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Ethics in technology

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English Learning for Beginners: Ethics in Technology

Dialogue

Alice: Hey Bob! What are you staring at on your phone so seriously?

Bob: Oh, hi Alice! I’m reading about AI. It’s… a bit scary sometimes.

Alice: Scary? Like robots taking over the world? (laughs)

Bob: Not exactly! More like… my smart speaker always knows what I want before I say it. Is it listening *all the time*?

Alice: Well, it *is* designed to listen for your commands. But yes, privacy is a big thing with technology.

Bob: See! What if my fridge starts recommending only healthy snacks because it knows I ate too much pizza last night? That’s not cool!

Alice: (giggles) That’s a funny thought! But it shows how technology collects data about us.

Bob: And what about those deepfake videos? They look so real! How can we know what’s true?

Alice: That’s a really important question. It’s hard to tell sometimes. We need to be careful and think critically.

Bob: Yes! And what if AI decides who gets a job based on… computer data, not their real talent?

Alice: That’s a good point, Bob. AI can have biases if the data it learns from isn’t fair.

Bob: So, technology can be good, but we need to think about these things, right?

Alice: Exactly! It’s called “ethics in technology.” It means thinking about what is right and wrong when we create and use technology.

Bob: So, no judgy fridges for now, then?

Alice: (smiles) Not yet, Bob. But it’s good to be aware!

Current Situation

Technology is changing our lives very fast! It makes many things easier, like talking to friends far away or finding information quickly. But sometimes, technology creates new problems. “Ethics in technology” is about thinking if these new technologies are fair, safe, and good for everyone. For example, our phones and smart devices collect a lot of information (data) about us. Is this okay? Does AI (Artificial Intelligence) make fair decisions, or does it sometimes have ‘biases’ (unfair opinions) because of the data it learns from? Also, things like “deepfakes” (fake videos that look real) can make it hard to know what is true. We need to think carefully about how we use technology and how tech companies should build it responsibly.

Key Phrases

  • What are you staring at?: A casual way to ask someone why they are looking intently at something.
    Example: “What are you staring at on that paper? Is it important?”
  • A bit scary: Slightly frightening or worrying.
    Example: “Walking alone at night can be a bit scary.”
  • Not exactly!: Used to correct someone’s understanding slightly, or to say their idea is close but not quite right.
    Example: “Are you angry?” “Not exactly! I’m just a little tired.”
  • All the time?: Asking if something happens continuously or very often.
    Example: “Does your dog bark all the time?”
  • Privacy is a big thing: Used to say that personal privacy is very important.
    Example: “For many people, privacy is a big thing online.”
  • That’s not cool!: An informal way to say something is unfair, unacceptable, or bad.
    Example: “You ate my last cookie? That’s not cool!”
  • That’s a funny thought!: Used to describe an idea that is amusing or strange.
    Example: “A dog driving a car? That’s a funny thought!”
  • That’s a really important question: Used to emphasize the significance of a question.
    Example: “How can we protect the environment? That’s a really important question.”
  • We need to be careful: It means we should act with caution to avoid mistakes or danger.
    Example: “The road is icy, we need to be careful.”
  • That’s a good point: Used to acknowledge that someone has made a valid or sensible observation.
    Example: “Maybe we should leave early. That’s a good point.”

Grammar Points

  1. Present Simple Tense

    We use the present simple tense for actions that happen regularly, general truths, or facts.

    • For habits/routines: “My smart speaker always knows what I want.” (It happens regularly)
    • For facts/general truths: “Privacy is a big thing.” (It’s a general truth)
    • For statements of fact: “Technology collects data about us.” (It’s a fact)

    Structure: Subject + Verb (add -s/-es for he/she/it)

    Examples: I read, You read, He reads, She reads, It listens, We read, They read.

  2. Modal Verb: ‘Can’ (for possibility or ability)

    We use ‘can’ to talk about what is possible or what someone is able to do.

    • Possibility: “AI can have biases.” (It is possible for AI to have biases)
    • Ability: “How can we know what’s true?” (How is it possible for us to know?)

    Structure: Subject + can + base form of the verb

    Examples: I can swim. He can speak English. Technology can make life easier.

  3. Modal Verb: ‘Need to’ (for necessity or obligation)

    ‘Need to’ expresses something that is necessary or required.

    • “We need to be careful and think critically.” (It is necessary for us to be careful)
    • “We need to think about these things.” (It is necessary to think about them)

    Structure: Subject + need to + base form of the verb

    Examples: I need to study for the test. You need to eat healthy food.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Key Phrases)

Choose the best key phrase from the list below to complete each sentence.

(Key phrases: That’s a good point, That’s not cool, privacy is a big thing, We need to be careful, What are you staring at)

  1. My brother took my phone without asking. __________!
  2. My smart TV records everything I watch. I think __________ for many people.
  3. The internet has a lot of false information. __________ what we read.
  4. The teacher said our homework is due tomorrow. Oh, __________! I almost forgot.
  5. “__________ on that old map?” “I’m looking for a hidden treasure!”

Exercise 2: True or False (Dialogue Comprehension)

Read the dialogue again and decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F).

  1. Alice thinks AI robots are taking over the world. (T/F)
  2. Bob is worried about his smart speaker listening to him. (T/F)
  3. Alice agrees that his fridge might recommend healthy snacks. (T/F)
  4. Bob is concerned about deepfake videos. (T/F)
  5. Alice says “ethics in technology” means thinking about right and wrong in tech. (T/F)

Exercise 3: Complete the Sentences (Grammar – Present Simple / Can / Need to)

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb or modal verb in parentheses.

  1. My computer always __________ (make) a strange noise.
  2. We __________ (can / download) apps from the internet.
  3. Sarah __________ (need to / learn) more about online safety.
  4. A smart device __________ (listen) for your voice commands.
  5. I __________ (can / not / understand) why some people share too much online.

Answers

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

  1. That’s not cool!
  2. privacy is a big thing
  3. We need to be careful
  4. That’s a good point
  5. What are you staring at

Exercise 2: True or False

  1. False (She laughs at the idea, suggesting she doesn’t take it seriously)
  2. True
  3. False (She laughs and calls it a “funny thought,” not something likely to happen soon)
  4. True
  5. True

Exercise 3: Complete the Sentences

  1. makes
  2. can download
  3. needs to learn
  4. listens
  5. cannot understand / can’t understand

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