W3 - Power in Society

This week, we discussed the theory that technological artifacts are constructed socially. While looking at the SCOT theory, it seems that a common criticism is that it fails to answer "so what?" However, I think the fact that technological artifacts are socially constructed is extremely important when we start considering the power relations at play. There are multiple social groups that play a part in determining which technologies become successes, and which fail. It is important to step back and recognize that the social groups that ultimately play a factor in the successful technology's process is, at least in part, determined by who holds the power in society. Those in power determine what knowledge is dominant, and that dominant knowledge informs folks about what they should value. This becomes potentially problematic when we consider the fact that it isn't always the best technology that becomes successful, but rather the one that best fulfills the dominant goals of society.