Top 10 Forgotten Tech Scandals

In 2015, the world was left stunned when the Environmental Protection Agency came after Volkswagen. The German carmaker had intentionally manipulated their diesel engines, ensuring that they met emissions standards during regulatory testing. However, these controls were only activated once a lab test had begun. At any other time, such as on the road, the emission controls were not activated and the cars spewed pollutants into the air. Volkswagen deployed eleven million cars in this manner, knowing full well that they had worked around a federal law. The company faced a number of repercussions from numerous jurisdictions, but it seems like everyone has since forgotten about it. In fact, Volkswagen revenue continues to grow and has done so since 2015.

Apple changed the game once again with the introduction of the iPhone 7. Released in 2016, it was the first major smartphone to abandon the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. This announcement became worldwide news and was met with scathing reactions. Technology outlets wrote entire articles bemoaning the loss of the headphone jack, social media was ablaze with hostile reactions, and Apple vice president Phil Schiller was relentlessly mocked for calling the decision courageous. But this all meant nothing. The iPhone 7 saw enormous pre-sale numbers, became the biggest iPhone launch for T-Mobile, and was the best-selling smartphone of Q1 2017. And concern about the missing headphone jack has long faded, as most other smartphone developers have followed suit in recent years.

So, uh, Tay was a bad idea. Did you forget about her? Well let us remind you. Microsoft released this AI chatbot onto the world and, perhaps unsurprisingly, internet trolls quickly got a hold of it. They began writing to the chatbot and manipulating its responses, resulting in an AI teenager that was horribly racist, misogynistic, antisemitic, and deep into conspiracy theories. Mommy and Daddy Microsoft quickly took her home and grounded her, claiming that Tay needed to “make [some] adjustments.” Yeah, that’s putting it lightly. Tay was eventually taken offline, another target of trolls just looking for a laugh.

Remember that episode of “Black Mirror” where people rate each other on a one-to-five scale? Yeah, this is that. We often hear “Oh, this is Black Mirror in real life,” but this is actually “Black Mirror” in real life. Announced in 2015, Peeple was an app that allowed its users to rate each other on various scales, whether of a professional or personal nature. Naturally, this announcement was met with widespread criticism. Not only is the concept of rating people inherently creepy, but it strongly encourages the use of cyberharassment. The blowback was so fierce that the app’s developers quickly re-worked it and released a tamer version in 2016 without the star system. It helped, but it didn’t help the app from fading into obscurity.

Amazon became the target of national outrage in 2015 when The New York Times published its investigative piece “Inside Amazon.” By interviewing over 100 employees, they uncovered horrible working conditions within the global company. This included long hours, “unreasonably high” expectations, and a generally toxic and hostile environment. The piece was well received and ignited a firestorm while also opening public discourse about workers’ rights. But, as is often the case with these types of stories, it disappeared as quickly as it was published. Few, if any, are still talking about it, and Amazon revenue continues to grow at a rapid clip.

Sometimes tragic stories get forgotten, and that seems to be the case with the Foxconn scandal. For those who don’t know, Foxconn is the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer that is responsible for making iPhones among other products. The company’s Chinese factories exhibit horrible working conditions, resulting in a rash of employees taking their own lives. A majority of these deaths occurred in 2010, with fifteen individuals jumping to their deaths. Foxconn’s response only fueled the controversy, as they installed “safety nets” to prevent future incidents and forced their employees to sign pledges claiming that they wouldn’t take their own lives. This was big news, yet it did nothing to stymy demand for the iPhone - or Apple products in general.

Satya Nadella’s words, not ours. Nadella became CEO of Microsoft in 2014, and it didn’t take him long to spark national outrage. Nadella was attending the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing when he made the PR blunder of his career. Nadella was asked what female workers should do if they’re afraid of asking for a raise. Nadella quickly insinuated that women shouldn’t ask for a raise, but just “have faith” that one will eventually come along. It’s a controversial thing to say at the best of times, nevermind at a conference aimed at empowering and celebrating women. Naturally, Nadella’s comments caused an uproar and he was quick to backpedal, eventually calling his answer “completely nonsensical.”

To what extent are manufacturers responsible for aiding law enforcement? How far does personal security go? These were the major questions at the heart of the epic Apple vs. FBI case of 2016. On December 2, 2015, two shooters attacked the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, killing 14 and injuring 22. A smartphone was recovered from one of the shooters but was locked behind a password. The FBI demanded that Apple write new software and unlock the phone, but they said no. People argued for Apple, and people argued for the FBI. It was a moral dilemma for the ages, yet it all came to naught. The FBI eventually hired a third party who cracked the phone, yet they found nothing but work-related information.

Remember Isis Mobile Wallet? Probably not, because they quickly changed their name. For the best. Announced in 2010, the wallet allowed users to store financial information on their smartphone and pay for items at stores. It was launched nationwide in 2013 - the same year that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria was created. Known by the abbreviation ISIS, the terrorist organization put a quick damper on the Isis Mobile Wallet. The shared name wasn’t their fault, but it was enough to cause a brief PR nightmare, and Isis quickly rebranded itself as Softcard. And with that, the scandal was forgotten. And it went from forgotten to buried when Softcard was bought by Google in 2015 and replaced by Google Wallet.

Often heralded as a tech martyr, Reddit founder Aaron Swartz is a tragic figure who died in the fight for open access. In September 2010, Swartz began illegally downloading millions of academic articles from JSTOR. He did this through an unlocked wiring cupboard at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, prompting campus police to arrest him for breaking and entering. He was later charged with wire fraud and violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. For this, he faced up to 35 years in prison. After denying a potential plea bargain, Swartz ended his life in his Brooklyn apartment. Dead at just 26, Swartz became the public face of open access and prosecutor Carmen Ortiz came under criticism for her decision to indict him.

Do you remember any of these scandals? Let us know in the comments below!