Persuasive Technology

people to accept information and advice too readily from technology systems.

Ethical concerns arise when persuasive technologies leverage the traditional

reputation of computers as being credible in cases where that reputation isn’t

deserved.

If you are looking for a chiropractor in the Yellow Pages, you may find that

some display ads mention computers to make this sometimes controversial

healing art appear more credible. In my phone book, one ad reads like this:

No “cracking” or “snapping.” Your adjustments are done with a computer

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ized technology advancement that virtually eliminates the guesswork.

It’s hard to judge whether the claim is accurate or not, but it’s clear that this

chiropractor—and many others like her in a wide range of professions—ar ...