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Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Technology

Students are often asked to write an essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Technology in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

100 Words Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Technology

Introduction.

Modern technology is a crucial part of our lives. It has its advantages and disadvantages which we will explore.

Firstly, technology makes our life easier. For example, we can communicate with others instantly. Secondly, it provides endless entertainment options. Lastly, it’s a great tool for education.

Disadvantages

In conclusion, while technology has its benefits, it’s important to use it wisely to avoid its pitfalls.

250 Words Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Technology

Advantages of modern technology.

Modern technology enhances efficiency and productivity. Tools like computers, software, and artificial intelligence can automate repetitive tasks, freeing humans to focus on complex, creative pursuits. Moreover, technology enables instant communication and fosters global connectivity. Platforms such as social media, email, and video conferencing have bridged geographical distances, fostering a global culture of collaboration and shared knowledge.

Disadvantages of Modern Technology

However, the reliance on technology can lead to issues such as privacy invasion and data theft. With the increasing amount of personal information shared online, individuals become vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Furthermore, the extensive use of technology can lead to physical and mental health problems. The sedentary lifestyle promoted by screen-based activities can contribute to obesity, while constant connectivity can lead to stress and anxiety.

500 Words Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Technology

Modern technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, influencing every aspect from communication to business, from education to healthcare. The advancements in technology have brought numerous benefits, but they also come with their own set of drawbacks. This essay aims to delve into the advantages and disadvantages of modern technology.

One of the most significant benefits of modern technology is the enhancement of communication. With the advent of smartphones, social media, and instant messaging apps, people can now connect with each other from any corner of the world in real-time, fostering global collaboration and cultural exchange.

In the field of education, technology has transformed the learning experience. Online education platforms, digital textbooks, and virtual classrooms have made learning more accessible, personalized, and flexible.

Despite its advantages, modern technology also has its downsides. One of the main disadvantages is the issue of privacy and security. With the increasing amount of data being shared online, there is a growing concern about data breaches, identity theft, and cybercrime.

Moreover, the rapid pace of technological change can lead to job displacement. Automation and artificial intelligence threaten to replace human labor in certain sectors, leading to job loss and increased social inequality.

In conclusion, while modern technology offers numerous benefits such as improved communication, advancements in healthcare, and transformation in education, it also poses significant challenges, including privacy and security concerns, mental health issues, and job displacement. Therefore, it is essential to strike a balance between leveraging the benefits of modern technology and mitigating its potential drawbacks. As we continue to innovate and advance, we must also ensure that we are addressing these challenges and shaping a future where technology serves as a tool for societal improvement rather than a source of disruption.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Impact — Pros And Cons Of Technology

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Pros and Cons of Technology

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 671 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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I. introduction, narrower issues related to the pros and cons of technology, a. social media and its impact on relationships, b. automation and the future of work, c. accessibility and equity in the digital age.

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a for and against essay about technology

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Technology pros and cons: is technology good or bad for society?

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Find out what are the main the pros and cons of technology. We discuss the history, importance and role of technology, as well as its impact on society. Is technological progress good or is it becoming a threat to us? Vote in our poll and debate (see below)

Is technology good for society? A brief history

The impact of technology on society is undeniable. Technology and science have played a central role in human history and help shape entire civilizations. Technological progress was key for the emergence and downfall of empires. The development of hunting and farming tools allowed our ancestors to dominate other hominid species. The invention of the wheel and writing, as well as the introduction of metal tools and weapons were other landmarks in the history of technology . Many successive civilizations have contributed to the world's advancement. Often the development of technology also helped these societies to dominate militarily , politically, and economically their neighbors, as well as increase the welfare of their citizens.

The Egyptians invented many farming, medical and construction technologies. The Mesopotamians are credited for introducing irrigation and drainage systems, as well as sophisticated mud-brick and stone architecture techniques. Greeks were responsible for many inventions, such as the watermill, and the improvement on many existing technologies. Still today Greek mathematicians, engeneers and philosophers are recognised as fundamental to the history of human thought and technology. The Romans brought technology to a new level, and their monumental amphitheatres, aqueducts, bridges, harbours, dams and public baths help them dominate the Western world for centuries. Ancient Indian civilizations are credited for developing good understanding of seafaring, sanitation and hydrological technologies.  Chinese discoveries include paper, matches, the cross-bow, seismological detectors, the wheelbarrow, the suspension bridge and the compass, among others. 

During the Middle Ages architecture, navigation, papermaking and military technologies were developed. The Arab conquest of the Iberian Peninsula helped to introduce Europe to many technological advances developed in the east. The Renaissance and the Age of Explorations also demonstrated how innovation shaped societies. Research and inventions were put into practice. The use of artillery, new cranes and medical techniques marked a beginning of a scientific revolution. The Portuguese and Spanish discoveries, were enabled by technological progress but also help connecting different civilization which accelerated the spread of innovation. The industrial revolution brought the steam engine and developments in mining, metalurgy, manufacturing and transport. Since the 19th century, science and technology have evolved even faster. The 20th century brought the expansion of electrification and communication technologies, mass industrial production, electronic computing, nuclear technology and space exploration among others. It also demonstrated the devastating power of some of the technologies developed by humans. The weapons developed during that century, including the weapons of mass destruction, caused the deaths of millions.

The 21st century seems to have accelerated even faster these processes and intensified the impact of technology on society. Technology colleges such as MIT and Stanford have help accelerate scientific discovery. Genetic engineering, nanotechnology, 3D printing, wireless powered devices, augmented reality, articifical intelligence, drones , quantum computers and superconductivity are among the many new technologies we are witnessing today. But what come next? Can technology continue to help our lives or is it becoming a real threat to us? Can we keep scientific progress under control or will technology control our lives? Let's discuss the advantages and disadvantages or technology.

Pros and cons of technology

Pros of technological progress

  • Thanks to technological progress humans live longer and much more comfortable lives. The medical advancements have helped us develop vaccines and treatment for diseases which were previously lethal. Giving birth is not as dangerous as it used to be. Technological progress has allowed develop new techniques for diagnosis and mitigation of diseases and other conditions. Scientific research has improved our understanding of nutrition and contributed to healthier lifestyles. 
  • Technology has allowed humans to travel faster and trade goods all over the world. Crossing the Atlantic was historically an adventure that would take weeks. Now in just a few hours you can travel from New York to London or Paris . Thanks to technology we can have holidays in remote locations and capture these moments through pictures. We can now buy and consume goods produced far away. In the same supermarket you can find French cheeses, South African wines, Spanish olive oils, Brazilian coffees, and Japanese fish. 
  • Without technology we would still be nomads hunting and gathering fruits and vegetables.  Industrial societies heavily rely on technological progress. We can feed a fast growing world population thanks to the continuous innovation in production techniques. New inventions help foster the production, storage, treatment and transportation of goods. Societies which invest in research and development have a competitive edge and thrive. The people in technologically advanced societies live more comfortable lives. 
  • Genetically modified foods  (GMO) may help fight hunger and ensure that world population continues to be fed. Genetic modification techniques contribute to produce more food and to maintain agricultural production at affordable prices. 
  • The Internet, computers and mobile phones illustrate the role of technology in improving society. Efficiency has skyrocketed thanks to these inventions. Our work and social lives have been transformed. People can now work from home and collaborate with teams located in other towns, countries or even continents. We can keep a fluid communication and relationship with friends and family living abroad. News of events cross the globe in seconds. Social netwoks such as facebook and twitter are extremely useful. Thanks to technology grandparents get to see and chat with their grandchildren much more often. People today get to meet others sharing similar hobbies or interests.
  • Thanks to new technologies, alternative forms of entertainment and art have developed during the last century. Photography, radio, movies, television shows, music and video games occupy a central spot in people's lives. There are new forms of entertainment at our doorstep, such as virtual reality . Additionally, IT is facilitating the work of creators and help increase the quality of entertainment.
  • The importance of technology in the delopment of renewable energies  is evident. Without technological progress it would be difficult to envisage a green future in which the problem of climate change could be kept under control. Scientific advancements are making electric cars more affordable and enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of solar and eolic energy, as well as that hydropower .

Cons and risks of technology

  • Technology is altering our lifestyle and will alter the cognitive and social development of current and future generations. There are many different ways in which the evolution of technology and society are connected. Technological innovation has changed our lives. Computers , smartphones and the internet have strongly affected how we interact with other people. Many claim that they are dehumanizing our lives and making us more solitary people. Technology may be also facilitating cultural colonialism and reducing diversity. Today, children play less with other children and spend much of their time watching videos in their tablets and playing video games. People are doing less physical exercise than their ancestors. We are becoming increasingly detached from nature and attached to technological gadgets. 
  • Human cloning technology is a reality and in addition to some obvious advantages, human cloning brings some risks. For instance it could create worrisome divides in society between those genetically divided to be smarter or physically more attractive and the rest. Human cloning will be difficult to regulate and will bring concerns regarding its interference with nature and religious beliefs. 
  • Weaponization of viruses . For instance, viruses such as Ebola or AIDS could be transformed into a virus that could be transmitted through the air. This could endanger or even cause the extinction of the the human race . Lifeforms can be created through genetic manipulation. With techonological progress the techniques to create or manipulate lifeforms will be increasingly accessible to us. Potentially even high school children will be able to create life in science experiments. Genomes of infectious diseases will be available to download from the internet. Terrorists, psychopaths and other criminals will have the capacity to use genetic manipulation to harm or threaten others. 
  • Similarly, scientific experimentation might create enormous dangers for society. Risky experiments may go wrong . Researchers are currently mutating microorganism in order to find cures to diseases. By accident these diseases could escape the laboratory and spread. Experiments with particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider , entail some serious risks. Some scientists even claimed that humans could create a black hole that could destroy Earth. 
  • Enrichment of uranium is becoming an increasingly cheaper process. Traditionally the infrastructure required to produce nuclear power  and build nuclear bombs was extremely expensive. Thanks to technological progress and the use of laser beams to separate U-235 and U-238, in the not so distant future, people might be able to enrich uranium home. Nuclear weapons in the hands of the wrong organizations or individuals could create enormous unrest in the world population and a serious security threat. 
  • Technological progress is to be blamed for the negative effects of global warming and climate change . The role of technology fostering economic progress is difficult to deny. However, at the same time the generation of enegy necessary to the increased production and transportation of goods, for instance through combustion engines and thermoelectric generators, has produced an increased in the emission and concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
  • Technology can be also used as an undesirable tool of control . For instance, scientists are working to develop brain scanning machines which could allow read a person's thoughts. This would have great benefits as could allow people with disabilities or people having suffered brain damage to communicate. Moreover if through a magnetic resoncance we could enquire criminals and terrorist we could also prevent harm for society. Similarly, thanks to advanced IT, it is possible to analyse the communications of millions of people and identify potential crimes and wrongdoers. Unfortunately, there is a very real possibility that technology will end up used by some governments in a draconian way. A dystopian future where people are constantly inquisitorially surveilled by a Big Brother as in Orwell's science fiction classic 1984.

What do you think, is technology good or bad? Is technological progress out of control? Will the rest of the 21st century see the importance of technology reduced?

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Essay on Technology – A Boon or Bane for Students

500+ words essay on technology for students.

In this essay on technology, we are going to discuss what technology is, what are its uses, and also what technology can do? First of all, technology refers to the use of technical and scientific knowledge to create, monitor, and design machinery. Also, technology helps in making other goods that aid mankind.

Essay on Technology – A Boon or Bane?

Experts are debating on this topic for years. Also, the technology covered a long way to make human life easier but the negative aspect of it can’t be ignored. Over the years technological advancement has caused a severe rise in pollution . Also, pollution has become a major cause of many health issues. Besides, it has cut off people from society rather than connecting them. Above all, it has taken away many jobs from the workers class.

Essay on technology

Familiarity between Technology and Science

As they are completely different fields but they are interdependent on each other. Also, it is due to science contribution we can create new innovation and build new technological tools. Apart from that, the research conducted in laboratories contributes a lot to the development of technologies. On the other hand, technology extends the agenda of science.

Vital Part of our Life

Regularly evolving technology has become an important part of our lives. Also, newer technologies are taking the market by storm and the people are getting used to them in no time. Above all, technological advancement has led to the growth and development of nations.

Negative Aspect of Technology

Although technology is a good thing, everything has two sides. Technology also has two sides one is good and the other is bad. Here are some negative aspects of technology that we are going to discuss.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

With new technology the industrialization increases which give birth to many pollutions like air, water, soil, and noise. Also, they cause many health-related issues in animals, birds, and human beings.

Exhaustion of Natural Resources

New technology requires new resources for which the balance is disturbed. Eventually, this will lead to over-exploitation of natural resources which ultimately disturbs the balance of nature.

Unemployment

A single machine can replace many workers. Also, machines can do work at a constant pace for several hours or days without stopping. Due to this, many workers lost their job which ultimately increases unemployment .

Types of Technology

Generally, we judge technology on the same scale but in reality, technology is divided into various types. This includes information technology, industrial technology , architectural technology, creative technology and many more. Let’s discuss these technologies in brief.

Industrial Technology

This technology organizes engineering and manufacturing technology for the manufacturing of machines. Also, this makes the production process easier and convenient.

Creative Technology

This process includes art, advertising, and product design which are made with the help of software. Also, it comprises of 3D printers , virtual reality, computer graphics, and other wearable technologies.

Information Technology

This technology involves the use of telecommunication and computer to send, receive and store information. Internet is the best example of Information technology.

a for and against essay about technology

FAQs on Essay on Technology

Q.1 What is Information technology?

A –  It is a form of technology that uses telecommunication and computer systems for study. Also, they send, retrieve, and store data.

Q.2 Is technology harmful to humans?

 A – No, technology is not harmful to human beings until it is used properly. But, misuses of technology can be harmful and deadly.

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Essay about technology advantages and disadvantages – Analytical Essay

Introduction

Technology is now a big part of our society and our foreseeable future. There is little room for people that wish to live without technology, and luckily, it is still advancing at a rate that has helped stave off stagnation. Here I analyze the advantages and disadvantages of technology

Thesis statement

I believe that for every advantage that technology brings us, it also brings us a disadvantage at the same time.

Analysis of cars on our roads

Cars and other vehicles are now readily available and are technologically advanced enough to be safe for use every day and to work as a reliable tool for getting people and goods from one place to another in a relatively short space of time.

The advantages of cars are that they are safe and that people can get to very specific places as per their own timeline. People do not have to rely on trains or planes in order to get to where they want to go, and they can set off at their own time and arrive when they wish without having to work around a train or plane schedule.

The disadvantage is that all forms of vehicle on our roads are polluting the atmosphere and are slowly killing the earth by adding to greenhouse gasses that do not allow the sun’s heat to escape. Even electric cars are powered by electricity generated by fossil fuels. Car accidents are also a very big killer worldwide and many lives have been lost because of car accidents/incidents.

Analysis of Smartphones

They allow people to stay in touch, even over long distances, and they are relatively safe and reliable to use. There are devices that can communicate with plus at the other end of the planet and getting and keeping in touch with other people is very easy.

The disadvantages to this is that it means people no longer need to meet in person as much, and interpersonal relationships are suffering worldwide because people are communicating through a small handheld device. Lots of people have Smartphones and they use them almost semi-continuously, including in public settings when they could be making new friends, finding new lovers, and talking/interacting with their current friends. Analysis – Fast and efficient Internet access

The advantages are that people can communicate over vast distances and can gain access to information and answers to their questions very quickly. The disadvantage is that the Internet isn’t moderated in the way that people think and a lot of it is filled with misinformation and outright lies.

Even brand-named websites that have a lot of trust are not accountable for what appears on their own websites. Even respected and branded news sites have stories that have passed through many people’s hands and originally started as lies with zero accountability throughout the dissemination process. For example, that is why so many celebrities have been reported as dead on news sites when they were actually alive. Conclusion

My analysis proves that technology is a good thing, and that is has its advantages, but that with each technological element we gain disadvantages as well as advantages, and many times those disadvantages are overlooked by technology users.

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Argumentative Essay

Argumentative Essay About Technology

Last updated on: Apr 25, 2024

Make Your Argumentative Essay About Technology Unbeatable: Examples and Tips

By: Barbara P.

15 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Mar 9, 2023

argumentative essay about technology

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the task of writing an argumentative essay about technology? Don't worry – you're not alone. 

Technology is a vast and rapidly evolving field, making it a challenging topic to tackle. But fear not!  With the right structure, examples, and tips, you'll be equipped to create a persuasive and captivating essay that will impress your readers.

In this blog, we're here to guide you through the process, providing you with engaging examples and essential guidelines. With our help, you'll be able to create an argument that is both persuasive and well-supported by evidence.

So read on and make sure your argumentative essay about technology is unbeatable! 

argumentative essay about technology

On this Page

How to Write an Argumentative Essay About Technology?

Now you know what argumentative essays about technology are and why they're important? 

Let's look at how to write a compelling argument. 

Pick a Title

The title of your essay should capture the attention of your reader and summarize the main points of your argument. 

Think carefully about how you want to frame your argument in order to create an effective title. It should be short and catchy, but also accurately reflect the main arguments or ideas in your essay. 

Form an Outline 

After deciding on a title for your essay, it’s important to form an outline of the key points and arguments you will make in each paragraph. This will help keep you organized during the writing process and ensure that all of your ideas are connected. 

Make sure there is good flow between each section so that readers can follow along easily. 

Here is an outline template for argumentative essay about technology:
























Write an Introduction 

Your introduction is where you set up the context for your essay and explain what it is that you will be arguing throughout the rest of the text. 

Include relevant background information, as well as any interesting facts or anecdotes that could help engage readers from the beginning. 

Be sure to end with a thesis statement that clearly lays out which side you are taking in this debate and what evidence will be used to support it.


Write Body Paragraphs 

Your body paragraphs are where most of your research comes into play! 

Ensure these paragraphs contain detailed evidence from reliable sources that supports each point being made in each paragraph. 

Additionally, be sure to use transition words throughout these sections so that readers can follow along easily from one point to another.  

Write a Conclusion

Your conclusion should briefly outline the key points and evidence used throughout your paper. While reiterating why this particular topic is so important and relevant today. 

Your conclusion should leave readers with something thought-provoking! 

Perhaps something they hadn’t considered before rather than just summarizing everything they have already read in previous paragraphs.

Looking for guidance on crafting powerful arguments? Look no further than our argumentative essay guide! 

Check out this informative video to learn how to construct a persuasive argumentative essay!

Examples of Argumentative Essay About Technology

Now that you know how to write an argumentative essay about technology, let's look at some examples.

These examples will help you get a better understanding of the argumentative essay structure and what types of arguments you can make. 

Argumentative Essay About Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology

Let’s take a look:


Technology has revolutionized the way we connect with others. Through instant messaging, video calls, and social media platforms, we can communicate and share information with ease, regardless of geographical barriers. It has facilitated global connections and fostered cultural exchange. The automation and digitization of various tasks have increased productivity and efficiency in many industries. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning have streamlined processes, allowing businesses to accomplish more in less time. This has led to significant advancements in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics. The internet has made information readily available at our fingertips. With a simple search, we can find answers to countless questions, access educational resources, and stay informed about current events. This democratization of information has empowered individuals and broadened intellectual horizons.

As technology provides avenues for virtual interaction, there is a growing concern about the decline of face-to-face communication. Excessive reliance on technology for socializing can lead to feelings of isolation and disconnect from the real world. Building meaningful relationships and developing effective interpersonal skills may be compromised. Sedentary lifestyles resulting from excessive screen time and reduced physical activity have contributed to health issues such as obesity and related conditions. Additionally, technology addiction, especially to social media platforms, can negatively impact mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, and a distorted self-image. The digital age has raised significant concerns about privacy and data security. Hacking, identity theft, and data breaches have become prevalent. Moreover, the widespread use of surveillance technologies has raised ethical questions regarding personal privacy and civil liberties.



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Argumentative Essay On Technology And Society

Here is a short argumentative essay on technology and society: 









Example of a Research-Based Argumentative Essay About Technology

Argumentative essay examples are a great way to gain a better understanding of how technology is affecting our lives - both positively and negatively. 

To help illustrate this argument, this essay will look at the evidence for an argumentative essay about technology.







Here are some additional examples for you to get inspired!

Argumentative Essay About Technology And Social Media

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Is Technology Good Or Bad Argumentative Essay

5 Paragraph Argumentative Essay About Technology

If you're searching for the determination to create a persuasive essay, our blog of argumentative essay examples is just what you need!

Good Argumentative Essay About Technology Topics

When writing argumentative essays about technology, it's important to identify a topic that is relevant and argumentative.

Argumentative Essay About Technology Topics - MyPerfectPaper.net

The following are some good argumentative essay topics related to technology: 

  • Will AI bring more benefits or risks to society?
  • Is social media a positive or negative influence on society?
  • How can individuals and organizations better protect themselves from cyber threats?
  • Should individuals have more control over their personal data online?
  • Will automation lead to mass unemployment or create new job opportunities?
  • Is VR technology more beneficial for entertainment or educational purposes?
  • Should governments have the authority to regulate and censor online content?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of widespread 5G implementation?
  • Is the use of biometric data for identification and security purposes ethical?
  • How can technology be effectively integrated into classrooms to enhance learning outcomes?

Want to write an essay that will grab your readers' attention? Explore our blog for more thrilling argumentative essay topics !

Summarizing it all,  argumentative essay examples about technology can help to illustrate the argument for or against its use in our lives. By exploring various argumentative essay topics related to technology, you can gain a better understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of its use. 

So, take a look at the argumentative essay topics provided above and create your argumentative essay today! 

And if you are still seeking help with your argumentative essay, contact our essay writer today!

Our argumentative essay writer has the knowledge and experience to write the best argumentative essay for you. 

So request “ write my paper ” today and we guarantee that your essay will be well-structured, argumentative, and insightful. 

So don't hesitate - to contact our argumentative essay writing service today! 

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a for and against essay about technology

Argumentative Essay on Technology

Technology influences every aspect of our lives. From the way we communicate to the way we work, the impact of technology is undeniable. Writing an argumentative essay about technology offers an opportunity to explore and dissect this multifaceted subject. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the steps of creating an impactful argumentative essay on technology. 

Argumentative Essay on Technology

Let’s try to grasp the fundamentals of this type of essay.

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires you to take a stance on a particular topic, provide evidence to support your position, and refute counterarguments. It aims to persuade the reader to adopt your point of view.

Choosing a Topic | Argumentative Essay on Technology

Selecting the right topic is the first step in creating a compelling argumentative essay. When it comes to technology, there are numerous subjects to explore:

  • Privacy Concerns in the Digital Age: Discuss the implications of surveillance and data collection in the modern world.
  • Impact of Social Media: Analyze the effects of social media on individuals and society.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Automation: Delve into the benefits and drawbacks of AI and automation in the workplace.
  • Digital Divide: Explore the disparities in technology access and its consequences.
  • Cybersecurity: Investigate the importance of safeguarding data and personal information in the digital realm.

The Essay Structure | Argumentative Essay on Technology

To present your arguments effectively, you must follow a well-structured essay format. Here’s a classic structure that works for most argumentative essays:

1. Introduction

The introduction is your opportunity to grab the reader’s attention. Start with a compelling hook related to technology and state the issue you’ll be discussing. Provide some context and background information, and conclude with a clear thesis statement that outlines your stance on the topic.

Buy 119+ Effective Business Letter Samples here.

The body of your essay is where you present your arguments and evidence. Divide this section into several paragraphs, each focusing on a single point. Remember to use topic sentences to guide the reader through your essay. Let’s take the example of discussing the impact of social media on society:

  • Paragraph 1: Social Media and Communication   Discuss how social media has revolutionized communication and connection among people.
  • Paragraph 2: The Influence on Mental Health Explore the potential negative effects of excessive social media use on mental well-being.
  • Paragraph 3: Fake News and Misinformation Address the issue of misinformation and its impact on society through social media.
  • Paragraph 4: Privacy Concerns Discuss the privacy implications of sharing personal information on social media platforms.
  • Paragraph 5: The Power of Social Media in Activism   Highlight the positive aspects, such as its role in social and political movements.

3. Counterarguments and Refutation 

To strengthen your essay, acknowledge opposing viewpoints and provide a counterargument. After presenting the counterargument, offer a compelling refutation to demonstrate the weaknesses in the opposing view.

4. Conclusion

Summarize your main points, restate your thesis, and leave the reader with a compelling closing thought. Encourage them to think critically about the topic.

Evidence and Support | Argumentative Essay on Technology

To make your argument persuasive, you need strong evidence and support for each point you make. Here are some ways to gather evidence:

  • Statistics: Utilize relevant statistics to back up your claims. For instance, if you’re discussing the impact of social media, you can cite statistics on the number of people using social platforms or the time spent on them.
  • Expert Opinions: Quote experts and scholars in the field to lend credibility to your arguments. Their insights can provide valuable support for your claims.
  • Anecdotes and Examples: Share real-life stories or examples that illustrate the points you’re making. Personal anecdotes can make your essay more relatable to the reader.
  • Research Studies: Incorporate findings from reputable research studies. These studies can offer in-depth analysis and provide a solid foundation for your arguments.

Addressing Counterarguments

To create a well-rounded argument, it’s crucial to address counterarguments. Anticipate what the opposition might say and offer a counterpoint. For example, when discussing social media’s positive impact on activism, acknowledge that some critics argue it can be a source of division. Then, provide evidence to refute this perspective.

Revise and Edit

Writing is a process, and revision is an integral part of it. After completing your initial draft, take the time to revise and edit your essay. Look for clarity, coherence, and ensure that your arguments flow logically. Pay attention to grammar and style to present a polished final product.

To Remember

Writing an argumentative essay about technology needs knowledge on essay structure and deep understanding about the topic. By following the structure, providing strong evidence, addressing counterarguments, and revising diligently, you can craft a compelling essay that engages readers and leaves a lasting impact. 

As technology continues to shape our world, the need for thoughtful discourse on its effects and implications becomes increasingly important. Your argumentative essay can contribute to this ongoing conversation, shedding light on the complexities of technology in the modern age.

Argumentative Essay on Technology Example

In today’s rapidly evolving world, technology plays an extremely important role. It has become an integral part of our lives, reshaping how we work, communicate, and live. Nobody can free themselves from the influence of this. The role of technology is really indispensable for three key reasons: facilitation of communication, efficiency and automation in business, and advancement in health care and research.

One of the most significant advantages of technology is its role in enhancing communication and connectivity. The rise of the internet and smartphones has revolutionized how people interact. Instant messaging, social media platforms, and video conferencing enable people from different corners of the world to stay connected effortlessly. This is particularly important for businesses that can now collaborate with partners and clients globally. In online retail business, technology, specially information technology, has made online malls increase their business transaction significantly. For example: Tokopedia made a huge number of transaction in 2019 which was around US $ 1,3 billion. Moreover, technology has brought distant family members closer and allowed friends to maintain their relationships across borders. In a world that increasingly values global connections, technology has proven to be indispensable.

Efficiency and Automation in Business Technology has vastly improved business operations and efficiency. The automation of tasks that once required substantial human effort has not only reduced labor costs but also minimized errors. For example, manufacturing industries now use robotic systems for repetitive tasks, increasing precision and output. In the service sector, customer relationship management software streamlines operations, providing valuable insights and enhancing customer satisfaction. This efficiency boosts profitability and competitiveness, making technology an essential element of modern business.

The importance of technology extends to the field of healthcare and research. Medical technology has saved countless lives through advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. From cutting-edge surgical robots to telemedicine services, technology has improved the accessibility and quality of healthcare. Additionally, technology aids in scientific research by enabling complex simulations, data analysis, and collaboration among researchers worldwide. Without it, we would not have made groundbreaking discoveries or developed life-saving treatments. Technology, therefore, plays a pivotal role in improving the quality of human life.

At some points, we know that technology has negative consequences, such as privacy concerns, job displacement, and over-dependence. While these concerns are valid, they do not negate the overall importance of technology. Instead, they highlight the need for responsible and ethical use of technology. For instance, privacy concerns can be addressed through regulations and user education. Job displacement, while real in some sectors, is often counterbalanced by new opportunities created by technology. Over-dependence on technology can be mitigated through fostering digital literacy and promoting a balanced lifestyle. In essence, these challenges do not diminish the fundamental significance of technology but emphasize the necessity of responsible integration.

To sum up, technology is undeniably important in our modern world. It enhances communication, boosts efficiency in business, and contributes to advancements in healthcare and research. While concerns exist, they can be addressed responsibly. Embracing technology and harnessing its potential is not only inevitable but also essential for our continued progress and well-being in the 21st century. Can you live your life without technology?

See also short argumentative essay sample for middle school here.

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4 Arguments Against Technology

  • Kevin Kelly

I believe we have a moral obligation to increase the power and presence of technology in the world, but not everyone believes that — to put it mildly. Many believe the opposite: that we have a moral obligation to reduce the power and presence of technology. I want to fully understand those arguments so I […]

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I believe we have a moral obligation to increase the power and presence of technology in the world, but not everyone believes that — to put it mildly. Many believe the opposite: that we have a moral obligation to reduce the power and presence of technology. I want to fully understand those arguments so I am collecting them in order to confront them as well as I can. I am interested in valid reasons to diminish technology, but also in mythical reasons as well. Things people believe about the technium which may not be true, but motivate them. Here is my first cut. Please comment on alternative reasons I missed.

a for and against essay about technology

  • KK Kevin Kelly is Senior Maverick at Wired magazine. He authored the best-selling New Rules for the New Economy and the classic book on decentralized emergent systems, Out of Control .

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Argumentative Essay Writing

Argumentative Essay About Technology

Cathy A.

Strategies for Writing a Winning Argumentative Essay about Technology

12 min read

Published on: Mar 3, 2023

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

Argumentative essay about technology

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Share this article

Are you struggling to craft a compelling argumentative essay on a technology-related topic?

Looking for tips and techniques that will help you make the grade? If so, this blog post is for you!

 In it, we’ll cover the basics of constructing an effective argumentative essay about any type of technology. 

You'll discover strategies to build a strong thesis statement, support your ideas with facts, defend them against counterarguments, and write the paper. 

So whether it's artificial intelligence or robotics that interests you – let’s get started crafting your powerful argumentative essay!

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All About an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a type of writing that employs logic and evidence to prove an assertion about a topic.

It involves formulating your opinion on a topic and then defending your position through the use of facts, and other persuasive techniques. 

In other words, you are trying to convince the reader of your point of view

Argumentative essays are often assigned in school and college courses, so it's important to understand how to write them effectively.

Purpose of Writing an Argumentative Essay About Technology

When writing an argumentative essay about technology, it's important to consider the purpose of your essay.

What are you trying to prove or disprove? Are you discussing the impact of a particular type of technology on society, or attempting to explain how a certain piece of tech works? 

Understanding the goal of your paper will help you stay focused and make sure your argument is persuasive.

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay About Technology 

Writing an argumentative essay about technology can be one of the most interesting assignments you will ever have in school. 

In this blog, we will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to write an argumentative essay about technology. 

Do Your Research

The first step in writing an argumentative essay is to conduct research.

Research provides insight into both sides of the issue and helps you form your own opinion on the topic. 

Look for credible sources such as books, journals, newspapers, websites, and interviews with experts in the field to get information about technology. 

Make sure you are thorough in your research so that all sides of the issue are addressed. 

Pick a Suitable Title

After conducting your research, it’s time to pick a title for your essay.

Your title should be catchy yet straightforward– it should capture the reader’s attention while also accurately depicting what the essay is about. 

Brainstorm ideas for titles by looking at other topics related to technology.

 You can do so by considering potential arguments you could make in favor or against certain technologies.  

 Form an Outline

Once you have picked a title for your essay, it’s time to start outlining your thoughts and ideas into an organized structure. 

Begin by listing out your main points; these should be centered around whatever argument you are making about technology. 

From there, create sub-points under each main point that support or supplement it further. 

This will help keep things organized as you write your essay so that it flows logically from beginning to end.  

Check out this amazing blog on argumentative essay outline to craft perfect outlines.

Write an Introduction For Your Essay

After creating an outline for your essay, it’s time to begin writing with an introduction paragraph. 

The introduction should set up the main points of your argument and increase the reader’s interest in learning more about them. 

Start off with some background information on technology before transitioning into why this specific topic is important and relevant today. 

This part should grab readers’ attention right away so they want to continue reading through the rest of the paper! 

Write Body Paragraphs

Now comes arguably the most important part of any good argumentative essay – body paragraphs! 

Each body paragraph should contain one main point followed by supporting evidence that backs up this point.

Write an Engaging Conclusion

The conclusion is the last part of your essay and should be used to wrap up all of your main points. 

Start off summarizing the argument you have made throughout the body paragraphs by restating your thesis statement and its importance. 

You could also bring in potential implications for this topic or areas for further exploration/research.

Finally, end the paragraph with a strong statement that leaves an impression on readers and wraps your essay up nicely.  

By following these simple steps, you can easily craft an effective argumentative technology essay!  

Expert Examples Of Argumentative Essays About Technology 

In today’s world, technology has become an integral part of our lives. It is hard to imagine a day without the use of electronic devices and gadgets.

But, although technology can be incredibly helpful and beneficial in many ways, it can also have some serious drawbacks. 

That is why argumentative essays about technology offer us a great opportunity to explore the implications of technology in our lives.

CollegeEssay.org has some examples of argumentative essays about technology that you can use as a guide while writing your own essay. 

Argumentative Essay About Technology And Social Media

Argumentative Essay About Technology In Education

Argumentative Essay About Technology A Friend Or A Foe

Argumentative Essay About Technology Make Us Alone

Is Technology Good Or Bad Argumentative Essay

Check our extensive blog on argumentative essay examples to ace your next essay!

All About Writing a Research-Based Argumentative Essay About Technology

When writing a research-based argumentative essay about technology, it is important to consider the various ways in which technology has impacted our world. 

When writing a research-based argumentative essay about technology, it is important to take a balanced approach. 

You should consider both the positive and negative effects of technology before forming your opinion on the issue.

It is also important to back up your claims with data, research, and facts. 

Here are a few steps that you need to follow in order to write a research-based argumentative essay on technology.

Writing a Research-Based Argumentative Essay About Technology Pre-Writing Phase 

The pre-writing phase is the most important part of any essay-writing process. 

You need to take some time to brainstorm, research and gather information about your topic before you begin writing. 

Think about what arguments or points you want to make and write them down, as well as potential sources for evidence and support.

Brainstorm Ideas and Options

When you are ready to start writing your research-based argumentative essay about technology, begin by brainstorming ideas and opinions. 

Think about any advantages or disadvantages of technology that you want to explore in your essay.

Consider both the positive and negative aspects of technology and try to come up with persuasive arguments for each side.

Research Arguments

Once you have a clear idea of the arguments and points you want to make, it is time to delve into your research. 

Look for reliable sources that support your claims and provide evidence for them. 

Be sure to cite any sources used in the essay so that your readers can verify their accuracy.  

Pick a Catchy Title

Pick a title that captures the main points of your essay and gives the reader an indication of what it is about. 

The title should be short and to the point, but still creative enough to grab the reader’s attention. 

Form an Outline

Organize your ideas and arguments into an outline. This will make the process of writing much smoother and ensure that you stay on track with your points. 

Your essay should have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Writing A Research-Based Argumentative Essay About Technology Drafting

The drafting phase is when you begin to put your ideas and arguments into words. 

Be sure to include evidence, facts, and quotes from reliable sources in order to support your claims. 

As you write, remember to keep a consistent tone throughout the essay so that it flows well. 

When finished with the draft, go back and edit for accuracy, clarity, and grammar. 

Write an Introduction 

The introduction of your essay should provide an overview of the topic and set the tone for what you are going to discuss. 

Also, introduce any key terms or concepts that will be used throughout the essay and briefly explain them. 

The body of your essay should contain the main arguments and points that you want to make. Each point should have its own paragraph and be backed up with evidence, facts, and quotes from reliable sources. 

Be sure to clearly explain each argument in an organized manner so that the reader can easily understand it.  

Write a Conclusion

The conclusion of your essay should summarize the main points that you made in the body paragraphs and leave the reader with a strong impression. 

You can also include any final thoughts or recommendations on the issue at hand.

Proofreading & Editing

The last step in writing your research-based argumentative essay about technology is to proofread and edit it. 

This is essential as it ensures that all mistakes are corrected and the essay reads smoothly and clearly. 

Read through the essay thoroughly, paying close attention to grammar, syntax, punctuation, and spelling errors.  

You may also want to have someone else read your essay and provide feedback. This is a great way to catch any mistakes that you may have missed. 

Once you have finished proofreading and editing your essay, it is ready for submission. 

Example of a Research-Based Argumentative Essay About Technology

Here is an example of a research-based argumentative essay about technology






Good Argumentative Essay About Technology Topics

Here is a list of good argumentative essay topics about technology

  • Are Social Media Platforms Doing Enough to Protect Users’ Privacy? 
  • Should Smartphones Be Banned in Schools? 
  • Should Companies Be Allowed to Monitor Employees’ Online Activity? 
  • Does Technology Make Us More Productive? 
  • Do Video Games Have a Positive  Impact on Society? 
  • Is Technological Progress Making Us Lonelier? 
  • Are Smart Homes a Good Idea? 
  • Should We Regulate the Use of Artificial Intelligence? 
  • Do We Rely Too Much on Technology? 
  • Does Technology Make Life Easier or More Complicated? 
  • Should We Use Technology to Monitor the Safety of Our Children?

Check our comprehensive blog on argumentative essay topics to get more topic ideas!

You’ve now learned the basics of how to write an argumentative essay about technology.

By utilizing these tips, examples, and methodologies, you should be well on your way to writing a winning essay. 

Of course, if you find that you need a little extra help, our AI essay generator can assist you. 

With years of experience crafting standout essays for students just like you, our argumentative essay writing service will help you get the grade you deserve.

Contact our argumentative essay writer today to learn more about how our essay writing service online can help you write an outstanding essay!

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For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.

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20 Most Prominent Technology Essay Topics And Writing Hints

Benjamin Oaks

Table of Contents

a for and against essay about technology

So it goes without saying that the scope of technology is an endless sphere to examine. What’s more, as the topic is super wide, you can personalize your essay to make it enjoyable to work on.

Nevertheless, it may be a challenge for you to make up your mind on how and what to write about. In this case, I hope the following hints will be of great help to you!

How to choose a topic about technology for a research paper?

First of all, to write a technology essay , you need to come up with a topic that will not be too wide, yet not too narrow.

Also, remember that it will be much more entertaining and easier for you to work on the questions you actually enjoy.

If you have troubles composing the topic for your research paper, try some o the following guidelines:

  • Think of the aspects of technology you’re interested in.
  • Choose issues that are up-to-date and newsworthy .
  • Examine credible sources ; find out which questions are best covered with relevant information.
  • Write down some keywords for the remaining questions, – they will be the basis of the topic. In case you’ve got too many aspects to cover, try choosing 2-3 of them.
  • Try crafting a couple of topics . In case of emergency… find some ready-to-use ideas.
  • Look through your final ideas and pick the one you like most.
  • Do some preliminary research . Correct your topic if needed.

TOP 20 technology essay topics

Can’t come up with the idea for your perfect topic? How about choosing one from a brilliant list we’ve created for you?

  • To what extent technology has changed the way people communicate?
  • Pick up one technological invention (Internet/television/electro cars/mobile phones, etc.) and describe how it affected people’s lives.
  • History of technological progress: the first technological discoveries.
  • What would life be without modern technology?
  • Do technologies have more pros or cons? Why?
  • Is the Internet bringing people closer to each other or separating them?
  • Examine the role of technologies in your own life: to what extent you are dependent on them, can you give up using?
  • Think of the things we are losing with technological progress.
  • Choose one gadget and describe its pros and cons.
  • What technology awareness needs to be given to children nowadays?
  • Describe a new technology you consider the most prominent. Explain your choice.
  • The role of technology in globalization.
  • Technology and work: what are the advantages and disadvantages of technology in workplaces?
  • Imagine the future of technology: what life will be like in 20 years?
  • Human vs computer: who wins?
  • Reproduction technologies.
  • Health technologies that have changed the world.
  • Technology advance in genetic engineering.
  • Correlation between technological progress and human identity.
  • How has technology changed the rules of war?

Prominent topics about technology for writing

Didn’t like any of the topics above? Well, we’ve got Well, we’ve got another custom Writing list of technology topics. The following topics are more specific, but all of them are definitely thought-provoking.

  • The use of technology in education.
  • Stunning technology developed currently.
  • The most shocking modern technology inventions the majority of people still aren’t aware of.
  • Enumerate some technologies that you consider completely destructive and harmful. Explain your choice.
  • Technology and space studies.
  • The impact of technology on people’s health and values.
  • Can robots replace humans completely on the workplaces? Why?
  • Specific country and its contribution to the development of modern technology.
  • Technology and safety of transport.
  • Nanotechnologies and the scopes of their use.
  • The use of technologies in medicine.
  • Which technologies may influence people’s mental health? How?
  • Technologies that have changed our lives.
  • Do technologies have a positive or negative effect on personal safety?
  • Does modern technology help improve the educational process?

Writing about technology: the what and the why

After you’ve chosen the topic, it’s a perfect time to start working on it.

Remember… To write a successful essay or a research paper on technology, you need to organize it all well.

This means you need a plan! Here are some hints for a perfect structure:

  • Search for relevant information . You have to rely on credible sources to have up-to-date and newsworthy data. Remember that some websites may contain fakes!
  • Note some crucial aspects of your question. Later you may use them as ideas to highlight.
  • Start writing. To make it easier to cope with a lot of information you now encounter, you’d need to craft an outline . Write down a table of contents for your essay, it will be your soil to push off.
  • Start with the introduction to give the reader some understanding of the issue. Here you include some background information on the topic, historical aspect, or some definitions if needed.
  • Write the main body . Mention all your statements and support them with decent evidence. Remember that the main body should be split into paragraphs to make it readable. As a rule, one paragraph is for one idea or statement.
  • End up with a conclusion – an inference of everything said before. It has to be laconic and logical. New ideas aren’t needed here.
  • After you’ve written the paper, you may want to check it for grammar and typos . There are lots of websites and programs for this purpose. Even better, leave it for a couple of days and give it a fresh look.

The use of a technology essay example

To reassure you that writing a technology essay isn’t the end of the world, here is a free sample of the essay. It fits all the general recommendations, but you should always keep in mind that your teacher may have own vision on how the essay should be completed!

Still, it’s always great to grab some ideas!

Overall, writing an essay on technology is an incredibly valuable experience. Moreover, the topic is so wide; you most definitely will find something interesting to talk about!

Stick to the structure and don’t hesitate to discover something very specific. Technology is getting more and more stunning every day!

No time to complete your brilliant copy? We’ve got a bunch of writers, who’d be more than happy to write it for you! Any topic, tightest deadline, complete confidentiality. Hit the button to learn more.

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Good Argumentative Essays topics on Technology [+ Essay Prompts]

Bob cardens.

  • July 31, 2022
  • Essay Topics and Ideas , Nursing

To be effective, the Argumentative Essay topics on Technology must be well-organized and must include elements such as an introduction, clear arguments, a strong conclusion, and potentially a call to action. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at some of the following Argumentative Essays topics on Technology:

What You'll Learn

Argumentative Essays Technology Topics Ideas

  • Is Bitcoin the future of financial transactions?
  • Is technology making us more alone?
  • Is technology responsible for the rise of mental problems like Depression?
  • Has technology made us weak and over-dependent on it?
  • Is social media really connecting the people?
  • Will artificial intelligence take over human intelligence in the coming 30 years?
  • Are online classes, The future of classrooms
  • Will Technology lead to the extinction of the human race?
  • Is technology killing our own creativity?
  • Will robotic technologies take over millions of jobs
  • Has technology made more harm than Good? Technology Argumentative Topics
  • Can Technology make man immortal ?

Delegate your Paper to an Expert

Great Argumentative Essays topics on Technology

  • Pros and Cons of electric cars.
  • How reusable rockets will change space exploration technology.
  • How technological advancements are responsible for climate change.
  • Effects of technology in education.
  • Cryptocurrencies are better than conventional banking systems, Agree or Disagree.
  • Role of technology on mental health .
  • How social media has impacted human relationships.
  • How 5G technology will change our world.
  • Is blockchain, the next revolutionary technology after the internet?
  • Benefits of Nanotechnology in health care
  • Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy.
  • How social media algorithms are making us addicted to it

You can also check out 150+ Top-Notch Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

Argumentative Essay topics Technology

  • Advantages of Technology essay.
  • Disadvantages of Technology essay.
  • Will robotics technology ever be equal to human intelligence?
  • Role of technology in depletion of natural resources.
  • How has technology helped in food production?
  • How has technology shaped modern human civilization?
  • How technology has strengthened the healthcare system
  • How technology helped in the efficient utilization of natural resources.
  • How has technology connected people?
  • Role of technology in the spread of democracy and equality

Simply having an opinion and some facts about your topic is not enough – you need to use your critical thinking skills to structure your argument in a way that will persuade your audience to see things your way.

Argumentative Essay About Technology In Education

Education and Technology: Why Technology is Good or Bad for Children? Essay Prompt: Why technology is good or bad for children? How important is technology in education for K-12? How should technology be used in the classroom for K-12?

Benefits and Future Trends in Technology Essay Prompt: What technology do you find most beneficial to use in your work or school setting? Least beneficial? Why do you find this tool useful or not? Then, using your imagination, look to the future and think about how this tool could be enhanced even further….

Education and the use of Technology Education – Admission Essay Essay Prompt: Over the years, new technological innovations have come up that have been crucial in the improvements in modern education. Specifically, the education sector has gained tremendously from digital media and technology (Kusumawati, 2019). Argumentative Essays topics on Technology

Write about how Technology and digital media has impacted modern education.

Issues Associated with the Process of Selection and Implementation of New Technology Essay Prompt: Technology is revolutionizing every single day. New and modified types are launched now and then. And it is essential for facilities and, in this case, health centers to stay up to date with new technology. However, the introduction of new technology may face a lot of challenges.

Impact of Wireless Technology Devices in Schools. Education Essay Essay Prompt: Over the last fifty years, mankind has witnessed a rapid evolution and advancement of communication technology that if presented to a resident of another time, say, the 18th century, they would incredulously label it as magic.

Argumentative Essay on Mobile Technology in Classrooms. Essay Prompt: Mobile phones nowadays are part of the norm of society. It has various uses that apply to daily activities, both for work and leisure. But using mobile phones has been a longstanding issue without any standard regulation as to whether it should be allowed when students are inside their classrooms.

Read more on Great Argumentative Essay Topics On Domestic Violence with Prompts

Technology Essay Topics with Prompts

  • can humankind survive without Technology? Would humans, without Technology, remain a higher life form? Essay Prompt: Technology has transformed society, with both positive and negative impacts. A simple observation of people will affirm that they are wholly dependent on technology for their day-to-day life.
  • Application of Digital Technology to Social Research Essay Prompt: The application of digital technology to social research is quickly evolving, deliberative, and reflective field. The utilization of Internet technologies and tools as research goals, tools, and policies for studying and developing creative methodological practices is at the heart of this development.
  • Applications and Benefits of Blockchain Technology. Argumentative Essays topics on Technology Essay Prompt: Blockchain is the technology that is commonly used in enabling the existence of cryptocurrency. On the other hand, Bitcoin is the best-known cryptocurrency that led to the invention of blockchain technology.
  • The Technological Future I want to see Essay Prompt: We all witnessed how technology gradually alleviated the means of our living. Moreover, its development paved the way for making life easier, increasing work efficiency, and enhancing our quality of life.
  • Harms and Benefits of Privacy, Whistle Blowing, and Winner-take-all Society Essay Prompt: In the 21st century, scholars have raised questions touching on the ethical use of technology, especially concerning privacy. Despite a constant outcry emanating from privacy violations, stakeholders have done little to address the concerns.
  • Accounting Essay Assignment. Effect of Changing Information Technology to Accounting Culture Essay Prompt: In the current economic world, the most critical issue is the changing nature of accounting practice driven by the adoption of information technology. This has made several accounting processes become obsolete and that creates a demand for a working current situation.
  • Technology Experimentation. Technology Essay. Essay Prompt: The incorporation of new technology into a company’s business processes is certainly an unavoidable necessity in order to keep up with the ever-changing business environment.
  • Using technology and protecting patient information and confidentiality.
  • Technology is not as inevitable as it sounds
  • The Usage of Technology in Today’s Society. Social Sciences Essay Essay Prompt: Today’s society cannot deny the impact and influence that technology has brought. With advancement, there are new or increased influences on how individuals go about activities. Some impacts may be short term, others are long term. So much change in the world is tied and based on technological advancement…
  • Surveillance and Privacy Concerns in Counter-terrorism Essay Prompt: To fight terrorism, various strategies have been employed by those protecting states and the world at large. Surveillance is one of the main strategies adopted in counter-terrorism warfare.
  • Becoming too Dependent on Technology – ( Argumentative Essays topics on Technology) Essay Prompt: Are human beings becoming too dependent on technology? Choose a side and defend your thesis.
  • Impact Of Technology Proliferation In The World Today Essay Prompt: This essay analyses some of the common impacts of the technology proliferation in the world today. Technology growth and changes that have been observed in the world today cannot be ignored as they are occurring exponentially. (Argumentative Essays topics on Technology)
  • How Technology Shapes Up People’s Identity Essay Prompt: The technology significantly shapes people’s identities. As individuals from different parts of the world embrace it, they tend to forget their cultural beliefs and social norms. In particular, technology influences the way people express themselves in society. Moreover, it affects individuals’ learning.
  • Cutting-Edge Research and Technology” Engineering Essay Essay Prompt: Immunotherapy is a form of cancer medication mechanism that strengthens the general defense mechanism of the body to fight cancer. Immunotherapy, also called biological therapy uses substances of the body or from laboratory to boost the immune system. The process works by either slowing. (Argumentative Essay topics on Technology)
  • The Social Construction of Reality Essay Prompt: Perhaps the new technology era will be advantageous to the research subject. Ethnography is the study of social experiences via storytelling, and it can benefit from the use of technology. Technological advancements in the digital realm have the potential to expand ethnography’s scope.
  • Black Mirror Response: Technology, Communication and the Future Essay Prompt: How does technology enhance or detract from personal communication? Does technology warp our sense of reality? Is our concept of reality changing because of technology?
  • Using Technology in Healthcare Information System and Big Data Essay Prompt: Technology continues to have a significant impact in the world today. Almost every function of daily life has become digitalized. The result has been eased operations, cost efficiencies, and saved time. In healthcare, technology has been the driving force behind several improvements. (Argumentative Essays topics on Technology)
  • Overdependence on Technology Hurts Family Values Essay Prompt: The advanced technology plays a significant role in today’s community owing to its various applications towards making it easier for people to carry out their daily life activities. Daily chores such as cleaning of houses, laundry, as well as cleaning of utensils can be done using machines and other forms of…
  • How does Technology affect your communication
  • Technology and Insights Leading to Innovation Essay Prompt: The modern world is ever-changing; new technologies and inventions are changing the way people conduct business worldwide.
  • “The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child” and “Is the Internet hurting children?” Essay Prompt: According to this post, children nowadays are perceived to rely heavily on technology as a substitute for their play, resulting in limited creativity and imagination.
  • Information Technology in Criminal Justice. Law Essay Essay Prompt: Identification is key in law enforcement and criminal justice. For many law officers and justice administrators, data is central to effective law enforcement and administration of justice….
  • Impact of Technology in Healthcare Essay Prompt: In the modern-day world, technology plays a critical role in everyday life. This has prompted players in different sectors of the economy to adopt technology in their industries. The result has been an improvement in the quality of goods and services produced. Within the healthcare industry, technology has ( Argumentative Essay topics on Technology )
  • End of Life Issue and Technology Essay Prompt: Perhaps the hardest decision for someone to make in life is to decide whether to let someone die or let it live forever paralyze with the help of technology. With the help of technology this day, many medical problems have been solved, while some others can be easily cured with the use of technology….
  • Technology essay on Traditional and Virtual Organizations Essay Prompt: Banks and airlines are just two examples of traditional organizations dependent on technology. Are these organizations different from virtual organizations?
  • Technology Against Humanity Technology Essay Essay Prompt: It is no doubt that technology has brought about convenience and efficiency to almost every aspect of humans’ daily lives. Researchers argue that new technologies, particularly the industry 4.0 technologies with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) at the forefront, have the potential of attacking humanity.
  • Adoption of New Technology Systems Essay Prompt: Even though technology adoption can improve productivity in the workplace, there is a need for the technology to be well suited for workplace settings.
  • The Concept of Green Technology Essay Prompt: The article shows how Green technology has evolved. The concept of green technology evolved in the 1970s when the social-ecological movement started in industrialized nations. The authors in the article acknowledge GT as a technology that will be applied in diminishing the negative impact.
  • How Digitization of Healthcare Records Helps Improve EBP Projects Essay Prompt: Over the recent past, there has been a continued utilization of technology in various sectors of the healthcare industry in efforts to promote the provision of cost-effective and quality care. Technology has been an integral part in the successful implementation of many healthcare projects either through.
  • Technology Development in Healthcare Essay Prompt: Due to technology development, nurses must not only know how to take care of patients but also learn how to use technology appropriately and safely in their daily routines. In my assignment, I will discuss computer technology, which is one of the most common applications that is being used in nursing.
  • Storage Technology: Rising Demand For More Storage Essay Prompt: In a move to reform the industry relative to storage technology, Intel is planning a release of new oblong shaped solid state drives that will take on a small form factor.
  • The Assistive Technology for Elderlies and its Various Applications Essay Prompt: The new assistive technology and the elderly may not seem to get along, so it becomes the responsibility of a healthcare professional to introduce the elderly to the assistive technology he is going to use to serve them better. The easiest and quickest way to let them know how to use the assistive…
  • Citizen Participation through Technology Essay Prompt: The article by Kakande (2019) explains that citizens can utilize technology to encourage citizen involvement by using systems that allow people to reach and engage their political leaders or register to participate in diverse civic duties that impact their society. (Argumentative Essay topics on Technology)
  • Social Media and Real Life: An Analysis Essay Prompt: The rapid advancement of technology significantly affects how people communicate in different parts of the world. Technology has facilitated bloggers who are individuals who inform others using social networking platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, or websites.
  • Technology implementation in curbing depression. Technology Essay Essay Prompt: In most cases, people have only understood depression as a mental disorder affecting the physical functioning and also the general well-being of a person.
  • How Technology Is Used to Gather Patient Information Coursework (Argumentative Essay topics on Technology) Essay Prompt: Technology has helped improve health care outcomes and practices significantly. The use of various technological innovations such as data mining helps health practitioners gather health patterns to predict certain diseases in the future. Currently, many organizations depend on technology.
  • Political Economy: Machines Taking Away Our Jobs Essay Prompt: Continued developments in technology in the manufacture of machines could pose a looming threat to the employment of a significant percentage of the population.

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Technology Argumentative Essay Topics: 25+ Ideas for Inspiration

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by  Antony W

April 20, 2023

technology argumentative essay topics

The evolution of technology is no longer a theory because there are far too many developments that would have been otherwise impossible if technology wasn’t really a thing.

In fact, advancements in technology has brought forth changes in the way we learn, how we do business, the way we access information, and the way we communicate and interact.

When it comes to writing an argumentative essay on technology, there are so many topics that you can explore depending on your area of interest.

In this article, we outline 20+ technology argumentative essay topics that you can explore in your next essay assignment.

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

The following are some of the best topics to consider if your instructor has asked you to work on a technology argumentative essay.

Argumentative Essay Topics on the Development of Technology

  • The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will harm people
  • Should the government impose legal control over the development of technology?
  • Should we allow cloning in technology?
  • Will the development in technology give birth to a Technological Brave New World?
  • Should we support the move by states to invest in the development of war and weapons technologies?
  • We should not allow genetic engineering
  • Will the internet become obsolete one day?
  • Should the government invest in space studies?

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Technology Argumentative Essay Topics on Medicine

  • Should we encourage scientists to experiment with genetic engineering solely for medical purposes?
  • Does technology play a significant role in modern medicine?
  • Are health and fitness equipment companies worth it?
  • Will computers kick doctors out of their jobs some day?
  • Should the medical industry invest in cognitive computing?
  • Should the government invest in practical research projects to provide medical assistance to individuals?
  • Should medical tests be limited to animals?
  • Should we exempt human from critical clinical trials?
  • Can parents control undesirable genetics of their unborn children?
  • Do smartphones cause brain cancer?
  • Does the use of wearable technology boot healthy living?

Also Read: Medical Argumentative Essay Topics

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics on Social Media

  • Should an individual take legal action for hate speech on social media?
  • Has social media technology impoverished people’s social lives?
  • The government should limit the use of social media during political rallies and elections
  • Should companies care about potential employees’ social media profiles in the recruiting and hiring process?
  • Do social media cause moral decay among college students?
  • Should the free speech rule apply when creating posts and commenting on social media posts?
  • Can teenagers in college and kids in high school have their own social media account?
  • Should cops and intelligence have access to social media profiles during their investigation?
  • Do social media companies uphold the privacy of their users?
  • Has social media has a negative effect on interpersonal relationships and real-life social interactions?
  • Should we discourage children and adolescent from using social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp?
  • Should social media companies develop new policies to enhance data privacy of their registered user?
  • Has Instagram contributed to low self-esteem among teenagers?
  • Should parents discourage children from making new friends on social media?
  • It’s inappropriate for teachers and students to befriend each other on social media

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics on Social Life

  • Will emails, online chats, and smartphones replace face-to-face communication?
  • Is it legal to use a smartphone while driving a car?
  • Are humans too dependent on technology?
  • Kids who play video games are smarter in class than those who don’t
  • Do smartphones make people depend on each other?
  • Does modern technology make human beings helpless in the event of a crisis?
  • Has social media affected the way young people find and build relationships in real life?
  • Do parents have the obligation to determine how long their children use the internet on a day-to-day basis?
  • Can technology improve the quality of an individual’s life?
  • Do violent video games teach children and adult to behave more violently?
  • Can technological innovation help humans to live longer?
  • Is the use of microchips the best way to protect human identity?

Also Read: 35+ Argumentative Essay Topics on Multiple Subjects

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics on Education

  • Will traditional books disappear?
  • Should teachers allow students to bring laptops and tablets to classes?
  • Students should not be allowed to use social in school
  • Should teachers encourage the use of video games in school?
  • Does online education make students lazy?
  • Is listening to audio books better than reading a textbook?
  • Will online education replace traditional learning as online technology continues to develop?
  • Are online education platforms more effective than traditional libraries?
  • Is 3D printing more reliable than Computer Aided Design software at producing models?
  • Are online classes better that traditional brick and motor learning?
  • Can we blame smartphone technology for the high rate of spelling mistakes among young people in schools?
  • Should learning institutions invest in online proctoring to monitor students during online examination?
  • Can a reliance on technology help to solve the education problems faced by institutions of higher learning?
  • Does the integration of technology in classroom sessions help to improve the learning process?
  • Should education institutions take part in the regulation of cyberbullying?
  • Is online education compatible with traditional education?

Also Read: Social Media Argumentative Essay Topics

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics on Human Interactions

  • The increased use in technology makes people dumber
  • Does overreliance on technology make people lazy or too dependent on it?
  • Using technology to solve one human problem only creates another problem
  • Should we campaign for worldwide accessibility to technology to boost human interaction?
  • Has social media really made the world a small global village?
  • Should parents have control over what content children can access on the internet?
  • Should the government ban the use of social networking sites in college and universities?

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Technology and Society: Advantages and Disadvantages Research Paper

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Disadvantages.

Technology is becoming an integral part of economies and private lives worldwide. Hardly can individuals, communities, and nations, especially developed ones, can carry their daily lives without making use of certain high-performance technologies (Byrnie, 2008, p. 256). This increased adaptation has affected societies in many different ways, most of which are beneficial and others that are harmful to the very societies that benefited from global technological advancements.

To caution individuals and communities against any bad use that could result to harm, it is vital for societies, especially the leadership to consider regulating the use of technologies. This is the only way to ensure that technological advancements are used to only foster progress and not cause harm to the users. As a contribution to the debate, this essay will focus on the advantages of technology and several disadvantages that should be addressed by authorities or industrial organizations. A subsequent section of the paper shall reiterate several important points.

The advancement in communication technologies has provided many people in the world with the ability to communicate with their peers worldwide. Indeed, communication technology has succeeded in opening up regions that had completely been locked from the rest of the world (Welfens, 1999, p 198). The entry of internet technology is the one that has helped communications to improve dramatically. This is because of the ease of using the technology and the little cost faced by users. Technology has also helped in alleviating millions of people from poverty. For instance, the outsourcing industry in Asia, especially India has resulted in millions of job opportunities for individuals who would otherwise be destitute or working in lesser-paying jobs.

Because of the Internet, companies in the Western world have been able to concentrate on processes that are in line with their keys strengths while outsourcing other services to companies based in other countries (Brudenall, 2005, p. 188). The internet and communication technology have made it possible for people all over the world to increase trade with each other, a situation that is benefiting all people equally. For instance, websites like eBay and Amazon have created portals where consumers can order goods from virtually most developed nations. For instance, a student in the United States can buy textbooks at a cheaper price from the seller in places like Hong Kong. This is an opportunity that was not experienced by people just a decade ago.

Other sites like PayPal have enabled individuals to establish virtual accounts that can be used in many trading all over the world. With such an account, individuals do not have to fear using their credit and debit cards in online shopping, all because technology has made it possible.

In the medical field, technological breakthroughs have made it possible to cure diseases that were historically considered incurable (Satava, 1995, p. 459). In addition, the ever-improvising medical technological research is leading to a position where diseases that are currently considered incurable would be brought under control. Stem cell research will for instance make it possible to cure diseases like Parkinson’s disease that is currently not well under control.

The use of the Internet in trading has necessitated the creation of large databases that are used to save private information. Having private information for hundreds of millions of online traders has increased identity theft, which refers to stealing other individuals’ private information for the sole purpose of using it to access finances or back credits (FTC, 2005 p. 4). Identity theft has indeed increased in the past few years the internet has become a central trading tool. Despite the benefits that accrue from the use of the internet in shopping and accessing private and financial data, users end up exposing themselves to identity theft crimes. The wealth of information available on the internet has been used for good causes.

Indeed, people have been learning a lot of new ideas from the web, which is becoming the biggest source of information for all individual and societal needs. However, there also exists information that can be used to cause harm to society. For instance, it is possible to get data on how to make dangerous bombs that can be used to cause serious harm to humanity. In addition, all the materials needed in the process can be bought over the Internet without raising any eyebrows from sellers and authorities.

Owing to the harm that could be caused to society by people with wrong intentions, society must employ preventative measures. This can be done at the legislative level or through trade organizations. Government should be at the forefront of enacting proper usage policies to be adopted by people in relevant communities. Regarding trade organizations, each industry that uses technology that could easily be applied in harmful activities must come up with regulations for proper usage and restricted access. In addition, community members should be obliged to help with the implementation of such policies. The collaboration of those three stakeholders would go a far way into guaranteeing proper usage of technology for the benefit of all mankind.

Brudenall, P. 2005. Outsourcing and Technology .

Byrnie, M. 2008. High on Technology . New York, Routledge.

Federal Trade Commission, 2004. Identity Theft. Washington, DC, FTC.

Satava, R. 1995. Interactive Technology in American Healthcare. IOS.

Welfens, P. 1999. Globalization and Innovation Dynamics . Boston, Springer.

  • Causes and Effects of the Decline of Letter Writing
  • IT Influence on Business, Core Business Benefits From IT
  • Definition, Benefits and Legislations on Human Cloning
  • Cyber Theft and Its Consequences
  • Attitudes Related to Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide Among Terminally Ill Patients
  • Technology and Engineering in Current Business Scenario
  • Internet Is Considered a Disruptive Not a Revolutionary Technology
  • Internet Drawbacks Upon Youth
  • How Digital Technology Revolutionized Television News
  • The Impact of Digital Image Technology on Art History
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, October 4). Technology and Society: Advantages and Disadvantages. https://ivypanda.com/essays/technology-and-society-advantages-and-disadvantages/

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B2 First Exam Preparation

Topic: Technology

Technology is a huge part of everyones lives nowadays so candidates should practice talking about technology that they use, the benefits and also negative effects of technology. Although this topic can appear in the reading, use of English and listening it most commonly comes up in the speaking and writing papers.

closeup photo of turned-on blue and white laptop computer

The Internet

Practice for part 1 of the writing paper in the B2 First exam with this sample essay question about the… read more

a for and against essay about technology

What is Bitcoin?

Take this sample exam for Part 3 of the Reading and Use of English paper about Bitcoin. Part 3 requires… read more

person using both laptop and smartphone

The Influence of Social Media

Practice this exam style question for part one of the writing paper. This question is all about social media, which… read more

Stanford University

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Listen to the essay, as read by Antero Garcia, associate professor in the Graduate School of Education.

As a professor of education and a former public school teacher, I’ve seen digital tools change lives in schools.

I’ve documented the ways mobile technology like phones can transform student engagement in my own classroom.

I’ve explored how digital tools might network powerful civic learning and dialogue for classrooms across the country – elements of education that are crucial for sustaining our democracy today.

And, like everyone, I’ve witnessed digital technologies make schooling safer in the midst of a global pandemic. Zoom and Google Classroom, for instance, allowed many students to attend classrooms virtually during a period when it was not feasible to meet in person.

So I want to tell you that I think technologies are changing education for the better and that we need to invest more in them – but I just can’t.

Given the substantial amount of scholarly time I’ve invested in documenting the life-changing possibilities of digital technologies, it gives me no pleasure to suggest that these tools might be slowly poisoning us. Despite their purported and transformational value, I’ve been wondering if our investment in educational technology might in fact be making our schools worse.

Let me explain.

When I was a classroom teacher, I loved relying on the latest tools to create impressive and immersive experiences for my students. We would utilize technology to create class films, produce social media profiles for the Janie Crawfords, the Holden Caulfields, and other literary characters we studied, and find playful ways to digitally share our understanding of the ideas we studied in our classrooms.

As a teacher, technology was a way to build on students’ interests in pop culture and the world around them. This was exciting to me.

But I’ve continued to understand that the aspects of technology I loved weren’t actually about technology at all – they were about creating authentic learning experiences with young people. At the heart of these digital explorations were my relationships with students and the trust we built together.

“Part of why I’ve grown so skeptical about this current digital revolution is because of how these tools reshape students’ bodies and their relation to the world around them.”

I do see promise in the suite of digital tools that are available in classrooms today. But my research focus on platforms – digital spaces like Amazon, Netflix, and Google that reshape how users interact in online environments – suggests that when we focus on the trees of individual tools, we ignore the larger forest of social and cognitive challenges.

Most people encounter platforms every day in their online social lives. From the few online retail stores where we buy groceries to the small handful of sites that stream our favorite shows and media content, platforms have narrowed how we use the internet today to a small collection of Silicon Valley behemoths. Our social media activities, too, are limited to one or two sites where we check on the updates, photos, and looped videos of friends and loved ones.

These platforms restrict our online and offline lives to a relatively small number of companies and spaces – we communicate with a finite set of tools and consume a set of media that is often algorithmically suggested. This centralization of internet – a trend decades in the making – makes me very uneasy.

From willfully hiding the negative effects of social media use for vulnerable populations to creating tools that reinforce racial bias, today’s platforms are causing harm and sowing disinformation for young people and adults alike. The deluge of difficult ethical and pedagogical questions around these tools are not being broached in any meaningful way in schools – even adults aren’t sure how to manage their online lives.

You might ask, “What does this have to do with education?” Platforms are also a large part of how modern schools operate. From classroom management software to attendance tracking to the online tools that allowed students to meet safely during the pandemic, platforms guide nearly every student interaction in schools today. But districts are utilizing these tools without considering the wider spectrum of changes that they have incurred alongside them.

Antero Garcia, associate professor of education (Image credit: Courtesy Antero Garcia)

For example, it might seem helpful for a school to use a management tool like Classroom Dojo (a digital platform that can offer parents ways to interact with and receive updates from their family’s teacher) or software that tracks student reading and development like Accelerated Reader for day-to-day needs. However, these tools limit what assessment looks like and penalize students based on flawed interpretations of learning.

Another problem with platforms is that they, by necessity, amass large swaths of data. Myriad forms of educational technology exist – from virtual reality headsets to e-readers to the small sensors on student ID cards that can track when students enter schools. And all of this student data is being funneled out of schools and into the virtual black boxes of company databases.

Part of why I’ve grown so skeptical about this current digital revolution is because of how these tools reshape students’ bodies and their relation to the world around them. Young people are not viewed as complete human beings but as boxes checked for attendance, for meeting academic progress metrics, or for confirming their location within a school building. Nearly every action that students perform in schools – whether it’s logging onto devices, accessing buildings, or sharing content through their private online lives – is noticed and recorded. Children in schools have become disembodied from their minds and their hearts. Thus, one of the greatest and implicit lessons that kids learn in schools today is that they must sacrifice their privacy in order to participate in conventional, civic society.

The pandemic has only made the situation worse. At its beginnings, some schools relied on software to track students’ eye movements, ostensibly ensuring that kids were paying attention to the tasks at hand. Similarly, many schools required students to keep their cameras on during class time for similar purposes. These might be seen as in the best interests of students and their academic growth, but such practices are part of a larger (and usually more invisible) process of normalizing surveillance in the lives of youth today.

I am not suggesting that we completely reject all of the tools at our disposal – but I am urging for more caution. Even the seemingly benign resources we might use in our classrooms today come with tradeoffs. Every Wi-Fi-connected, “smart” device utilized in schools is an investment in time, money, and expertise in technology over teachers and the teaching profession.

Our focus on fixing or saving schools via digital tools assumes that the benefits and convenience that these invisible platforms offer are worth it.

But my ongoing exploration of how platforms reduce students to quantifiable data suggests that we are removing the innovation and imagination of students and teachers in the process.

Antero Garcia is associate professor of education in the Graduate School of Education .

In Their Own Words is a collaboration between the Stanford Public Humanities Initiative  and Stanford University Communications.

If you’re a Stanford faculty member (in any discipline or school) who is interested in writing an essay for this series, please reach out to Natalie Jabbar at [email protected] .

AI Doomers Had Their Big Moment

Did they waste it?

Helen Toner remembers when every person who worked in AI safety could fit onto a school bus. The year was 2016. Toner hadn’t yet joined OpenAI’s board and hadn’t yet played a crucial role in the (short-lived) firing of its CEO, Sam Altman. She was working at Open Philanthropy, a nonprofit associated with the effective-altruism movement , when she first connected with the small community of intellectuals who care about AI risk. “It was, like, 50 people,” she told me recently by phone. They were more of a sci-fi-adjacent subculture than a proper discipline.

But things were changing. The deep-learning revolution was drawing new converts to the cause. AIs had recently started seeing more clearly and doing advanced language translation. They were developing fine-grained notions about what videos you, personally, might want to watch. Killer robots weren’t crunching human skulls underfoot, but the technology was advancing quickly, and the number of professors, think tankers, and practitioners at big AI labs concerned about its dangers was growing. “Now it’s hundreds or even thousands of people,” Toner said. “Some of them seem smart and great. Some of them seem crazy.”

After ChatGPT’s release in November 2022, that whole spectrum of AI-risk experts—from measured philosopher types to those convinced of imminent Armageddon—achieved a new cultural prominence. People were unnerved to find themselves talking fluidly with a bot. Many were curious about the new technology’s promise, but some were also frightened by its implications. Researchers who worried about AI risk had been treated as pariahs in elite circles. Suddenly, they were able to get their case across to the masses, Toner said. They were invited onto serious news shows and popular podcasts . The apocalyptic pronouncements that they made in these venues were given due consideration.

But only for a time. After a year or so, ChatGPT ceased to be a sparkly new wonder. Like many marvels of the internet age, it quickly became part of our everyday digital furniture. Public interest faded. In Congress, bipartisan momentum for AI regulation stalled. Some risk experts—Toner in particular—had achieved real power inside tech companies, but when they clashed with their overlords, they lost influence. Now that the AI-safety community’s moment in the sun has come to a close, I wanted to check in on them—especially the true believers. Are they licking their wounds? Do they wish they’d done things differently?

The ChatGPT moment was particularly heady for Eliezer Yudkowsky, the 44-year-old co-founder of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, an organization that seeks to identify potential existential risks from AI. Yudkowsky is something of a fundamentalist about AI risk; his entire worldview orbits around the idea that humanity is hurtling toward a confrontation with a superintelligent AI that we won’t survive. Last year, Yudkowsky was named to Time ’s list of the world’s most influential people in AI. He’d given a popular TED Talk on the subject; he’d gone on the Lex Fridman Podcast ; he’d even had a late-night meetup with Altman . In an essay for Time , he proposed an indefinite international moratorium on developing advanced AI models like those that power ChatGPT. If a country refused to sign and tried to build computing infrastructure for training, Yudkowsky’s favored remedy was air strikes. Anticipating objections, he stressed that people should be more concerned about violations of the moratorium than about a mere “shooting conflict between nations.”

The public was generally sympathetic, if not to the air strikes, then to broader messages about AI’s downsides—and understandably so. Writers and artists were worried that the novels and paintings they’d labored over had been strip-mined and used to train their replacements. People found it easy to imagine slightly more accurate chatbots competing seriously for their job. Robot uprisings had been a pop-culture fixture for decades, not only in pulp science fiction but also at the multiplex. “For me, one of the lessons of the ChatGPT moment is that the public is really primed to think of AI as a bad and dangerous thing,” Toner told me. Politicians started to hear from their constituents. Altman and other industry executives were hauled before Congress. Senators from both sides of the aisle asked whether AIs might pose an existential risk to humanity. The Biden administration drafted an executive order on AI , possibly its “longest ever.”

Read: The White House is preparing for an AI-dominated future

AI-risk experts were suddenly in the right rooms. They had input on legislation. They’d even secured positions of power within each of the big-three AI labs. OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic all had founders who emphasized a safety-conscious approach. OpenAI was famously formed to benefit “all of humanity.” Toner was invited to join its board in 2021 as a gesture of the company’s commitment to that principle. During the early months of last year, the company’s executives insisted that it was still a priority. Over coffee in Singapore that June, Altman himself told me that OpenAI would allocate a whopping 20 percent of the company’s computing power—the industry’s coin of the realm—to a team dedicated to keeping AIs aligned with human goals. It was to be led by OpenAI’s risk-obsessed chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, who also sat on the company’s board.

That might have been the high-water mark for members of the AI-risk crowd. They were dealt a grievous blow soon thereafter. During OpenAI’s boardroom fiasco last November, it quickly became clear that whatever nominal titles these people held, they wouldn’t be calling the shots when push came to shove. Toner had by then grown concerned that it was becoming difficult to oversee Altman, because, according to her, he had repeatedly lied to the board. (Altman has said that he does not agree with Toner’s recollection of events.) She and Sutskever were among those who voted to fire him. For a brief period, Altman’s ouster seemed to vindicate the company’s governance structure, which was explicitly designed to prevent executives from sweeping aside safety considerations—to enrich themselves or participate in the pure exhilaration of being at the technological frontier. Yudkowsky, who had been skeptical that such a structure would ever work, admitted  in a post on X that he’d been wrong . But the moneyed interests that funded the company—Microsoft in particular—rallied behind Altman, and he was reinstated. Yudkowsky withdrew his mea culpa . Sutskever and Toner subsequently resigned from OpenAI’s board, and the company’s superalignment team was disbanded a few months later. Young AI-safety researchers were demoralized .

From the September 2023 issue: Does Sam Altman know what he’s creating?

Yudkowsky told me that he is in despair about the way these past few years have unfolded. He said that when a big public-relations opportunity had suddenly materialized, he and his colleagues weren’t set up to handle it. Toner told me something similar. “There was almost a dog-that-caught-the-car effect,” she said. “This community had been trying so long to get people to take these ideas seriously, and suddenly people took them seriously, and it was like, ‘Okay, now what?’”

Yudkowsky did not expect an AI that works as well as ChatGPT this soon, and it concerns him that its creators don’t know exactly what’s happening underneath its hood. If AIs become much more intelligent than us, their inner workings will become even more mysterious. The big labs have all formed safety teams of some kind. It’s perhaps no surprise that some tech grandees have expressed disdain for these teams, but Yudkowsky doesn’t like them much either. “If there’s any trace of real understanding [on those teams], it is really well hidden,” he told me. The way he sees it, it is ludicrous for humanity to keep building ever more powerful AIs without a clear technical understanding of how to keep them from escaping our control. It’s “an unpleasant game board to play from,” he said.

Read: Inside the chaos at OpenAI

ChatGPT and bots of its ilk have improved only incrementally so far. Without seeing more big, flashy breakthroughs, the general public has been less willing to entertain speculative scenarios about AI’s future dangers. “A lot of people sort of said, ‘Oh, good, I can stop paying attention again,’” Toner told me. She wishes more people would think about longer trajectories rather than near-term dangers posed by today’s models. It’s not that GPT-4 can make a bioweapon, she said. It’s that AI is getting better and better at medical research , and at some point, it is surely going to get good at figuring out how to make bioweapons too.

Toby Ord, a philosopher at Oxford University who has worked on AI risk for more than a decade, believes that it’s an illusion that progress has stalled out. “We don’t have much evidence of that yet,” Ord told me. “It’s difficult to appropriately calibrate your intuitive responses when something moves forward in these big lurches.” The leading AI labs sometimes take years to train new models, and they keep them out of sight for a while after they’re trained, to polish them up for consumer use. As a result, there is a bit of a staircase effect: Massive changes are followed by a flatline. “You can find yourself incorrectly oscillating between the sensation that everything is changing and nothing is changing,” Ord said.

In the meantime, the AI-risk community has learned a few things. They have learned that solemn statements of purpose drafted during a start-up’s founding aren’t worth much. They have learned that promises to cooperate with regulators can’t be trusted either. The big AI labs initially advertised themselves as being quite friendly to policy makers, Toner told me. They were surprisingly prominent in conversations, in both the media and on Capitol Hill, about AI potentially killing everyone, she said. Some of this solicitousness might have been self-interested— to distract from more immediate regulatory concerns , for instance—but Toner believes that it was in good faith. When those conversations led to actual regulatory proposals, things changed. A lot of the companies no longer wanted to riff about how powerful and dangerous this tech would be, Toner said: “They sort of realized, Hang on, people might believe us .’”

The AI-risk community has also learned that novel corporate-governance structures cannot constrain executives who are hell-bent on acceleration. That was the big lesson of OpenAI’s boardroom fiasco. “The governance model at OpenAI was supposed to prevent financial pressures from overrunning things,” Ord said. “It didn’t work. The people who were meant to hold the CEO to account were unable to do so.” The money won .

No matter what the initial intentions of their founders, tech companies tend to eventually resist external safeguards. Even Anthropic—the safety-conscious AI lab founded by a splinter cell of OpenAI researchers who believed that Altman was prioritizing speed over caution—has recently shown signs of bristling at regulation. In June, the company joined an “innovation economy” trade group that is opposing a new AI-safety bill in California , although Anthropic also recently said that the bill’s benefits would outweigh its costs. Yudkowsky told me that he’s always considered Anthropic a force for harm, based on “personal knowledge of the founders.” They want to be in the room where it happens, he said. They want a front-row seat to the creation of a greater-than-human intelligence. They aren’t slowing things down; they’ve become a product company. A few months ago, they released a model that some have argued is better than ChatGPT.

Yudkowsky told me that he wishes AI researchers would all shut down their frontier projects forever. But if AI research is going to continue, he would slightly prefer for it to take place in a national-security context—in a Manhattan Project setting, perhaps in a handful of rich, powerful countries. There would still be arms-race dynamics, of course, and considerably less public transparency. But if some new AI proved existentially dangerous, the big players—the United States and China in particular—might find it easier to form an agreement not to pursue it, compared with a teeming marketplace of 20 to 30 companies spread across several global markets. Yudkowsky emphasized that he wasn’t absolutely sure this was true. This kind of thing is hard to know in advance. The precise trajectory of this technology is still so unclear.

For Yudkowsky, only its conclusion is certain. Just before we hung up, he compared his mode of prognostication to that of Leo Szilard, the physicist who in 1933 first beheld a fission chain reaction, not as an experiment in a laboratory but as an idea in his mind’s eye. Szilard chose not to publish a paper about it, despite the great acclaim that would have flowed to him. He understood at once how a fission reaction could be used in a terrible weapon. “He saw that Hitler, specifically, was going to be a problem,” Yudkowsky said. “He foresaw mutually assured destruction.” He did not, however, foresee that the first atomic bomb would be dropped on Japan in August 1945, nor did he predict the precise conditions of its creation in the New Mexico desert. No one can know in advance all the contingencies of a technology’s evolution, Yudkowsky said. No one can say whether there will be another ChatGPT moment, or when it might occur. No one can guess what particular technological development will come next, or how people will react to it. The end point, however, he could predict: If we keep on our current path of building smarter and smarter AIs, everyone is going to die.

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Court to decide who can see secret evidence U.S. has filed against TikTok

Bobby Allyn

Bobby Allyn

Secret TikTok Evidence

TikTok and the Department of Justice will face off next month in Washington in front of a panel of federal appeals judges over the fate of the popular app. But lawyers for TikTok say the government is trying to ban the service based on secret evidence. The Justice Department counters that the material is classified.

TikTok and the Department of Justice will face off next month in Washington in front of a panel of federal appeals judges over the fate of the popular app. But lawyers for TikTok say the government is trying to ban the service based on secret evidence. The Justice Department counters that material is classified. Michael Dwyer/AP hide caption

The U.S. government and TikTok are fighting over who should be able to see secret evidence at the core of the government's push to ban the popular social media app.

For more than four years, federal officials in Washington have outlined a case against TikTok in broad and general terms: that since the app’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, TikTok’s algorithm and data-collection practices could potentially be weaponized by the Chinese Communist Party.

But when pressed for specific examples of this, or smoking-gun evidence that China would manipulate what TikTok’s 170 million Americans view every day, the government cites none. Instead, in a recent filing the Justice Department relies on unspecified fears that “ByteDance could be expected to comply with demands by the Chinese government to manipulate the algorithm,” referring to laws in China that would leave TikTok no choice but to bend to the demands of Beijing.

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On Thursday, TikTok’s lawyers filed a new submission in its lawsuit against the Biden administration seeking to halt the law that would shut down the app by January unless it is sold. In it, TikTok’s legal team asks for a “special master” to be appointed to sift through the government’s classified materials about TikTok.

TikTok has estimated that up to 30% of certain government filings have been redacted.

“The government then faces a choice: comply with the procedures, or withdraw the secret evidence,” TikTok’s lawyers wrote in the Thursday filing.

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Justice Department lawyers are fighting back, arguing that a special master, who would be a federal judge, would cause delay in a case that needs to be resolved quickly.

A three-judge federal appeals court panel in Washington is set to rule on the issue in the coming weeks.

Former Justice Department officials say the law will likely be on the government’s side in keeping the classified material about TikTok secret, but underscore the necessity for the public to know why the hugely popular app is being targeted.

“It’s about the public’s legitimate interest in being informed about the nature of the threat posed by Chinese ownership of the app,” said Carrie Cordero, a former Justice Department national security lawyer. “On that front, from a policy perspective, Congress should have required more transparency before passing the law. But it didn't.”

Andrew Weissmann, who served as a lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel Office, agrees that even if there is a principled case to be made for the public knowing the full case against TikTok, the app is going to have an uphill battle.

“The law in general is very favorable to the government if they can assert that something would affect the public’s national security interest,” Weissmann said. “The problem is, when someone’s rights are affected, the courts should play a role in assuring that the government’s assertions are factually supported and not overbroad.”

The DOJ has a counter proposal. Rather than appoint a special master, they recommend a one-sided approach called “ ex parte ,” where the secret evidence would be viewed only by the federal court and not TikTok.

“The classified information discussed in the government’s brief provides the additional, highly sensitive, and non-public context and grounding that helped Congress and the executive branch properly evaluate the magnitude and gravity of those publicly articulated risks. This Court should have the same opportunity,” the Justice Department wrote earlier this month in a court filing.

What’s more, the Justice Department argues that declassifying the evidence could cause “exceptionally grave” damage to American national security.

TikTok says it has spent more than $2 billion on a plan U.S. officials signed off on in 2022, but had never finally approved, known as Project Texas , aimed at allaying Washington’s national security concerns by tapping Austin-based software company Oracle to supervise the app’s data.

The company insists that with Project Texas in place, the TikTok Americans use cannot be meddled with by ByteDance employees. The Justice Department says this is not true.

According to the Justice Department, TikTok has gathered data on American users’ opinions on issues like gun control and abortion. And the company has shared that data with ByteDance employees in China. Justice officials also say Beijing-based employees can tinker with TikTok’s algorithm and amplify content.

Weissmann, the former Mueller prosecutor who was also the former general counsel for the FBI, said the Justice Department is requesting that the court view what Congress saw in classified briefings. Whether any of that material can be viewed by TikTok, or the public, will not be up to a three-judge panel.

“Whether something is a state secret should not be unilaterally decided by the government, but the courts,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean the public should be entitled to it.”

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Telegram Becomes Free Speech Flashpoint After Founder’s Arrest

Pavel Durov, the founder of the app, which has more than 900 million users, was taken into custody by the French authorities.

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Pavel Durov, wearing a dark button down shirt and a dark t- shirt, standing in front a lectern.

By Adam Satariano Paul Mozur and Aurelien Breeden

Adam Satariano reported from London, Paul Mozur from Taipei, Taiwan, and Aurelien Breeden from Sigottier, France.

Telegram, founded in 2013 by the Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has grown into one of the world’s largest online communication tools and is central to everyday life in countries like Russia, Ukraine and India for messaging, getting independent news and exchanging views.

The company’s growth — it now has more than 900 million users — has been driven partly by a commitment to free speech. Telegram’s light oversight of what people say or do on the platform has helped people living under authoritarian governments communicate and organize. But it has also made the app a haven for disinformation, far-right extremism and other harmful content.

Many were shocked when reports emerged on Saturday across French news media that Mr. Durov had been arrested in France on charges related to the spread of illicit material on the service. A French judicial official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, confirmed on Sunday evening that Mr. Durov was in police custody. As word spread online over the weekend, news of his detention became a flashpoint in a continuing debate about free speech on the internet.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, which has adopted a similarly hands-off approach to content moderation, posted “#FreePavel” on his X account. “It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme,” he also said.

Leonid Volkov, formerly a top adviser to Aleksei A. Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died in prison in February, wrote on Telegram that although the platform had become a useful tool for criminals, Mr. Durov should be released. “Durov is not an ‘accomplice’ to the crimes committed by Telegram users,” he said.

The reaction over the news of the arrest showed how concerns about free expression, censorship and government oversight of online content are rising at a time when regulatory scrutiny of speech on the internet around the world has ramped up. National governments, especially those in the European Union, have intensified pressure on companies to address disinformation, online extremism, child safety and the spread of illicit material.

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Meta to shut augmented reality studio used by third-party creators

Meta Platforms will shut down the augmented reality studio that third-party creators used for making custom Instagram and Facebook effects, the social media giant said on Tuesday, as it prioritizes spending in other areas including AI.

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