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Maha
Student
Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan
1
Question
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Why does tech feel so immoral?
Why does tech feel so immoral? I'm a computer science student having a change of heart regarding my degree. I don't think it's helping humans more than doing the opposite of that. I think I wanted to go for something that involves more activism like journalism or law. Fields which actually help solve world problems. I'm stuck and in need of direction. Someone please help me
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Sarah Cockrell, MBA, MSCM
Organizational Development
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Atlanta, Georgia
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Sarah’s Answer
Hi there! The fact that you are asking this question tells me that you are thinking seriously about the relationship between your career, your values, and the impact you want to have in the world. I would encourage you not to rush past that discomfort. Explore it.
Start by asking yourself a more specific question: What about technology feels immoral to me?
Is it how certain technologies are being used? The influence of large technology companies? Artificial intelligence? Privacy and surveillance? Environmental impact? Misinformation? Inequitable access? The displacement of workers? Something else?
Identifying exactly what troubles you, may help you determine whether you are questioning computer science itself or some of the choices people and organizations are making with technology.
You might also consider another possibility: Could the thing that concerns you become the thing you help change?
Technology needs people who understand it and are also willing to question how it affects human beings. There are opportunities to work in areas such as responsible AI, technology ethics, cybersecurity and privacy, digital rights, accessibility, public-interest technology, technology policy, civic technology, and responsible product development. Activism does not always require standing outside of a system. Sometimes changemakers work within a field and use their knowledge to challenge practices, advocate for people who may otherwise be overlooked, and create better alternatives.
At the same time, you should give yourself permission to consider journalism, law, or another field if those paths genuinely align more closely with your values and interests. Changing direction is not a failure. However, I would spend some time investigating those careers before assuming that another profession will resolve the ethical tension you are experiencing. Journalism, law, healthcare, government, business, and many other fields have their own difficult ethical questions. Technology and AI are also increasingly influencing nearly all of them.
You may even discover that your interests do not require an either/or decision. Someone who understands computer science and law, journalism, public policy, human rights, or ethics could bring an incredibly useful perspective to problems at the intersection of those fields.
Before changing your degree, give yourself an opportunity to explore. Talk with professionals doing technology-related work that serves the public good. Take a course outside of computer science that interests you. Research careers that combine technology and advocacy. Volunteer with an organization addressing an issue you care about. Pay attention to which experiences make you feel curious, energized, and purposeful.
Ultimately, no one else can tell you which career is consistent with your values. That is something you will have to determine for yourself. But I would not view your questions about technology as evidence that you do not belong in the field. They may be an invitation to think more deeply about what kind of person you want to be within it, or what kind of difference you want to make outside of it.
Whatever you decide, keep asking these kinds of questions. The world needs professionals in every field who are willing to think critically about not only what we can do, but what we should do. Disruption can be essential at times too.
Start by asking yourself a more specific question: What about technology feels immoral to me?
Is it how certain technologies are being used? The influence of large technology companies? Artificial intelligence? Privacy and surveillance? Environmental impact? Misinformation? Inequitable access? The displacement of workers? Something else?
Identifying exactly what troubles you, may help you determine whether you are questioning computer science itself or some of the choices people and organizations are making with technology.
You might also consider another possibility: Could the thing that concerns you become the thing you help change?
Technology needs people who understand it and are also willing to question how it affects human beings. There are opportunities to work in areas such as responsible AI, technology ethics, cybersecurity and privacy, digital rights, accessibility, public-interest technology, technology policy, civic technology, and responsible product development. Activism does not always require standing outside of a system. Sometimes changemakers work within a field and use their knowledge to challenge practices, advocate for people who may otherwise be overlooked, and create better alternatives.
At the same time, you should give yourself permission to consider journalism, law, or another field if those paths genuinely align more closely with your values and interests. Changing direction is not a failure. However, I would spend some time investigating those careers before assuming that another profession will resolve the ethical tension you are experiencing. Journalism, law, healthcare, government, business, and many other fields have their own difficult ethical questions. Technology and AI are also increasingly influencing nearly all of them.
You may even discover that your interests do not require an either/or decision. Someone who understands computer science and law, journalism, public policy, human rights, or ethics could bring an incredibly useful perspective to problems at the intersection of those fields.
Before changing your degree, give yourself an opportunity to explore. Talk with professionals doing technology-related work that serves the public good. Take a course outside of computer science that interests you. Research careers that combine technology and advocacy. Volunteer with an organization addressing an issue you care about. Pay attention to which experiences make you feel curious, energized, and purposeful.
Ultimately, no one else can tell you which career is consistent with your values. That is something you will have to determine for yourself. But I would not view your questions about technology as evidence that you do not belong in the field. They may be an invitation to think more deeply about what kind of person you want to be within it, or what kind of difference you want to make outside of it.
Whatever you decide, keep asking these kinds of questions. The world needs professionals in every field who are willing to think critically about not only what we can do, but what we should do. Disruption can be essential at times too.