Choose one of the major challenges for global communication futures listed in our book (Chapter 13, pp.244-251) and explore this challenge from an ethical perspective. Based on your reading of the texts, what are our responsibilities as humans/citizens/advocates of a global community in the context of [your selected global communication future]? What can we do to engage, sustain, or improve the circumstances of [your selected global communication future] on the local level?

Example: Convergence Technology is the chosen communication future that has the most ethical considerations especially as these advances can also impact the flow of money in global communication. As many of us are aware, Black Friday is just around the corner followed soon after by Cyber Monday. Every year shoppers are out for the newest and greatest technology devices and gadgets. Supply and demand for what is “hot” often inflate the prices for the consumer that just “has to have it” from the customer who bought the store out on the Black Friday sale. Cyber Monday sales also have limited supply at the advertised prices and a cap on quantity, but if you find someone who was able to get an extra one that they will sell to you for a “convenience fee” equal to more than double the original value, and you have the funds – it too can be yours. So essentially, the latest and greatest technologies are available to those who can pay for them whether full price or at a gouging price.

The scientific uses for the convergence technology are both scary and possibly beneficial from a medical treatment standpoint – but only if you can have access to those technologies AND be able to afford them. Just think wouldn’t that be great to have that little nanobot running through your blood stream blasting away at pre-cancerous cells. Or how about the ability to understand your pet as they want you to and not by your interpretation of what they are trying to communicate. Cyberimmortality is creepy to me and Telepathic communication is an invasion of personal privacy through thought and could allow control of others by knowing their thoughts even if they don’t know yours, but someone is going to want to do all the above-mentioned things. Enter the future money impact:

Hamelink describes future money and digital currency as something that may undermine governmental regulation and control through the facilitation of private issuance of money (Hamelink, p.247). Future monies are going to be what determines who has access and capability to obtain the convergence technology.

How do we manage something that is unmanageable? How do we equal the playing field for health benefits of the convergence technology? My only suggestion for a solution to improve circumstances for the “locals” of the future is gather more knowledge about the dangers and risks that these technologies can impose. Acquisition of knowledge may unfortunately also be something that will be exchanged through “private monies”. Speaking of, I recently got signed up for a new form of web currency (Initiative Q) through a Facebook contact (let that sink in for a minute). Not sure how, where or when I can spend it but maybe in the future I will know.