Connecting the World Through Music: Creating a Website for Discovering Global Songs and Artists; Balancing Health Benefits and Privacy: Navigating the Tradeoffs of Smartwatch Data

With the rapid advancements of technology, the Internet of Things is becoming increasingly integrated in our daily lives. As a technology enthusiast and an active individual, I have grown attached to the health insights my Apple Watch provides. However, I began to wonder about the vast amounts of data it collects the moment I put it on my wrist, specifically concerning the potential privacy and ethical issues surrounding sensitive health data. This curiosity motivated my STS research paper, which is separate from my technical project. As a computer science major, my technical project was a fully functioning application that allows users to discover top artists and songs around the globe, driven by the desire to create a platform that promotes connectivity. This project was completed during a hackathon and demonstrated the application of my undergraduate education. In my STS research, I investigated navigating the tradeoffs between health benefits and privacy concerns of smartwatches. Previous studies, largely based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), highlight that user motivations such as perceived usefulness, ease of use, and even fashionability drive adoption. Yet, these studies often overlook the critical issue of privacy. Using the Social Construction of Technology framework, my research examines the motivations behind three main social groups: users, technology companies, and policymakers. Users seek competence, autonomy, and relatedness through smartwatches, influencing various features like haptic feedback. At the same time, technology companies value profit and aim to cater towards user demands, often cutting corners and deprioritizing privacy protections to achieve rapid growth. Meanwhile, gaps in regulation persist, allowing companies significant freedom in data collection and usage practices, which my research highlights as a crucial area for future improvement to ensure that technological innovation does not come at the expense of user trust and data security. The technical portion of my project produced an application which enables users to explore music from around the globe through leveraging several APIs, including the Spotify API and the Google Maps Geocoding API. My technical project was completed during a hackathon, an event where groups work together in a short time frame to create and build a project from scratch. My technical report details the project’s design and implementation process. This hands-on learning experience not only provided me with a deeper understanding of full-stack development, but also strengthened my collaboration, rapid problem-solving, and adaptability skills. My STS paper highlighted the ethical issues surrounding privacy concerns in the rapidly advancing Internet of Things. It helped reveal the motivations behind various social groups that drive the development of smartwatches and similar technologies. This is unrelated to my technical project, which focused on breaking past cultural barriers by creating an engaging experience for users to easily explore international content. However, my research and project has made me more aware of the ethical responsibilities developers and engineers have beyond just building functional and appealing technologies. While my technical project prioritizes user experience and connectivity, my STS research reminded me that innovation must be balanced with a commitment to protecting user privacy and upholding ethical standards.