Tech for Good
Technologies have always provoked a broad spectrum of hopes and fears. Particularly new technologies such as artificial intelligence, robots, or developments such as the Metaverse are often driven by the potentially damaging consequences they could have on our society – a future, in which we might become “the tools of our tools” and completely lose touch with our own lives.
Tech for Good is a global, but also very heterogenous movement of academics, artists, social entrepreneurs, businesses, people of civic society, amongst others to discuss the ethical and sustainable standards for the use of technologies. The movement highlights the benefits and improvements emerging tech could bring to our society, economy, and welfare. It focuses on questions such as how we could use new technologies to ensure positive and long-lasting impact on our communities, tackle social problems, and address structural and transitional challenges in various areas of our lives. This includes job security and new digital working formats, material living standards, health and longevity, education, equal opportunities, and environmental sustainability. So basically, everyone can technically be part of that movement, but so far they have had no-one to turn to for connecting with like-minded people.
GUIDING LIGHT is now changing the system for the better. GUIDING LIGHT is the only international non-profit organisation that provides a platform for everyone wishing to use technology for good.
Why the HOW matters
Technologies have changed our world significantly. On a daily basis we spend most of our time on our phones, laptops, and other digital devices. We depend so much on them that we do not even think about it anymore, and we often feel overwhelmed by them. But what happens with our data? Will robots, artificial intelligence, and recent developments such as ChatGPT take over our jobs? How do TikTok filters influence the way we perceive our bodies? How is it possible that a billionaire controls a platform like X (formerly Twitter) that was once about freedom of speech? What does Web 3.0 mean? And what is the Metaverse really?
However, technologies are not a dystopia in which robots or artificial intelligence will at one point control our society. We as a society should have the final say. The problem is: All these technologies have one thing in common. They are owned by a small group of companies which possess the majority of platforms, plus information and media services that we all use constantly. That way they also own our personal data. Profit and success are often more important to them than social impact.
GUIDING LIGHT is the only global non-profit organisation for ethics and sustainability in technologies, and we believe that all voices need to be heard in the conversation. GUIDING LIGHT is an open, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and healthy community of all kinds of people that one thing in common: They wish to use technologies for the greater good, and together become a strong community of many individual guiding lights that improve people’s lives with the help of technology.
everybody, anywhere
Human rights are at the heart of our work. And technology literacy is a human right. We believe that basically everyone who uses technologies (that includes you!) needs to know more about them, particularly, their consequences. We spend most of our time these days on social media, or entertainment platforms. But technologies can actually also improve areas such as health and longevity, education, equal opportunities, and environmental sustainability. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR), machine learning, robotics, blockchain, smart and green technologies could help people with physical and mental disabilities, prevent climate change, and support people with learning difficulties. There is so much we could do!
Do you need to be a tech expert for that? Not at all.
We at GUIDING LIGHT are an open network for everyone who wishes to learn more about technologies to improve people’s lives with them. That includes technology experts as well as those who only have a vague idea about it (yet). We particularly work with NGOs and charity organisations such as UNICEF, Greenpeace, WWF, Caritas, Volkshilfe, and many others: Organisations that represent important causes in our society. We wish to support them with the help of technologies.
We believe in a responsible, ethical, and sustainable technological future.
GUIDING LIGHT is inclusive. Our society is pluralistic and colorful, and so are we. We want to get away from the idea that a white billionaire in sneakers tells you what the world looks like in twenty years from now. We support women, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as everyone regardless of age, body size, visible or invisible disability, ethnicity, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, education, socio-economic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, sexual identity and orientation, or level of tech experience.
Everyone can become a guiding light in our growing community.