As digital technology began to emerge into the public sphere , the picture its advocates painted seemed idyllic . Since then , the machine seems to have gone a bit haywire . As early as 2017 , French philosopher and writer Éric Sadin was already speaking clear-sightedly , in his book The Silicolonization of the World , of the emergence of what he calls “ the industry of life ”: a new kind of economy originating in Silicon Valley , living to the rhythm of algorithms and the massive harvesting of personal data ... and its potential capacity to impact human sovereignty .
Taken at face value , technological developments seem useful : wasn ’ t the intention behind their creation to help us to work more efficiently , to improve our performance , save time , or keep in touch with our loved ones ? Today , we have virtual personal assistants , intelligent sports watches , voice recognition systems , automatic translators ... but perhaps we shouldn ’ t forget that “ the road to hell is paved with good intentions ”?
The commoditisation of life : when our data is more than just data
Behind this bright façade of positive progress lies a darker reality . The Internet , social networks , applications , and connected objects allow web giants such as GAFAM ( Google , Apple , Facebook , Amazon , Microsoft ), as well as disruptive companies that have pushed new business models to the forefront ( Airbnb , Uber , Netflix ...), high-tech leaders , and various digital startups to exploit our personal data , earning billions of dollars every year in the process . How do they do it ? By selling our data to third parties , making it possible for advertisers to show us individually-targeted ads .
At first glance it may seem that the companies behind these objects and services are working to create a better world . Nonetheless , they are unmistakeably capitalising on the windfall our personal data represents . Taking advantage of our every move , these companies can discover ( almost ) everything about us : travel , political leanings , hobbies , health status ... At every step we leave information in our wake that can be leveraged by the analytical power of Big Data technologies , yet many people still underestimate the value of their personal data .
According to the World Economic Forum , the global data market is expected to be worth more than $ 500 billion by 2024 . Like coal in the industrial revolution , are we becoming the raw material of the digital industry ? The term “ human resources ” takes on a whole new meaning ... After all , don ’ t we all participate in feeding huge databases held by private groups , apparently beyond the reach of our governments to control ?
On the way to " progress "?
In fact , our environments are rapidly being digitised . More and more surfaces are already equipped with sensors , or will be in the near future : vehicles , homes , urban spaces , bodies ... This is not without risk : are we willing to allow private companies to guide our lives ( in due course ), in exchange for ( supposed ) gains in efficiency and comfort ? Are we ready to risk losing the thing that , according to Eric Sadin , characterizes our humanity : our precious free will ?
In this hyper-connected world , it is important to take a step back and question the vaunted benefits of current and future technologies . In recent years , dystopian – and disturbing – series such as Black Mirror , Westworld , or Years and Years have shone a penetrating light on the current state of affairs , alerting us to the potential consequences to humanity of broad-scale digitalisation and the rise of artificial intelligence .
Our society is now at a turning point . We could succumb to indifference or fatalism , faced with the ( real or imagined ) threat of a world in which the status quo might significantly – and dangerously – alter , even to the point where certain freedoms disappear . Alternatively , we could do what now seems essential – finding a happy medium . How ? By insisting on limits to “ all connected ”; by calling on public authorities to demand better regulation in the digital domain ; or by taking control of our personal data as far as possible , choosing free software or privacy-friendly search engines , for example . All this before it ' s too late - and before the dream turns into a nightmare .
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