ICAS ICAS logo

Quicklinks

  1. About Us

    Find out about who we are and what we do here at ICAS.

  2. Find a CA

    Search our directory of individual CAs and Member organisations by name, location and professional criteria.

  3. CA Magazine

    View the latest issues of the dedicated magazine for ICAS Chartered Accountants.

  4. Contact Us

    Get in touch with ICAS by phone, email or post, with dedicated contacts for Members, Students and firms.

Login
  • Annual renewal
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Find a CA
  1. About us
    1. Governance
  2. Members
    1. Become a member
    2. Newly qualified
    3. Manage my membership
    4. Benefits of membership
    5. Careers support
    6. Mentoring
    7. CA Wellbeing
    8. More for Members
    9. Area networks
    10. International communities
    11. Get involved
    12. Top Young CAs
    13. Career breaks
    14. ICAS podcast
    15. Newly admitted members 2022
    16. Newly admitted members 2023
  3. CA Students
    1. Student information
    2. Student resources
    3. Learning requirements
    4. Learning updates
    5. Learning blog
    6. Totum Pro | Student discount card
    7. CA Student wellbeing
  4. Become a CA
    1. How to become a CA
    2. Routes to becoming a CA
    3. CA Stories
    4. Find a training agreement
    5. Why become a CA
    6. Qualification information
    7. University exemptions
  5. Employers
    1. Become an Authorised Training Office
    2. Resources for Authorised Training Offices
    3. Professional entry
    4. Apprenticeships
  6. Find a CA
  7. ICAS events
    1. CA Summit
  8. CA magazine
  9. Insight
    1. Finance + Trust
    2. Finance + Technology
    3. Finance + EDI
    4. Finance + Mental Fitness
    5. Finance + Leadership
    6. Finance + Sustainability
  10. Professional resources
    1. Anti-money laundering
    2. Audit and assurance
    3. Brexit
    4. Business and governance
    5. Charities
    6. Coronavirus
    7. Corporate and financial reporting
    8. Cyber security
    9. Ethics
    10. Insolvency
    11. ICAS Research
    12. Pensions
    13. Practice
    14. Public sector
    15. Sustainability
    16. Tax
  11. CPD - professional development
    1. CPD courses and qualifications
    2. CPD news and updates
    3. CPD support and advice
  12. Regulation
    1. Complaints and sanctions
    2. Regulatory authorisations
    3. Guidance and help sheets
    4. Regulatory monitoring
  13. CA jobs
    1. CA jobs partner: Rutherford Cross
    2. Resources for your job search
    3. Advertise with CA jobs
    4. Hays | A Trusted ICAS CA Jobs Partner
    5. Azets | What's your ambition?
  14. Work at ICAS
    1. Business centres
    2. Meet our team
    3. Benefits
    4. Vacancies
    5. Imagine your career at ICAS
  15. Contact us
    1. Technical and regulation queries
    2. ICAS logo request

Risk & Technology: The dark side of technology

  • LinkedIn (opens new window)
  • Twitter (opens new window)
By Calum A. Macdonald CA

8 February 2021

In our latest blog, lecturer Calum A. Macdonald CA explores the potential negative implications of constantly evolving technology.

Over the last 20 years, we have made countless technological advances across numerous fields. From smartphone capability, cloud-based storage, and autonomous vehicles to 3D printing and robotics. Technology has come on leaps and bounds. Even during 2020, in a year where many industries ground to a halt, technology flourished as we were pushed to utilise it in ways we never had before.

Constant interaction

On any given day, technology impacts our lives without us ever really stopping to think about it. From waking up in the morning with an alarm set on a Google Nest mini, to the lights coming on through voice activation. Even our heating systems know what temperature to set the heating at. This continues when we open our social media platforms in the morning and are met with targeted ads based on our geographical location, prior search history and even things we may have mentioned in prior conversations. We’re constantly interacting with technology.

However, when does technology go too far? Is it when we lose the social interaction between humans? Is it when we no longer see the world through our own eyes and view an augmented reality? Or is it when technology becomes more powerful than humans?

The greatest fear is that computers may begin to make decisions (on our behalf) based on algorithms instead of morality. Machines lack judgement, empathy, and the critical thinking we as humans refer to as human instinct.

Ethical implications

As Chartered Accountants (and CA Students), we are bound by the ICAS Code of Ethics which has five key principles: integrity, objectivity, professional competence & due care, confidentiality, and professional behaviour. We train for years to develop skills that a computer cannot replicate, yet technology is advancing faster than any human can enhance their intellect. As a CA, when we are considering the use of technology, we should also be considering the ethical implications of using this technology and the ultimate outcome we wish to achieve.

Whilst not always the case, it can be argued that some larger tech companies may choose profit over social good. An example could be tech companies collecting surplus data, beyond that which is needed, with the view of increasing profitability.

Robot

In the current world where the pace of change in technological developments is faster than ever before and disruptive innovation is being introduced to the market daily, the ethical considerations of technology companies must be considered. Consider for example that Apple have been known to release products in the past that can only be used with other Apple accessories. They control the hardware, software, and their network. Apple evidenced control in the marketplace, which could be described as a monopoly, and we must consider if this is ethical and at what stage control could be seen as an unethical practice.

Another notable development in recent years is 3D printing, and the technology behind it. With the capacity to create virtually anything, we must determine the implications and limitations as a result. Consumers could print a mug to enjoy their favourite coffee - which would be deemed perfectly acceptable. However, when we stretch this to printing a new phone (without royalties being paid to the designer) we begin to approach a difficult area. This can be pushed even further if the creator becomes involved in printing items deemed to be illegal, such as a weapon. Where do we draw the line, and at what point does the development of tech, created to benefit our everyday lives, become unethical? And how could this be controlled or monitored?

Has tech lost its way?

As consumers begin to show signs of technology addiction alongside machine learning, increased surveillance, artificial intelligence, and data mining becoming more prevalent in our society, some consider technology to have lost its way altogether. Social media is now being used to predict as well as influence user actions, and to maximise profits for advertising companies. Technology watches, monitors, records, and measures human interaction on social platforms and uses this data to increase future engagement and generate revenue. We have to ask ourselves what the mission of social media platforms truly is at this stage? Social media has now been proven to negatively impact our mental health, yet, some of us are lost without it.

One of the main issues is not technology itself. It is technology’s ability to bring out the worst in society, and we must ensure that going into the future and as Chartered Accountants, we ensure that technology is used both ethically and responsibly as we move into the future.

2-23-totumpro 2-23-totumpro
ICAS logo

Footer links

  • Contact us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Privacy notice
  • CA magazine

Connect with ICAS

  • Facebook (opens new window) Facebook Icon
  • Twitter (opens new window) Twitter Icon
  • LinkedIn (opens new window) LinkedIn Icon
  • Instagram (opens new window) Instagram Icon

ICAS is a member of the following bodies

  • Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (opens new window) Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies logo
  • Chartered Accountants Worldwide (opens new window) Chartered Accountants Worldwide logo
  • Global Accounting Alliance (opens new window) Global Accounting Alliance
  • International Federation of Accountants (opens new window) IFAC
  • Access Accountancy (opens new window) Access Acountancy

Charities

  • ICAS Foundation (opens new window) ICAS Foundation
  • SCABA (opens new window) scaba

Accreditations

  • ISO 9001 - RGB (opens new window)
© ICAS 2022

The mark and designation “CA” is a registered trade mark of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), and is available for use in the UK and EU only to members of ICAS. If you are not a member of ICAS, you should not use the “CA” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to accountancy, tax or insolvency services. The mark and designation “Chartered Accountant” is a registered trade mark of ICAS, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and Chartered Accountants Ireland. If you are not a member of one of these organisations, you should not use the “Chartered Accountant” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to these services. Further restrictions on the use of these marks also apply where you are a member.

ICAS logo

Our cookie policy

ICAS.com uses cookies which are essential for our website to work. We would also like to use analytical cookies to help us improve our website and your user experience. Any data collected is anonymised. Please have a look at the further information in our cookie policy and confirm if you are happy for us to use analytical cookies: