More than boots and bullets
Ann Simmons highlights the Protective Assistant for Wildlife Security (PAWS) in her article published in the LA Times. PAWS is an artificial intelligence that generates patrol routes for park rangers. The motivation of this project is to deter poaching. To summarize, the scientists behind the system predict poacher activity based on the terrain, the movement of the animals and known poaching patterns. It was successfully tested in both Uganda and Malaysia. In the future, supporters of the technology want to see resources moved to other priorities like the removal of invasive plants. I support the development of PAWS to the extent that it can be used to promote conservation of species that are threatened by hunting and fishing, and the objective of the system is to increase efficiency in conservation efforts. However, there are concerns to keep in mind when implementing the technology. Consider, for example, that about 70 rangers are killed in encounters with poachers. Sean Willmore, president of the International Ranger Federation, says that before anything, they need "rangers who are trained and rangers who can use that technology".
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It's well known that Harry Potter did not have the easiest time at Hogwarts. One of the eeriest events that occured was the omen of death given to him while studying Divination. While none can deny that all things come to an end, the reminder of such inevitabilities is unsettling. Similar to the study of prophecy in the wizarding world, the nature of machine learning is to make predictions. Instead of peering into a teacup, one must relate some data to known categories then predict the values of data that has not yet been seen. Some examples include the diagnosis of illness and revenue forecasting. One of the less welcoming applications of this was the prediction of the probability of extinction of white-tailed eagles in Scotland.
The important thing to remember is that the technology is not inherently bad. Consider that the research can raise awareness about endangered species. Another beneficial outcome of the use of predictive analysis is to determine the effectiveness of conservation efforts. It may also help identify different ways to support the population in question. People typically value life as well as observable results and potential improvements for efforts to preserve it. However, the nature of technology is to enable people to make decisions, and not always the best. According to the study on the white-tailed eagle reintroduction by R.E. Green et al., the species had about 60% chance of extinction. Given this information, what would you do? It's important to recognize that conservation is expensive. "But you can focus on reducing the cost of conservation." Maybe you value the species. Most are aware and concerned that the African elephant and Chinese panda are both on the brink of extinction, but what about the bumphead parrotfish? While it is not easy on the eyes, it holds an important role in its natural environment. What I'm trying to say is: it’s not an easy question to answer. It only gets more difficult to answer when the conclusions made by the models are inaccurate. The first lecture of any data oriented class is certain to feature the phrase “garbage in, garbage out.” Moreover, any correlation in the data does not imply causation nor describe any of the impacts left out of the model. The internet serves as a medium for the spread of information. Consider the thousands of free, online courses made available by services like Khan Academy, Coursera and Udacity. While many individuals produce and share content, some universities contribute their own resources including assignment and video lectures. The University of California at Berkeley hosts over 20,000 video lectures through YouTube. To many, this was an act of good will by the university; however, the Department of Justice found that the videos were in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act because they did not provide on screen reading or captions for the blind and deaf. The school was initially ordered to provide the accommodations and pay damages. With the constantly shrinking budget and current students in mind, Berkeley decided to restrict access to the content.
While Berkeley must be held accountable for the lack of accessibility of their content, it is unfortunate that the ruling resulted in the removal of the content. Although the issue can be argued in favor of or in opposition to the ruling, most will agree that the result is undesireable. From a nonconsequential point of view, the school should have integrated accessibility features from the beginning. As it turns out, the built-in YouTube captioning system is not sufficient according to the Department of Justice. Part of the issue is defining what are sufficient measures to be taken in order to ensure all people can access the content effectively. From another standpoint, a utilitarian might declare the ruling unethical to the extent that it results in the loss of information for everybody. Although some people were arguably disadvantaged by the means by which the content was shared, it benefited a large population that is now without the content. Moreover, most recognize that the cost of incorporating these accessibility features is high. Ideally, the work would be distributed among capable parties or subsidized by the government. The lectures have already been archived by individuals interested in keeping the content publicly available. This act is also completely legal because the lectures are licensed under the creative commons, even though there do not appear to be plans to implement the accessibility features post facto. Berkeley Will Delete Online Content It does not take a pet detective to know that some of our neighbors on this planet are facing life threatening challenges. An estimated 96 African elephants are killed from poaching every day according to the National Geographic. This is more than an inconvenience or unfortunate byproduct of the demand for ivory given that the entire species may go extinct within the next century. There exist enforcement agencies that work to prevent the slaughter of these among many different animals. Over a nine year period, conservationalists have successfully doubled the population of elephants in Uganda. This win must be taken with a grain of salt, however, to the extent that poaching still poses a threat to many species.
Even though people typically pair predictive analytics with business related fields such as marketing and economics, researchers from the University of Southern California has found a way to incorporate the technology into conservational efforts. The Protection Assistant for Wildlife Security, also known as PAWS, leverages years of data collected about poaching activity to optimize patrol routes for rangers. The significance of the system lies in its capacity to grow and change to better predict poacher activity. Consider, for example, that topographical information was added as a feature of interest after it had been deployed on several trials. As the developers of PAWS continue to make adjustments to the parameters, the better it will become at generating routes to defer poachers. Rangers use artificial intelligence to fight poachers. "But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." In the case of Jane Seo and the recent Fort Lauderdale half marathon, she did not run. As a result, she cannot run from her past. Seo had claimed second place at the race, but it was discovered that she had done so illegitimately. Derek Murphy, an independent investigator of marathons, discovered irregularities in the data that described her run. One of the most prominent factors that confirmed Murphy's suspicions was the distance as shown on her fitness tracker after the race. Even though similar technology has a recognized margin of error, 11.65 miles is considerably far from the regulation 13.1 miles.
This story serves as an example of the potential misuse of technology. The marathon has incorporated fitness tracking technology in order to verify performance. However, Seo managed to cut the race and later fabricate the data by recording the later part of the course on a bike. It was only after the allegations went public that she admitted to cheating on Instagram. This suggests that she had no intention of coming forward about the decision. While the marathon officials sought to discourage cheating by mandating the use of technology, it did not stop Seo. On the other side of things, Murphy was able to use the technology to support his claim. Consider that the technology itself had nothing to do with the integrity of the runners. As designed, the technology collected data that detailed Seo's performance on the course. Through his own review of the data given, Murphy found that the pattern held more similarities to a bike ride than a run. The human component of technology largely defines the ethics surrounding it. miaminewtimes.com From the classic car aficionado restoring a '67 Camaro to the tech-savvy teenager replacing their friend's iPhone screen, there have and always will be people building stuff in their garage. I love seeing what people build and how they solve problems. Even more, there is nothing quite as satisfying as battling a hunk of wood with a saw and rising victorious with a desk to show for the conquest. School has not done much to teach me how to change a tire or the likes, so I often turn to the internet for guidance.
The other day, I read that Nebraska, among 4 other states, is pushing for "right to repair" legislation. These laws would require electronics manufacturers to release service manuals and sell parts to individual consumers. All things considered, this is the most universally beneficial solution to the broken electronics issue. Not only would companies make revenue from replacement parts, but people would be empowered to fix whatever trouble comes their way. Otherwise, they can take their devices to small repair shops equipped with detailed instructions straight from the manufacturer. Not so surprisingly, however, Apple has stood up against the legislation. The company has an unforgiving hold on the service market and their stance on the issue seems to be profit driven. Consumers are often left without help from the company if they attempt to fix their products by themselves. Moreover, shops are required to pay fees to be "authorized service providers" of Apple products. Regardless of their closed-service approach, some people will do the work themselves. The "right to repair" will give these people all the tools they need to avoid finger cutting glass and exploding batteries. Apple Will Fight Right to Repair From Robin Hood to Jyn Erso from Star Wars: Rogue One, many popular stories have mischievous protagonists. For some people, these characters reflect the tenacity with which they refuse to let injustice go unanswered. Several Twitter accounts have risen in response to the removal and discontinuation of climate change related tweets by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and National Park Service. These rogue accounts defy the Trump administration's gag orders in support of science and the freedom of speech.
Twitter serves as a medium for the circulation of news for a sizable population. Even though the platform allows for subscription based news feeds, they provide a public feed that reaches out to all corners of their user base. Users consist of individuals of all ages as well as organizations. While the technology itself has some measures in place to handle inappropriate content, Twitter does not inherently favor any one side of a given ethical issue. Many of the accounts claim to be maintained by members of the agencies. However, the identities of the account holders are undisclosed. Under the assumption that each account has a single administrator, there are many potential reasons for the anonymity. This lends itself to the advantage of accounts made to discredit those that "stand up for fact-based policy and spread the truth that human activity is changing the climate." As with every war against the Galactic Empire, that fought by the scientists against government censorship is not without its losses. It's Not Just The Park Service The Rogue Wars Technology comes and goes faster than ever. That is not to say, however, that technology is any less influential. Whether you consider the hundreds of millions of cell phones that connect the world or powerhouse services that make strides in redefining the market, technology drives society. It's hard to think that 'hello world' will even be relevant outside of class, but remember that, at one point, not even that was possible.
It is important to consider the impacts technology has on society. Bill Sourour shares that "[pharmaceutical] companies would create websites that present general information about whatever symptoms their drugs were meant to address". As a developer for one such website, he found himself torn apart after learning that a girl prescribed the same drug the site prescribed had commit suicide. Arguably the most impactful factor in this situation was the company that both manufactured the drug and designed the website to prescribe it regardless of the user's health. Nevertheless, we must examine the circumstances critically before holding anyone responsible. Gillian Christie believes that "those who intersect the technology, health and ethics worlds [must] determine how we develop and deploy technologies that deliver the greatest societal benefits." In other words, the parties involved in the development of technology are accountable for their impacts on society. For this reason, it is easy to understand why Sourour felt conflicted after learning that his code was related to some deaths. Contrary to this view, one can argue that consequences can be attributed by the use of technology rather than the technology in and of itself. Social media serves as an example against Christie's statement that people will not adopt technology without considering their ethical implications to the extent that cyberbullying arises from how people misuse the technology. The person or group responsible for the consequences depends, at least in part, on the perspective of the person judging the situation. I sympathize with Sourour's concern for the impact of his software as well as his decision to leave the company. Even though a command line change machine may not lend itself to the next world war, technology must be developed and utilized with the welfare of society in mind. |
Samuel VillavicencioSoftware engineering student at CSUMB. |