Modern technology may look super-cool but it comes with several caveats. There are grave consequences if the march of technology goes unchecked. The problem is science can’t differentiate between good and evil; it’s entirely up to us to determine what sort of controls must be established lest unbridled technology wreak havoc. Two objects that surfaced recently should set us thinking about what we must do to contain technology’s ill-effects while enjoying the fruits of enterprising innovations. The first is the gun that can be created out of ABS plastic using a 3D printer available off the shelf. The second is Google Glass — digitally-enhanced eyeglasses that can be used to spy on just about everybody around you.
Spyhole cameras are useful for media “sting” ops and shrunken computers are good to send data wirelessly from anywhere, but we shouldn’t forget their potential negative uses, such as in spying or cybercrime. There is a huge threat posed to all of us if just about anyone can “make” a gun that can’t be detected even by powerful airport scanners or traced back to the manufacturer. Imagine the power that can be placed in criminal hands if a “printed” gun can be used in a crime and then melted back into an innocuous object using the same printer! If such technology is available on open source software, anyone could literally empower himself/herself with a deadly weapon. Far from making lives better, technology can also harm them. It’s vital that caution remain society’s watchword.