Is it fair to say that, when it comes to thinking about its effects on gender equality, technology today is both part of the problem and part of the solution? Give an example to help support what you say!


Absolutely! I think that technology has a deep impact on gender equality because it can be used as a tool to control the lives of others. Examples of this are:

• Social Media: The information shared on these platforms can be used to make a person fear how it can fall in the wrong hands. Many people have been reported to commit suicide over cyber-bullying, deported/ convicted due to another user's agenda on hatred. It has been used to form and destroy concepts of what gender is supposed to be, when people are online. Many women have gravitated towards modeling on the Internet because it is believed to bring them fame and money. This is in part true because of how accessible content can be, however these marketing ploys can be used against the creator much later on after they have tried to move forward with their lives, but instead leaves them ridiculed. Then giving birth to new users following and replacing the previous users and developing their own fame based on popularity.
• Surveillance: Can record criminal activity or create illusions that don't capture a full-story, that can impact their subjects. An example of this is the infamous Treyvon Martin case and the events that transpired after, based on insufficient evidence or the killing of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, that granted him justice after his demise due to the evidence that was collected through the cameras.
• Paparrazis: Many female celebrities have been made and destroyed based on how they dealt with the media's attention. When Naomi Campbell attacked her helper, that information went viral and it affected her career.
• Presidential Campaign Smear: When Hillary's wikileaks information was leaked, it ruined her campaign. But when Trump's information wasn't made transparent, he was still favored by his supporters. This can deemed as an issue with gender equality but that's subjective.

There are several other ways that clearly show how technology affects gender equality and so my answer remains absolute.