets without looking for cars, assuming no one is coming. I bike most places, and the number of pedestrians (and other bicyclists!) who can’t hear my bike bell is…

> I bike most places, and the number of pedestrians (and other bicyclists!) who can’t hear my bike bell is astounding.

Two words: Air Zound. It can get the attention of even the most oblivious jogger. ;)

I can't stand to wear headphones when walking or biking. I want to hear what's around me.

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#145

Post by mkolodny »

SteveNuts wrote: post #120
nperez wrote: post #106

For me, tech has turned into a crutch when I don't know what to do. I've caught myself in the middle of automatic behavior and it's a bit scary - opening Reddit or HN, closing it because I've already read everything on the front page, then opening it again a few seconds later without even thinking about it. I wonder what I would be doing without it. Creating art? Going out? I'd have to do something. It's something I…

I feel the same way, I instinctually open my phone to ease even the slightest twinge of boredom. I don't think it would be SO bad if the news wasn't so depressing and horrible. There are at least 2 incredibly sad stories on the front page of Reddit at all times it seems. I wish there was something positive to fill the gaps.

As I was reading your post, I was wondering why I rarely see anything depressing on Reddit. And then I remembered that I unsubscribed from r/news and r/worldnews :)

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#146

Post by zonidjan »

un_montagnard wrote: post #141
nperez wrote: post #106

For me, tech has turned into a crutch when I don't know what to do. I've caught myself in the middle of automatic behavior and it's a bit scary - opening Reddit or HN, closing it because I've already read everything on the front page, then opening it again a few seconds later without even thinking about it. I wonder what I would be doing without it. Creating art? Going out? I'd have to do something. It's something I…

This is depressingly relatable. Sometimes when I'm walking back home, I end up checking Instagram, Reddit, work mail at every crosswalk while I'm waiting for the signal to turn green. And I'm not happy because either there's nothing new or because I realize what I'm doing and I tell myself "look what you've become, you're not even capable of waiting 30 seconds without pulling out your phone".

Would you be any happier if you were, instead, standing there staring at traffic waiting for the light to change?

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#147

Post by zonidjan »

shantly wrote: post #132
mherdeg wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yishan Wong's response to that worry starts out: > The pre-internet era was boring. Some may say that it was just as stimulating but in different, more "vibrant, outdoorsy" ways, but they are wrong. I have lived in both and the internet definitely makes life more interesting. In fact, combining the outdoors with the internet is one of life's greatest pleasures. https://www.quora.com/How-did-people-waste-their-time-in…

I feel really relaxed and not bored at all when I go on vacation somewhere my phone gets little or no reception. It's amazing. There's so much to do without the Internet! Books are a thing, and there's more than enough top-notch fiction to last a lifetime, without re-reading. Writing is a thing. Sketching. Hell offline video games are a thing, for that matter, and you can mine the back catalogs of older consoles for…

That's the thing. That's never changed. Vacations have always been more fun. The change is that now, when you're doing boring mundane things, you can pull out your phone and have at least some modicum of entertainment.

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#149

Post by zonidjan »

godelski wrote: post #81
unlinked_dll wrote: post #39

Internet usage starts with users querying information they want, and services learning/adapting to deliver information in a format/context based on their activity. This has created some stellar search tools, a personalized network of services and communities available to people, and made the internet a paradise for new content from all over the world. Despite that all the information in the world is available to us,…

> We wanted it. I'm not entirely convinced this is accurate. It definitely is in part, but not in whole. We wanted these better search tools and we like recommendation systems. But I know a lot of people are frustrated with algorithms like YouTube's recommendation system trapping them. (e.g. watch one Joe Rogan video and you get firehosed with more JRE videos). The thing is we also don't notice that this reinforcemen…

I would love, so much, for Youtube to just stop targeting recommendations. At least then I'd see new things once in a while...

Re: Ask HN: What are unintended consequences of new tech you've noticed?

#150

Post by flyinghamster »

MiddleEndian wrote: post #63

The weaknesses of the phone system are being exploited and exposed. Telemarketers have learned they can just put whatever they want on their caller ID with zero verification, including the phone numbers of random local individuals. If the FCC and/or the phone companies don't start forwarding originator information so spammers can effectively be blocked by any user, the phone system will (and deserves to) fail. At lea…

It's gotten worse lately. I'm seeing calls allegedly from Citi, Capital One, etc., that have the identical credit card scam spiel. They go nowhere (but get recorded), since I've used Asterisk to put a CAPTCHA in the way. My "landline" (actually VoIP now) stays blissfully quiet. If it actually rings, I know it's a human...
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