Monday, 7 October 2019
DIGITAL REVOLUTION AT A CRITICAL POINT
by Dirk Helbing
I am a strong supporter of the use of digital technology. I wonder, however, whether we have really taken the most promising path.
Many business models today are based on what experts call surveillance capitalism. Companies therefore try to obtain as much data as possible about basically everyone, create personal profiles, and then commercialize this data – often without the knowledge of those affected. The economic and personal consequences are difficult to estimate.
Many business models make money selling sensitive data, which are later used for "behavioural control". However, the data is not only used for "neuromarketing". Rather, personalized fake news, election manipulation, propaganda, cyber-bullying, and cyber-attacks also benefit from the use of personal data.
This puts public confidence in the digital transformation at risk altogether.
I am a strong supporter of the use of digital technology. I wonder, however, whether we have really taken the most promising path.
Many business models today are based on what experts call surveillance capitalism. Companies therefore try to obtain as much data as possible about basically everyone, create personal profiles, and then commercialize this data – often without the knowledge of those affected. The economic and personal consequences are difficult to estimate.
Many business models make money selling sensitive data, which are later used for "behavioural control". However, the data is not only used for "neuromarketing". Rather, personalized fake news, election manipulation, propaganda, cyber-bullying, and cyber-attacks also benefit from the use of personal data.
This puts public confidence in the digital transformation at risk altogether.
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http://futurict.blogspot.com/ posted by Dirk Helbing
