The implementation and development of cyber-related policies and cyberinfrastructure present a unique problem given the often short sighted nature of humanity’s predictive knowledge capabilities. We can not just look at the immediate splash of new technological advancements, instead, we must consider the ripple effects that will come after. Today we have great potential to change the world of the future through technology.

Though looking at history we can find other examples of technology that caused problems further down the timeline. The burning of fossil fuels was once a revolutionary way of generating power, but many years later we realized the environmental consequences of using them. Asbestos was once a staple of construction due to its fire preventing nature and ability to insulate buildings, but eventually, we learned that it was harmful to the tissue in our lungs. The use of plastic once revolutionized the manufacturing process of consumer goods, but now we face the ripple effects of plastic waste in our ocean and microplastics in the ecosystem. We must do our best to learn from the mistakes of our past when it comes to cyber policies and infrastructure. Especially when we consider the global reach that cybertechnology can have and how it rapidly develops. For example, look how quickly Apple’s iPhone, while not the first smartphone but what most consider the first mainstream smartphone, and its competitors have changed society. In just a few years it went from a luxury to a practical requirement to participate in the world around us.

These examples highlight the care we must approach the growth of new technology with. We have a duty to explore and consider the potential consequences to the best of our ability beforehand. Today the work of science fiction from sentient artificial intelligence to slowly aging on a cellular level seems possible one day in the future. From a policy-making standpoint, it means a shift from being reactive to instead being proactive. We should consider the ethical, moral, and legal limits of technology beforehand and not once the consequences are standing before us.