The capability of technology induces awe, but it’s also a double-edged sword. While it can offer liberation, progress and enhanced communications, it can also be a vehicle for oppression, persecution and a whole canon of other atrocities.

On April 23, President Barack Obama issued an executive order specifically targeting Syria and Iran. It officially enables the U.S. government to impose sanctions against these countries’ nationals, who have used technology for oppression.

Through GPS capabilities, dissenters may be tracked and pursued. Via cellular technology makeup, conversations and plans may be intercepted. And possibly worst of all, through the blocking of Internet access, unfairly persecuted societies may be cut off from the rest of the world.

Syria and Iran both implemented the dark side of technology in the past several months – Syria by utilizing cellphone jammers and Iran by imprisoning the greatest number of journalists than any other nation. Through their severe limitation and close monitoring, the ugly side of technology is more visible than the dark side of the Force at the end of ‘Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith.’

Extreme censorship and denial of access to the full gamut of Internet freedoms aren’t the only serious trespasses on the sovereign grounds of human rights. In the case of Syria and Iran, those in power actively employ technologies to pursue those who may threaten their governments. Persecution comes in the form of jail time.

As Obama stated in his speech, capabilities in the new age of technology should empower citizens, not oppress them. Fittingly, Obama announced this new order during a speech at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The overarching message of his speech was ‘Never Again,’ intended as a promise to stop the crimes against humanity that occurred during the Holocaust.

The official executive order is called ‘Blocking the Property and Suspending Entry into the United States of Certain Persons with Respect to Grave Human Rights Abuses by the Governments of Iran and Syria via Information Technology.’ Simply, this means that the United States will deny entry to any foreign nationals guilty of censoring their people.

With the promises Obama made, there is robust hope for the technological struggle for good. Along with his promise to provide consequences to those who use technology to commit oppression and atrocities, the president assured the world that the U.S. Agency for International Developmentwill invite high-tech companies to help create new technologies to quickly expose violations of human rights. For example, the intelligence community will prepare the first-ever National Intelligence Estimate on the risk of mass atrocities and genocide.

Obama stated that ‘Never Again’ is a challenge to prevent mass atrocities. That means balancing technology in the equation.

Here in the United States, we’re free to use technology without fear of government censorship.And if all goes according to Obama’s plan, this order will punish those who use technology for malice and will liberate the oppressed.

Jessica Smith is a senior information management and technology and television, radio and film dual major. Her column appears every Tuesday. She can be reached at jlsmit22@syr.edu.

Published on April 23, 2012 at 12:00 pm