Social shaping of technology
Imagine you are building a sandcastle on the beach with your friends. You all have different ideas on what the sandcastle should look like and how to build it. You may decide to build a moat and add shells for decoration, while your friend may want to build a tall tower in the middle.
In a similar way, technology is shaped by the people who create it, use it, and change it over time. This process is called the social shaping of technology.
It's like a big puzzle where different pieces are put together by different people with different ideas. This puzzle affects the way that the technology ends up being used by people.
Take, for example, the development of the internet. In the 1960s, it was created as a way for computers to communicate with each other. But it was the way that people started using it that really shaped the technology.
People decided to use email, create online communities, and share information online. These uses led to the development of new technologies, such as search engines and social media, that have changed the way people communicate and access information.
In other words, people are not just passive users of technology; they actively shape it through their interactions and decisions. The social shaping of technology is an ongoing process, as people continue to use and change technology to meet their needs and desires.
In a similar way, technology is shaped by the people who create it, use it, and change it over time. This process is called the social shaping of technology.
It's like a big puzzle where different pieces are put together by different people with different ideas. This puzzle affects the way that the technology ends up being used by people.
Take, for example, the development of the internet. In the 1960s, it was created as a way for computers to communicate with each other. But it was the way that people started using it that really shaped the technology.
People decided to use email, create online communities, and share information online. These uses led to the development of new technologies, such as search engines and social media, that have changed the way people communicate and access information.
In other words, people are not just passive users of technology; they actively shape it through their interactions and decisions. The social shaping of technology is an ongoing process, as people continue to use and change technology to meet their needs and desires.
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