Technology’s Law of AmplificationAnd What It Means for Social Good Projects

Kentaro Toyama School of Information University of Michigan

Insitu | Fast ForwardDecember 10, 2015

“The richest 500 million [people] have way more money than the next six billion combined. You solve that by getting everyone online.”

– Mark Zuckerberg (2015)Photo: http://www.ibtimes.com/zuckerberg-tells-mobile-carriers-internetorg-will-get-people-paying-data-once-they-1833250

Source: http://www.wired.com/2013/08/mark-zuckerberg-internet-org/

Photo: Natalie Linnell

Photo: Natalie Linnell

For the most part,

technology amplifies human forces.

For the most part,

technology amplifies human forces.

Where human forces are corrupt or ineffective, technology by itself won’t

solve the problem.

For the most part,

technology amplifies human forces.

Where human forces are corrupt or ineffective, technology by itself won’t

solve the problem.

For technology to have positive impact, the right human forces are essential.

First, do no harm –

not everything has a technology solution.

Photo: Vishwa Kiran https://www.flickr.com/photos/vishwak/4251133070

Work with organizations or social trends that are already having positive impact.

Photo: Rikin Gandhi

Nurture capacity to use, maintain, upgrade, design, produce, and acquire technology.

Photos: Digital Green

Be conscious of your own agenda;

you are also amplified by technology. Photos: http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/school/slumdog-academics-project-piloted-in-uk-schools/article245854.ece

http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/sugata-mitra-slum-chic-7-reasons-for.html

For the most part,

technology amplifies human forces.

Where human forces are corrupt or ineffective, technology by itself won’t

solve the problem.

For technology to have positive impact, the right human forces are essential.

Thank you!toyama@umich.edu

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