Analysis of Pinball’s Purpose Surrounding and During NYC’s Pinball Prohibition Using the Social Construction of Technology Framework

Abstract

This paper dives into the complex history of pinball in the 20th century, during which it underwent several technological updates and was considered by many to be a gambling device due to its dependence on luck. Concerns that pinball was poisoning the youth and promoting illegal activity led to it being outlawed in New York City for over thirty years. A shift in public perception took place at the end of World War II. By then, the majority of the populace had accepted pinball as an amusement. In a 1976 city council meeting, pinball enthusiast Roger Sharpe called his shot and followed through, proving that pinball was a game of skill, so the ban was lifted. This paper follows the debate between various stakeholders surrounding pinball’s true purpose. It draws on the STS conceptual framework, the “Social Construction of Technology,” focusing on elements such as “interpretive flexibility,” “relevant social groups,” and “stabilization and closure.” Through these, this paper argues that pinball served a dual purpose as both a gambling and amusement device leading up to, during, and in the aftermath of its prohibition in NYC. This is because while it faced persecution for its gambling applications, users continued to engage with the game for entertainment, and even as public perception shifted to view it primarily as an amusement, lingering associations with gambling persisted. Readers are informed how an artifact like pinball may possess multiple meanings simultaneously because meaning is derived from interpretation. By recognizing pinball's dual identity, we can better understand the complex relationship between technology, society, and culture.