BLUF: A lack of formal technology assessment capabilities in Congress and municipalities fuels the unknowing adoption of potentially harmful technological advances without fact-based analysis, making it imperative to reestablish the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment and create local OTAs.
The article discusses the common practice among corporations, especially for-profit ones, to develop and market high-tech products without proper assessment of their consequences. The author criticizes Facebook and Apple, describing their respective virtual reality devices as having negative impacts on youngsters’ mental health. The article then takes aim at Newt Gingrich, who played a significant role in defunding the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, leading to the lack of capacity for fact-based, nonpartisan technology assessment in Congress and, consequently, uninformed policy-making. The author advocates for the restoration of the OTA and the creation of local OTAs to enable fact-based, grassroots advocacy for nonpartisan analysis. Additionally, the author highlights the need for ethical engineering standards and teachings to prevent disasters caused by a lack of consideration for responsibilities.