Sergio Urueña López

The creation of future scenarios is considered a valuable methodological tool for shaping the anticipatory governance of emerging technologies. Although plausibility is presented as a necessary (but not sufficient) criterion for assessing future scenarios, there is no consensus on its meaning or operationalization. The main objective of this paper is to contribute to clarifying the meaning of plausibility and the theoretical role it plays in the application of scenario building practices to technological governance. In particular, I will argue that plausibility can be understood as a methodological criterion and as an anticipatory-enabling ‘epistemic device.’ In this sense, I support the value of theoretically distinguishing between the methodological-limiting and the anticipatory-enabling roles of plausibility in foresight practices.

Social media platforms have not ceased to play a huge role in societal interaction since their arrival. Although it is undeniable that social media opens us up to new and exciting opportunities, we should not forget that it is a catalyst for some new or already existing social problems. This chapter aims to explore some political, ethical and epistemological issues that “Nosedive,” one of the most award‐winning Black Mirror episodes, tackles. Starting from capturing the actuality of Nosedive's narrative, exploring the problems of the majority rule and the influence of the “others” in our way of acting and feeling, and coming up to the problems of the reliability of digital profiles, this chapter touches upon some contemporary fears and anxieties created around Social Media.