Technology in Society最新文献

{"title":"Can ex ante conformity assessment regulations contribute to trustworthy foundation models? An evolutionary game analysis from an innovation ecosystem perspective","authors":"Xiaoxu Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenyong Zhou ,&nbsp;Wen Hu ,&nbsp;Shenghan Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Hu ,&nbsp;Linchao Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Untrustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) systems, especially foundation models, may lead to significant economic and social issues, and this has been arousing widespread concern. However, there is no mature and future-proofed regulatory approach to govern foundation models or any consensus regarding the regulations due to their rapid development and limited understanding of them. Thus, the potential of alternative regulation methods should be fully discussed. The ex ante conformity assessment in the EU AI Act, the world's first comprehensive AI law, is applied to regulate high-risk AI systems and can be an alternative regulatory approach to manage foundation models in the future. Consequently, this necessitates considering whether ex ante conformity assessment can contribute to achieving trustworthy foundation models. Hence, we adopted an innovation ecosystem perspective and employed an evolutionary game approach, constructing two hypothetical scenarios for ex ante conformity assessment, namely, self-assessment and independent assessment. Findings show that market forces and ecosystem impacts play a crucial role in shaping trustworthiness and that ex ante conformity assessment alone—whether through self-assessment or independent assessment—may be insufficient to ensure trustworthy outcomes. Thus, we argue that market-driven incentives and ecosystem thinking among industry practitioners are pivotal for advancing trustworthy foundation models; however, it is important to remain cautious about the limitations of market mechanisms. Therefore, a hybrid regulatory framework that combines legal mandates with market-based incentives and ecosystem influences warrants further exploration. Furthermore, independent evaluators can serve as important facilitators in supporting providers through trustworthy audits. This study contributes to on-going policy discussions on trustworthy AI regulation and offers references for future policy design and implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102900"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the gap: Healthcare practitioners' insights on overcoming Telemedicine barriers and optimal strategies for implementation","authors":"Kuan-Chung Wang ,&nbsp;Po-Sen Huang ,&nbsp;Yu-Lin Wang ,&nbsp;Zheng-Yu Hoe ,&nbsp;Afaq Ahmed Noor ,&nbsp;Peng-Ting Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of Telemedicine in healthcare delivery. Healthcare practitioners worldwide swiftly embraced Telemedicine to ensure continuous patient care. With the pandemic's decline, the imperative arises to shift from emergency adoption to routine integration. However, past research has failed to comprehensively examine the challenges hindering Telemedicine's widespread adoption for further institutionalizing Telemedicine as a standard healthcare component. This study aims to develop a framework, identify obstacles, and propose strategies for the sustainable integration of Telemedicine into healthcare. Through a comprehensive review of the literature and empirical data, this study delves into strategies for effecting this transition, drawing insights from healthcare practitioners' pandemic experiences, and further illustrating key challenges and barriers to sustainable Telemedicine implementation beyond the pandemic. Utilizing the extended model of Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT) and insights from healthcare practitioners in Taiwan, we identify 16 key barriers across four categories: Usage Benefit, Risk Concern, Institutional Support, and Social Influence. Employing the Importance-Acceptance Analysis (IAA) model and the Decision Making and Trial Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method, we propose actionable development pathways for Telemedicine implementation. Furthermore, we underscore the pivotal role of healthcare practitioners as primary agents in Telemedicine adoption and provide adaptive strategies to enhance their engagement and support. Implementation of these strategies promises a successful transition of Telemedicine from a temporary measure to an indispensable fixture, thereby augmenting healthcare accessibility, efficiency, and quality in the post-pandemic landscape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102899"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Business use of online platforms: Competition, satisfaction and willingness to pay","authors":"Michael Peneder,&nbsp;Sandra Bilek-Steindl,&nbsp;Susanne Bärenthaler-Sieber,&nbsp;Julia Bock-Schappelwein,&nbsp;Alexandros Charos","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102887","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102887","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Online platforms have evolved into powerful programmable architectures that enable heterogeneous groups of autonomous but interdependent users to interact. Based on a stratified sample of 1,380 companies from a newly developed enterprise survey in Austria, the analysis aims to reduce the lack of comprehensive empirical research of the general patterns and regularities of business use of online platforms across different markets and industries. We conduct a comprehensive set of (ordered) probit estimations on the determinants of platform adoption, their interaction with platform competition, their joint impact on platform users, and their overall satisfaction and willingness to pay (more) for platform services.</div><div>The analysis provides ample empirical evidence of the importance of rivalry between platforms for delivering its value proposition to all participants: For instance, the estimates show that more competing platforms imply (i) greater ease of switching, (ii) a greater likelihood of negotiable and favourable terms of use, and (iii) associate positively with a greater impact on the number of business partners, revenue per customer or product variety. In turn, (iv) better impacts for business users go hand in hand with their higher satisfaction, which directly links to (v) a higher willingness to pay (more) for platform services. Conversely, the ease of switching to an alternative platform associates with a significantly lower willingness to pay (more). Competition between platforms thus increases the bargaining power of users and allows them to claim a larger share of the platform’s value proposition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102887"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143800019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are scientists heroes or villains? The fascinating case of DC and Marvel superheroes comics","authors":"Alessandro Muscio ,&nbsp;Matteo Farinella","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102895","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102895","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The enduring stereotype of the mad scientist, wholly dedicated to research but emotionally unstable and prone to malevolent purposes, is well-established in the realm of popular culture. This harmful stereotype seems to have permeated the world of superhero comic books. Because of their immense popularity and fandom subculture, dominating even the movie industry and consistently reaching new audiences, superhero comics have been regarded by scholars as a valuable resource for conveying the value of science in popular culture. However, a closer examination of prominent DC and Marvel stories raises concerns about the portrayal of scientists in superhero narratives, prompting questions about the public image of science conveyed through these stories. In this paper, we analyze scientist characters in the DC and Marvel universes, identifying 313 characters among 2459 cases. These two publishers, representing the largest and most popular superhero platforms globally, are examined to explore the connotations associated with scientists in comics and the traits ascribed to them. Drawing on statistical econometric methods and aligning with existing literature, our findings indicate that, while comics could play a substantial role in promoting science as a positive force, they tend to perpetuate the stereotype of the 'mad scientist', thereby potentially undermining the representation of science.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102895"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143784011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Generative artificial intelligence and internationalization green innovation: Roles of supply chain innovations and AI regulation for SMEs","authors":"Shaofeng Wang ,&nbsp;Hao Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102898","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102898","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) impacts internationalization green innovation performance in cross-border e-commerce small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on the resource-based view, we employed a mixed-methods approach, including partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), importance-performance map analysis (IPMA), fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), and semi-structured interviews with 377 cross-border e-commerce SMEs. Our findings reveal that GenAI capability positively influences internationalization green innovation performance, both directly and indirectly, through supply chain exploratory and exploitative innovation. Notably, artificial intelligence (AI) regulation strengthens, rather than weakens, the positive relationship between GenAI capability and supply chain innovation. This highlights the potential for responsible AI governance to foster sustainable practices. The study contributes to understanding technology's role in societal transformation by illuminating how GenAI can promote sustainable business practices in internationalization contexts. Our findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and business leaders on effectively managing the societal implications of AI adoption while pursuing sustainability goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102898"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143800018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drivers and barriers of unmanned aerial vehicles in emergency logistics operations","authors":"Melisa Ozbiltekin-Pala ,&nbsp;Volkan Yavas ,&nbsp;Yesim Deniz Ozkan-Ozen","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102894","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102894","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which have become increasingly widespread, stand out as accessible, cost-effective, useful, and efficient options for many different tasks, such as search and rescue, monitoring, tracking, mapping, and dispatch in emergency logistics operations. However, in this process, driving forces and obstacles determine the status of UAVs in disaster management. In this study, in order to identify these factors, 8 drivers and 8 barriers created as a result of the literature review were analyzed using the Graph Theory Matrix Approach method. According to the findings obtained, the most important drivers of UAVs in emergency logistics operations are high-tech solutions, followed by air surveillance and mapping. The most important barrier is instability against various weather conditions and regulators. Stakeholders of emergency logistics operations optimally interpret drivers and barriers in the involvement of UAVs and contribute to economic, technical or legal corrective actions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102894"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A socio-technical framework for assessing flash drought risks to key biodiversity areas: A scientists' warning","authors":"Shivukumar Rakkasagi ,&nbsp;Stuart G. Edris ,&nbsp;Manish Kumar Goyal","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102893","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102893","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flash droughts, characterized by their rapid onset and intensification, pose significant risks to biodiversity and local populations, with extensive impacts on ecosystems and agriculture. This study presents a comprehensive framework to quantify flash drought risk across Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in India from 1979 <span><math><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></math></span> 2021. By combining hazard, vulnerability, and exposure components, we found that 45.8 % of KBAs fall within the high-risk category, with inland forest areas and national parks showing higher vulnerability than coastal regions. Analysis of 42 freshwater KBAs revealed that 73.8 % face moderate to high risk from flash droughts, while significant correlations were observed between risk index and trends in tree cover loss and wildfire events. The average flash drought duration across KBAs was 34 days, with October being the most frequent onset month (18 %). Our findings indicate that high-risk areas with extensive cropland, such as the Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary (8316 km²), face substantial agricultural vulnerability where flash droughts could lead to rapid crop failure, affecting food security and local livelihoods. The study also revealed that proximity to large water bodies provides some protection against flash droughts, as coastal and marine protected areas mostly showed lower risk levels. These results emphasize the urgent need for targeted conservation strategies and policy reforms to address the challenges posed by flash droughts. Our framework provides a valuable tool for prioritizing conservation efforts and developing resilient ecosystem management plans in the face of increasing climate-related challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102893"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zoom fatigue and integrated anxiety-stress: The mediating roles of mind wandering and boredom proneness","authors":"Tuğba Turgut ,&nbsp;Sinan Okur ,&nbsp;Seydi Ahmet Satici ,&nbsp;Mark D. Griffiths","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on many aspects of daily living, resulting in specific precautions that had to be taken to inhibit the spread of the virus. Due to this, in-person face-to-face education was suspended, and distance education was implemented. Online platforms such as Zoom are frequently used in conjunction with distance education. However, Zoom fatigue has developed as a result of excessive and uncontrolled use. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between Zoom fatigue and integrated anxiety-stress, the relationship of this association with mind wandering and boredom proneness, and whether this association is mediated by them. The sample comprised 321 adults (48 % females, <em>M</em>_<em>age</em> = 24.89 years, <em>SD</em> = 8.70) in different regions of Türkiye, between the ages of 18 and 66 years, and from different occupational groups. According to the results of serial mediation analyses, Zoom fatigue had a significant direct effect on integrated anxiety-stress. The combination of mind wandering and boredom proneness serially mediated the relationship between Zoom fatigue and integrated anxiety-stress. All results are discussed in the context of the psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the relevant literature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102892"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mitigating social polarization in video sharing platform using unbiased recommendation system: A case study of South Korea political youtube channels","authors":"Giang T.C. Tran ,&nbsp;Jason J. Jung ,&nbsp;Jeonghun Han","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102881","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102881","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In a digital age marked by surging polarization and the rise of echo chambers on video-sharing platforms, the imperative for unbiased, diverse content recommendation systems has never been more apparent. This study aims to propose a novel approach for building an unbiased recommendation system on a video-sharing platform to address the issue of escalating polarization and biased content. Our novel system targets the heart of social polarization, aiming to provide users with balanced exposure to a spectrum of perspectives on contentious issues. By integrating advanced techniques for polarity measurement, harnessing user activity, and leveraging video characteristics, we have constructed an innovative unbiased recommendation system. Commencing with seed channels, we collect sample data to establish user activity models and gauge the bias of each channel. The comprehensive feature set we utilize includes video titles, hashtags, posting times, comment distribution, and active users, each meticulously embedded to ensure the utmost precision in addressing user preferences. The output of the model is designed to provide users seeking relevant videos for social events without polarization bias. We use political polarization as a representative case, amassing data from Korean Political YouTube channels via our TubePlunger system. Beginning with six seed channels and approximately one million users, we analyzed more than six million comments on 24,000 videos to create an expansive dataset, eventually encompassing over 50 other relevant channels. More than 80% of survey participants agree that our system offers a means to achieve information balance across the political spectrum, in contrast to YouTube recommendations. They view TubePlunger as a valuable solution for addressing media-related social polarization issues. This proposed recommendation system approach has the potential to encourage a more equitable and informed political discourse, curbing polarization and enhancing democratic engagement in the online realm. This research signifies a pivotal stride in the realm of unbiased recommendation systems, transcending politics to extend its influence across diverse fields, providing balanced perspectives and bridging divides in a polarized digital world.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102881"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How to involve society into the ethics of non-invasive brain stimulation? Strategies for broader participation of stakeholders","authors":"M.J. Maier ,&nbsp;J. Breuer ,&nbsp;P. Ramasawmy ,&nbsp;A. Antal ,&nbsp;G. Northoff ,&nbsp;A. Oliviero ,&nbsp;A. Carter","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102890","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102890","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research and use of emerging neurotechnologies raise challenging ethical questions. We argue that a broad societal inclusion of different groups is needed in neuroethical deliberations which poses methodological challenges. Three requirements for participatory processes in the field of neuroethics include: (i) Integration of different types of knowledge, (ii) Debate about potential futures of neurotechnologies, and (iii) Balancing of technical-medical and societal-social concerns. One approach to meet these requirements is a “design-based and co-creative” participatory process. The approach ensures that all project interactions are easily accessible and relevant to all stakeholders and go beyond a survey of stakeholder opinions. Development and explication of ethical issues is consequently no longer a matter of small groups of specialists but systematically organized among the engagements of different stakeholder groups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"82 ","pages":"Article 102890"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}