Most people don’t consider how technology will vary depending on where they travel. Local culture may not affect how you travel, but if you want an immersive experience you should consider learning about local culture and respectful use of technology in those spaces. Shifts in the use of technology create a ripple effect altering our daily lives, culture, and society. People from North America often have a Westernized view of technology. We often embed technology into our lives, our culture, and our traditions. We have grown with technology and created a society where technology shapes our views, our beliefs, and our daily lives. Not all cultures want things on display though. One of the First People Principles of Learning tells us that, “Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations.” We don’t always have the right to capture moments or share them on social media, especially if these are culturally sensitive events.

Being culturally sensitive doesn’t only mean adhering to rules around technology, but also considering if technology is necessary for different activities. A trap people often fall into is doing the tourist activities that make a spectacles of other cultures. Hailey Froehler wrote a blog piece titled The Aboriginal Spectacle and Tourism as Trespassing which breaks down the tension between tourism and being on display as a Aboriginal person. When we pester, photograph, and invade spaces that have become popularized through media, cultures become to feel performative. Being on display isn’t a feeling I personally like, so I can’t imagine doing something culturally significant and being photographed because my culture was trendy.

This isn’t to say that technology doesn’t have a place in local communities and cultures. One really great thing about technology is that it gives us a tool to understand different cultures. You cannot expect that a group of people will educate you on their culture. As a traveller you have the responsibility to educate yourself on what is respectful in an environment. The first time I went into a temple in Thailand everyone was asked to put phones away before entering and not to take them out because this temple was for worship. During the five minutes I was there, two different people took out their phones to take videos and were removed. Respect and critical thinking is a powerful thing when you are travelling. I can’t imagine what would have happened in a place where there were more severe consequences for disrespectful actions.

Nyalleng Moorosi wrote a blog post, “Decentralized, Locally-Tailored Technology” where she describes how we can serve local communities with technology. In her blog she discusses the importance of creating tools that primarily serve local communities. When designing these tools we should also primarily consider the needs of the community and if the technology is truly designed to serve that population or if there is a larger target market. Technology should be used as a tool to combat inequity, not reinforce it. This message is so important in today’s society when we often design to the greater population, when those who often need technology the most will be those who underuse technology. Designing for equity, or those who need it most, is more important than creating an online world where everyone has equal access.

Inspiration side note: The other day I was speaking with my Nana who told me she wished there were simple explanations for older populations to understand technology. Her saying this made me consider how to create information for the populations who need it most and how to serve our communities. Most apps that are targeted at seniors are honestly not very useful in my opinion. Sometimes we need to be the change we want to see for others. I told her I would send her my blog so that she can learn more about AI and share with her friends. By doing small actions I believe we can be all create a change within our own communities and inspire others to do the same.