David J. Danto
Principal
Consultant, Collaboration/ AV / Multimedia / Video / UC
Dimension Data
Director of
Emerging Technology
Interactive
Multimedia & Collaborative Communications Alliance
eMail:
David.Danto@DimensionData.com Follow Video &
Technology Industry News: @NJDavidD
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The Technology Scapegoat
One of my favorite quotes was by H.L
Mencken. He explained that all
complex problems have an easy answer – which is usually completely wrong. Such is the case with the recent discussions
about the US FCC
reviewing the possible use of mobile phones on airplanes. (Personal
electronic devices can of course now be used on flights because of the recent
FAA review, but this new FCC review is all about their use NOT while in
airplane mode – a change that would allow texting, and heaven forbid, real
phone conversations from airplanes.)
People are angry - grabbing their torches and pitchforks and getting
ready to kill the technology that would destroy their cherished way of
life. Sadly, as in this case, sometimes
people are fooled by the easy answer.
There’s nothing wrong with allowing people to use their cell phones on
an airplane. The real problem is
something else.
Setting our
Wayback machine to about
two years ago, the US National Transportation Safety Board called
for an outright ban on mobile phone use by drivers. It was their
opinion that “distracted driving” - even when using hands-free devices –
put drivers at grave risk. At that time I recommended that we “peel the onion” a bit on the
concept because it just didn’t pass the
logic test. Were we saying
that people are unable to drive and talk at the same time for fear of
distraction? Really? People had been talking in cars since cars
were invented. And not just talking
- singing to music, eating lunch
from the drive-through, breaking up arguments between our
kids. Were we then suggesting banning car radios and cup
holders? Should we reverse the decades old push to carpool for our
environment and instead insist that drivers be alone in their vehicles so they
could concentrate completely on driving?
I
wanted to know what science that recommendation was based upon. It was
hard to understand how one could possibly conclude that people are unable to
communicate on headsets and read instruments while
still concentrating on operating a vehicle. How would airplanes fly if
the pilots were not in constant contact with the air traffic controllers and
continuously monitoring their gauges?
I
concluded that what the NTSB was really saying is that it didn’t trust people
to use good judgment with communication devices - that while having a
conversation in a car (in person or via a headset) was OK, they just didn’t
trust people to resist the temptation to do something really distracting while
driving (like post about their ride on Facebook, or text their Aunt Matilda
that they just saw someone who looked like George Clooney.) This was
completely different from saying that people couldn’t successfully drive and
communicate. This was saying that people were typically idiots who didn't
use their brains. Now if the NTSB could find a way to ban idiots from
driving in cars I for one would have been eternally grateful. But until
they find a way to do that it was just ridiculous to penalize everyone else
because idiots find ways to distract themselves with mobile devices.
Without any mobile devices there would still be idiots driving and distracting
themselves with things like make-up, newspapers, other passengers, etc.
If you cut back to today’s conversation
regarding potentially allowing mobile phone use on airplanes, the same logic
applies. There is nothing wrong with
technology that enables people to communicate as needed for both business and
personal reasons. Airline passengers
don’t have a problem with technology.
Just as above, airline passengers have a problem with idiots. Idiots that spend the whole flight trying to
strike-up a conversation with a stranger that’s trying to sleep or read; idiots
that sit next to their friends and spend the whole flight in loud
conversations; idiots in front of you that snap their chair back to full
recline in coach the second after takeoff (leaving you with personal space the
size of a thimble); idiots that bring young children on flights and don’t
supervise them; – the problem is with the idiots. As I said above, if we could find a way to
ban the idiots from flying I’d be grateful, but I assume not only is that
impossible, but at least a few cabin crews I’ve experienced and all airline executives would never fly
again - so I don’t think that’s a practical solution. If we allow people to use their mobile
phones and stay in touch with the rest of their lives no one will die, no laws
will be broken, no one should be offended.
There is no religious or governmental decree that I’m aware of that
deems aircraft as meditation sanctuaries, so we have to take that silly
argument off the table too. What would be bad is if people act … well,
like idiots when using their phones – talking too loudly, being inconsiderate
of their fellow passengers, etc. But
since that happens all the time anyway I don’t see how using mobile phones will
change the situation.
So in my opinion, the FCC should allow the
use of mobile phones on aircraft (especially now that they finally agreed that
personal electronic devices don’t harm aircraft in any way.) Our governmental agencies should refrain from
making illogical recommendations that impact intelligent adults in the hopes of
preventing idiots from being idiots. Nothing can stop that – just look at
the last few elections.
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This
article was written by David Danto and contains solely his own,
personal opinions. David has over three decades of experience providing problem
solving leadership and innovation in media and unified communications
technologies for various firms in the corporate, broadcasting and academic
worlds including AT&T, Bloomberg LP, FNN, Morgan
Stanley, NYU, Lehman Brothers and JP Morgan Chase. He now works with Dimension Data as their Principal
Consultant for the collaboration, multimedia, video and AV disciplines. He is
also the IMCCA’s Director of
Emerging Technology. David can be reached at David.Danto@Dimensiondata.com
or DDanto@imcca.org and his full bio and other
blogs and articles can be seen at Danto.info. Please reach-out to David if you would like
to discuss how he can help your organization solve problems or develop a
future-proof collaboration strategy.
All image and links provided above as reference under
prevailing fair use statutes.