锘? "Tech" isn't a four-letter word
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Jerseys , but when it comes to "women's issues" it might as well
be. Technology has become a male-dominated big business; profits have become the
priority over ethics andor social implications. Women are missing from the
technology design room to the boardroom and this diminishes the value and unique
talents women bring to the table. We can no longer accept this as a normal
expectation. Marketing tactics by technology manufacturers have only just begun
to include women in their advertising.
Today, it is commonly acceptable
to send a resume through email, to fill out a graduate school or job application
online or to find "Mr. or Mrs. Right" through Match. However, when it comes to
women's issues technology is traditionally not included as a venue to advocate
or mobilize around.
Violence against women has appeared as cyber
stalking andor bullying. The video game "Grand Theft Auto" which gives points
for beating a certain class of women to get the user's money back has been a
recent "hot" topic. There are many government agencies working to get the "Grand
Theft Auto" game off shelves or properly labeled as adult content but there are
not that many encouraging educational reform for girls in science, math,
technology or gaming. If there were more girls involved in designing games this
product may not have gone to the shelf with violence against women packaged in
the scoring system of the game. Women are one of the highest purchasers of video
games for their sons but they never check to see if there are games for their
daughters. Most are completely unaware that game consoles like the Xbox where
designed with no intentions on having options for women or girls.
The
gaming industry is not the enemy; games can be excellent tools for learning if
used properly. There are increasingly more software games being designed for
schools and educational purposes. Socialimpactgames focuses on games for public
policy, health, wellness
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business and social issues. Whether there is a game that promotes anti Bush
agendas or ethnic cleansing, women must be involved.
Government officials
have introduced a bill to address electronic stalking in Washington DC, although
it has included stalking by computers, email, telephones and cell phones it does
not include video and audio recordings or the Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
that have been used by stalkers to track their victims. There have been recent
attempts with the Video Voyeurism Act, but there are important women's issues
missing from these valuable attempts at addressing the issue.
Public
health and safety has major societal implications. There are E-Government
initiatives under the 2002 Act that will impact many women's' lives, however the
congressional subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy
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Jerseys , Intergovernmental Relations and the Census is no longer
in existence. "Egov" is the new lingo for initiatives that include the
Department of Justice's plans for information sharing technology that include
development and deployment. This is also where jurors are now analyzing and
reviewing investigative data through laptops and other technologies. Funding for
video devices are used to catch criminals such as speeding and red light
violators, or security cameras in stop lights but funding is not available for
initiatives that use interactive videoconferencing technology to build and
maintain family bonds between incarcerated mothers and their children or to
provide other needed family services.
There are several BillsActs in
congress that are on the books about health care and information technology.
Many are designed to improve efficiency and the quality of health care delivery
by streamlining medical records, preventing medication errors, giving online
access to information about outbreaks of infectious diseases or simply to help
single mothers get their children immunized for school like DC's government did
by implementing the internet based immunization registry. Telemedicine has been
used to help women by providing prenatal care in rural areas. A recent bill to
address digital divide issues in rural areas will affect the continuation of the
telemedicine program for those mothers.
The societal impacts of
technology are both positive and negative and are traditionally noticeable in
areas of non-traditional work, job readiness, and education. Rarely are areas of
health, environment, public safety or cyber security considered major concerns
for women as it relates to science and technology. Already
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China , the lack of technological skills is one reason why so many
low-income women aren't able to find jobs above entry-level salaries. If this is
not addressed, the lack of technological skills will leave a larger
underemployed working class since studies have shown that in 2008 there will be
over 1.3 million new technology workers and by 2010, 65% of the economy will be
based on technology.
Prior to the fourth grade, studies show that girls
are as interested in technology more than boys. After that, girls are
discouraged by the adults in their lives and are constantly challenged by the
boys in their class, which leaves them questioning whether they should even
bother with math, science or technology. Adolescent girls are intensely
pressured to be "cute" instead of "smart," which leads to the current conflict
for young women interested in math
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Wholesale , science or technology. Tech "geeks" are rarely
considered cute or attractive. It is also at this time that young girls choose
not to go into sports, yet we have the WNBA, women's football, tennis and golf.
Without better awareness and advocacy, women will also be susceptible to
losing the gains that science and technology bring and vulnerable to the dangers
of technological ignorance. We'll continue to be unprepared to advocate for or
against the decisions 锘? For starters, quarterback .