Monday, August 24, 2020

leftovers - close enough to write

Despite my many hundred words about how to spell bandanna, the reality is that when I type bandana in this space Google still puts that famous squiggly red line underneath it. So although bandana might be OK, it's still considered incorrect by the standards of the spell-checker Google offers TOA.

This isn't really an issue, but I do sometimes worry the squiggly red line is a hint at a much darker reality. Who puts it there? I fear the answer - no one. Technological advances mean companies like Google have unprecedented power; AI tools allow constant 'production' even if the entire payroll calls in sick. If no one decides how to spell bandanna - and everyone accepts the decision - what will no one decide next? We give our tech companies their power, but we can take it away; we must make the future a place we want to visit.