As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found more “good enough” things to be just that – versus always seeking the so-called “best.”
But trusting “good enough” data – approximate or inaccurate data – that works most of the time can take us down rabbit holes. Saying “the tech made me do it” is no excuse for knee-jerk actions. Recheck those disclosures!
This article contains a telling point about our expectations of personal technology. When habitual “good enough” seduces us into seeing semblance as reality, what could go …?
“Because it’s close enough often enough, we upgrade that in our mind to being perfect,” Cahn [Albert Fox Cahn, founder of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project] said.
• Washington Post > “Use ‘Find My’ phone apps. But don’t trust them” by Shira Ovide (November 7, 2023) – Location technology is not magic. It’s a best guess (approximation).
We know that technology makes mistakes, but we can also be overconfident that it gives the right answer.
Location tracking information in Apple’s Find My technology and similar software for Android phones can be incredibly useful, as are location trackers such as Tile and Apple AirTags that can help find your keys buried in the sofa cushions.
But … those location identifying technologies are not always accurate and the consequences can be dire
Still, location data is good enough most of the time that we can lose sight of its imperfections, especially when we’re stressed.