DIVERSITY & INCLUSION ( D & I )
Figures show a marked imbalance of promotions when it comes to men and women working in senior roles . This trend increased from the start of the pandemic , when 34 % of men versus 9 % of women received a promotion , and 26 % of men versus 13 % of women got a pay rise .
The gap is evident , and trends like these only threaten to widen it . But , unless greater support is given to women looking to pursue a career in tech , there will be an almost complete uniformity of perspectives among those involved in high-level discussions .
“ It ' s not that men are not thinking about these things , but they don ' t have the lived experience necessary to draw those correlations ,” Karlin explains .
“ We need to understand that even if technology can be a force for good , it can also easily be weaponised . And something that is normalised within our society is the abuse of women .”
Karlin urges that , when designing and developing technical products , worst case scenarios have to be considered . There are those who will seek to weaponise technologies , and we need to create measures that will protect vulnerable users against risks . One of the most concerning and widely cited examples of a failure to do so is that of social media .
“ If you haven ' t seen the rates of teen suicide and depression in correlation to Instagram , it ' s shocking . In one study , it was revealed that , for girls who spend more than three hours on social media a day , 37 % of them are likely to self-harm ,” Karlin outlines .
In this case , empathy is clearly at odds with the financial model of the platform . The usage of the infinite scroll UX design , coupled with exceptionally sophisticated engagement algorithms , ensure users remain on the app for as long as possible . In this way , as Karlin
“ We need to understand that , even if technology can be a force for good , it can also be easily weaponised . And something that is normalised within our society is the abuse of women ”
SAMANTHA KARLIN CEO , EMPOWER GLOBAL
82 February 2023