Transparency and Explainability (49)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 16 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
In a world in which social media is constantly visible, and in which the averaged five star rating for each person based on every single one of their interactions with others are displayed, Lacie tries to move into the higher echelons of society. She does this by consistently keeping up saccharine appearances in real life and on her social media feed because everyone is constantly connected to this technology. En route to an important wedding, she loses several points in her rating, yet still finds solace with a truck driver who offers her a ride. After releasing her true emotions at the wedding (from which she was ultimately disinvited for her low score), she is jailed and continues the release of her pent-up emotions. For further reading and real-life connections, see the narrative “Inside China’s Vast New Experiment in Social Ranking.”
- Kinolab
- 2016
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- 16 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
Lacie Part II: Everyday Influencers and “Keep Instagram Casual”
In a world in which social media is constantly visible, and in which the averaged five star rating for each person based on every single one of their interactions with others are displayed, Lacie tries to move into the higher echelons of society. She does this by consistently keeping up saccharine appearances in real life and on her social media feed because everyone is constantly connected to this technology. En route to an important wedding, she loses several points in her rating, yet still finds solace with a truck driver who offers her a ride. After releasing her true emotions at the wedding (from which she was ultimately disinvited for her low score), she is jailed and continues the release of her pent-up emotions. For further reading and real-life connections, see the narrative “Inside China’s Vast New Experiment in Social Ranking.”
Are shallow interactions and the improbability of someone saying what they truly mean on a platform inherent to the design of digital social networks? How does social media put pressure on people to change events or relationships in their real life to keep up positive appearances? Consider movements such as “Keep Instagram Casual,” which implores users to post whatever they like, whenever they like, rather than being beholden to strict societal rules on what is acceptable to post. Can this occur with a user-centric push, or does something about the design of the platforms need to change? Does “digital niceness” actually benefit anyone? How do figures such as influencers take advantage of digital platforms to set social norms online and offline?
Black Mirror: The Truck Driver-
- 6 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Chris is a driver at an Uber-esque company with a great amount of anxiety and disdain for the widespread addiction to smartphones. He inexplicably waits outside the same building every day to pick up clients. One day, he finally proceeds with a dastardly plan.
- Kinolab
- 2019
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- 6 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Ride-Hailing Hazards
Chris is a driver at an Uber-esque company with a great amount of anxiety and disdain for the widespread addiction to smartphones. He inexplicably waits outside the same building every day to pick up clients. One day, he finally proceeds with a dastardly plan.
How has digital addiction made the expectation for convenience so normalized that people are willing to put themselves into dangerous situations, as the passenger Jaden does here? What kinds of safety features have companies like Uber or Lyft built into their platforms so far, and how could they do even better?
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- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Chris, a ride-share driver who took passenger Jaden hostage in order to leverage a conversation with social media CEO Billy Bauer, tells the story of how his distracted driving (through looking at a notification from social media on his smartphone) ultimately killed his wife and other drivers. As the hostage situation comes to an end, the world watches over social networks before looking up from their phones and returning to their lives.
- Kinolab
- 2019
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- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Consistent Digital Distraction
Chris, a ride-share driver who took passenger Jaden hostage in order to leverage a conversation with social media CEO Billy Bauer, tells the story of how his distracted driving (through looking at a notification from social media on his smartphone) ultimately killed his wife and other drivers. As the hostage situation comes to an end, the world watches over social networks before looking up from their phones and returning to their lives.
Does the speed and volume of sensational events which users can access through digital channels ultimately de-sensitize users to the real world? Do social media companies have culpability in ensuring that their products are not over-addictive, or does responsibility ultimately fall solely on users to make the right choices? Are current protections against distracted driving aggressive enough? In a meta-commentary sense, do you believe this narrative adds anything new to the digital addiction/distracted driving conversation, or is it the same warning that has been given over and over again to no avail?
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- 14 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Ashley O is a pop star who lives and works under the tyrannical direction of her aunt and producer, Catherine. After Ashley decides she wants to rebel against her contract, Catherine places her in a coma and scans her brain to help create a digital likeness of Ashley O and produce new music which the 3D holograph can perform, all under Catherine’s control. Meanwhile, siblings Rachel and Jack hack a robot based on a synaptic snapshot of Ashley O, allowing the virtual consciousness of Ashley O to be reborn in the robot and help plot to take down Catherine. Working together, they manage to thwart the grand debut of the edited holographic version of Ashley O.
- Kinolab
- 2019
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- 14 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Celebrity Autonomy, Producer Tyranny, and Holographic Performances
Ashley O is a pop star who lives and works under the tyrannical direction of her aunt and producer, Catherine. After Ashley decides she wants to rebel against her contract, Catherine places her in a coma and scans her brain to help create a digital likeness of Ashley O and produce new music which the 3D holograph can perform, all under Catherine’s control. Meanwhile, siblings Rachel and Jack hack a robot based on a synaptic snapshot of Ashley O, allowing the virtual consciousness of Ashley O to be reborn in the robot and help plot to take down Catherine. Working together, they manage to thwart the grand debut of the edited holographic version of Ashley O.
How can celebrities keep their autonomy when producers can easily replicate them or their performances? How can musicians and other performers continue to keep a share of credit or profit when producers can easily co-opt their art? Should this technology be used to “extend the life” of musicians, allowing for holographic performances even after they pass away? What are the ethical questions raised with this concept? Should digital consciousnesses be fundamentally limited, especially when they are based on real people? How would this improperly shape the image of a celebrity, either before or after their death?
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- 4 min
- Kinolab
- 1982
While attempting to track down humanoid robots, or “replicants”, that he must kill, Officer Rick Deckard goes to Chinatown to analyze his singular piece of evidence; a snake scale. The scale is revealed to be from an android snake crafted within Chinatown.
- Kinolab
- 1982
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- 4 min
- Kinolab
- 1982
Robotic Animals
While attempting to track down humanoid robots, or “replicants”, that he must kill, Officer Rick Deckard goes to Chinatown to analyze his singular piece of evidence; a snake scale. The scale is revealed to be from an android snake crafted within Chinatown.
Should android animals ever become too indistinguishable from their real counterparts? How might this be used for negative ends? How will engineered human and animal parts be distinguished from natural ones?
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- 14 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
In an imagined future of London, citizens all across the globe are connected to the Feed, a device and network accessed constantly through a brain-computer interface. Tom is a member of the Hatfield family, the owner of the tech monopoly which created this technology. The Feed allows people to alter their perception of reality, whether this means changing the appearance of people and places or playing music over any environmental noise.
- Kinolab
- 2019
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- 14 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Omnipresent Technology and Altering Reality
In an imagined future of London, citizens all across the globe are connected to the Feed, a device and network accessed constantly through a brain-computer interface. Tom is a member of the Hatfield family, the owner of the tech monopoly which created this technology. The Feed allows people to alter their perception of reality, whether this means changing the appearance of people and places or playing music over any environmental noise.
What are potential consequences of getting large numbers of people addicted to brain-computer interface technologies that can easily be hacked? How does this deprive people of autonomy? How can digital addiction de-sensitize people to the “real world”? How could augmented reality fundamentally change industries such as interior design, event planning, and even travel? How can virtual reality tech be used to bring us closer, and connect people together? What will virtual meetings look like in the future, with the potential for holograms and a complete immersive experience?