"The Technology Traps: Exploring Technology and Social Justice in Neoliberal Democracies"

Topic: The Technology Traps: Exploring Technology and Social Justice in Neoliberal Democracies
Dr. Shahadat Hossain, JD (UTS) & PhD (UNSW),
Faculty of Law and Justice
The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Summary of the talk:
In narratives of technology, the idealistic myth considers good what machines do. This narrative is based on the idea that technological development provides extraordinary power and a life without limits. Whereas the dystopian myth considers technology as inherently political and socio-economic,. As Marx argued, machines progressively enslaved and alienated the workers. In the new surveillance capitalism, the increasing use of advanced robots and self-learning algorithms causes mass unemployment and vulnerabilities. In this context, this paper explores technology and justice in the context of neoliberal societies. Data have been generated through reviewing research on the dysfunction of robodebt, social harms caused by big tech companies, and bias in predictive policing in the contexts of Australia and the United States. The paper argues that the significance of data, algorithms, and AI signifies a new form of capitalism and a new species of power. Risks and harms are often caused by technology and big tech companies that are beyond any accountability or criminal responsibility. Bias in big data is also causing injustice in policing for vulnerable sections of society in terms of race, gender, and social class. It further argues that the increasing injustice caused by AI and algorithms creates new challenges to the rule of law and justice in neoliberal democracies.