The Social Shaping of Technology is affecting us

       We learn the theory of Technological determinism and the Social Shaping of Technology this week. I think I agree with the Social Shaping of theory more than the Technological determinism. Let me define what the Social Shaping of theory first. The Social Shaping theory is the social need or social forces will affect the technology. It likes an antidote to naïve technological determinism. For example, electronic dictionary was popular in last 5 to 10 years. But there are few of new version electronic dictionaries or new products nowadays. It‘s because people did not need this so much. People can use their smart phone to do this. So the electronic dictionary is not popular now.

        Here is another example, on the iPhone Presentation in 2007 by Steve Jobs, he said why he created iPhone was because he wanted the three of Apple Inc. revolutionary products to combine in one product. Before iPhone, people want to surf the Internet on computer. If people need to listen music they need the music player and the mobile phone before iPhone can only do a few of things. Because of the Social Shaping of Technology, the technology we have is that someone has decided what we need. In this case, Steve Jobs decided what the social need was we can do these things in one device. So Steve Jobs combined these and created iPhone.

        And nowadays there are lots of people using iPhone all over the world, so iPhone keep upgrading because social want iPhone can do more and more. So iPhone keep upgrading and have more new function like Siri. So I think the social need and want are forcing the improvement of technology. That is the reason I agree the Social Shaping of Technology.

Student Name: Law Hoi Yin Billy