Wishlist

Expanding the map

We asked two simple questions: what would you like to know or understand better, and what would you say to the people who build technology? These are their answers.

What people want to know

1. “I’d like to know more about how devices work.”
— Physiotherapist, Sierra de Huelva, Spain

2. “More technical info on how to repair things myself, and for things to be made so I can do it.”
— Electronics technician, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

3. “It’s very important to have good education about the risks and how to avoid them, and tools to protect people who are very vulnerable. For children, and for me as an adult too.”
— Music teacher and craftswoman, Sierra de Aracena, Spain

4. “Promote support networks and find a balance between the human and the digital.”
— Physiotherapist and farmer, Sierra de Aracena, Spain

5. “Young people’s relationship with digital, and how to make it healthier.”
— Teacher and mother, Sierra de Huelva, Spain

6. “Ethics and tech. Human nature in tech.”
— Educator and researcher, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

7. “How digitalisation affects brain development, and how tech affects us socially. I’m angry, and with reason. I want to know how it works: the backend, the data, the ‘always connected’.”
— Osteopath, Sierra de Aracena, Spain

8. “My new device comes with so many apps. I don’t know what they are, nobody explains what they are for or how I can choose.”
— Farm worker, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

9. “I’d like to know more about AI. I hear and read a lot, but I don’t have the basics. What I know scares me. How can it be limited to what I want, understand and can control? What criteria and values were used?”
— Rural postman, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

10. “How to access events here: political events, global news, things like that.”
— Mechanic and olive grower, Astros, Greece

11. “I want to know more about how reliable the future of digital information can be.”
— Retired taverna owner and olive farmer, Alepochori, Greece

12. “In Greece, things like housing, permits and records are still only on paper. It would be nice to see a digital system evolve.”
— River kayak guide, Menalo Mountain, Greece

13. “I wish there was more access to digitised material, without having to be a professional in each field.”
— Farmer, Laconia, Greece

14. “I’d like to see the studies on what growing up with smartphones does to a generation, compared to pre-smartphone generations.”
— Writer and filmmaker, Arcadia, Greece

Messages to developers

1. “Tools should be created with humanist responsibility.”
— Physiotherapist, Sierra de Huelva, Spain

2. “In the rural world things don’t get repaired so easily. I need to be able to fix things myself. Fixing it myself would lower the price and I could use it more.”
— Electronics technician, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

3. “Prioritise human dignity, mental health, environmental wellbeing and care for vulnerable people.”
— Musician, Sierra de Aracena, Spain

4. “Think about humanity’s medium term and its dependence on technology. Be politically independent.”
— Sports coordinator, Los Marines, Spain

5. “Total transparency about how our data is collected and used.”
— Tree surgeon, Alájar, Spain

6. “Put it at the service of the human and environmental common good. A degrowth vision.”
— Music teacher and craftswoman, Sierra de Aracena, Spain

7. “Stop using us as raw material.”
— Carer for older people, Alájar, Spain

8. “Use it well and don’t abuse it. Not a race to see who gets there first.”
— Builder and livestock keeper, Los Marines, Spain

9. “Innovation and profit shouldn’t be the goal of technology, but the result of good work.”
— Physiotherapist and farmer, Sierra de Aracena, Spain

10. “We’re not making technology in line with human nature, and it’s dehumanising. Not anti-tech. Anti anti-human use.”
— Educator and researcher, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

11. “Take great care of children. Don’t make tech for children.”
— Osteopath, Sierra de Aracena, Spain

12. “Much more control over fake news and hate.”
— Farm worker, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

13. “Be human in your decisions.”
— Farmer and livestock keeper, Sierra Norte de Huelva, Spain

14. “Nothing, because I don’t depend on it.”
— Retired shepherd, Vlachokerasia, Greece

15. “I would like to congratulate them. There are negatives and positives: robots helping firefighters are good, but technology has taken many jobs.”
— Elderly carer, Vlachokerasia, Greece

16. “They should be careful and treat me properly and well.”
— Mechanic and olive grower, Astros, Greece

17. “Good job to the developers.”
— Retired civil servant, Alepochori, Greece

18. “I’m worried I’ll be a victim of tech crime.”
— Retired taverna owner, Alepochori, Greece

19. “More government control. Protection for the masses. No trust toward technology developers, sadly.”
— Farmer, Greece

20. “Better fact-checking. Respect for users’ privacy. User-friendly services.”
— Arcadia, Greece

21. “Technology pulls you like a donkey: you can’t see left or right. You live once. If you’re on the phone 15 hours a day, it’s not life.”
— Electrician, 85+, Alepochori, Greece

22. “I hope that whatever is done is done for a better tomorrow.”
— Farmer, Laconia, Greece

23. “Be kind, not greedy. Don’t target children in ways that could harm them.”
— Writer and filmmaker, Arcadia, Greece