From Aidan Hancock
Bill Joy highlights real concerns with the proliferation of ever more powerful technologies (17 June, p 54). However, his suggested solutions seem somewhat naive. His argument is founded on an implicit distinction between “us” and “malign individuals” – but that is obviously never a clear divide. Can we really be confident that the “us” he refers to – US, European and some other governments, military organisations and large corporations, or factions therein – are completely safe and trustworthy, given the numerous documented breaches of trust they have all committed and attempted to hide from scrutiny?
Joy’s argument that market forces would be a better regulator of risk ignores the fact that governments and military organisations are generally unaffected by markets, so will develop technologies according to their own, market-independent agendas. Restricting emerging technologies to those already at the top table will greatly increase the asymmetric distribution of power and wealth, which can only heighten tensions between the rich and poor worlds.
As much as Joy may like to retreat into an information-protectionist world, our best hope is actually through increased openness and transparency. However, balanced with this, to paraphrase, “the price of technology is eternal vigilance” – which will have profound effects on our conceptions of privacy and freedom.
London, UK
