Welcome to an Orwellian world
I remember reading George Orwell’s ‘1984’ in school. The sheer weight of ideas in the book blew me away. The ideas of 24/7 surveillance, language being constricted and how news records are manipulated gave me much to think about. It seemed unbelievable that Orwell had penned this book in 1948 and his vision for 1984 was yet to come true even in the new millennium. One of the other memorable aspects of the book was how one man had chosen to fight against the system. Eventually, he had to capitulate.
So, here we are in 2020. Glued to our screens, internet enabled mobiles almost a part of our being and cameras everywhere. We may not be watched all the time but we are certainly being heard all the time. While the Google Assist needs an ‘Ok Google’ command to get active, it keeps listening to us in the background. I’ve observed this on a number of occasions. On one occasion, I was talking to my family about a Hindi movie: ‘Padmaavat’. Next thing I know, the film’s trailer appeared on my YouTube feed. Over the past couple of days, I’ve been watching a show called ‘Scam 1992: the Harshad Mehta story’. Today, my YouTube feed had a video on Harshad Mehta and his exploits.
What does all of this mean for us? The internet and mobiles are here to stay. We are too dependent on gadgets and the World Wide Web for us to move away from them. Google, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft are giant companies with billion dollar valuations. We are the product as well as the consumers for the activities of these companies. For most people, their entire lives are recorded online. Not surprisingly, online advertising has seen tremendous improvements in the past few years. Let’s say you are in regular contact with a friend of yours through WhatsApp and phone calls. If this friend’s wife has a start-up then don’t be surprised if you see the start-up advertisements on your Facebook feed.
We have created digital echo chambers through our activities on Facebook. On our feed, we get updates from people who have similar political views and interests. One may argue that this is a good thing and a natural progression. However, when fake news articles are circulated on Facebook which in turn influence elections then it is time to take a step back and analyze things.
I have a friend who is a digital monk. He doesn’t own a smart phone and operates a simple feature phone where he can only call and SMS people. He does have a tablet to access Netflix and WhatsApp when required. Even if I wanted, I could never live that kind of life. I am too dependent on radio cabs like Uber and Ola to simply use a feature phone and junk my smart phone. So, the question is: Is an Orwellian world good for us? You see what is relevant for you, your YouTube feed is customized to your offline activities and you see advertisements according to how you search, post pictures on Instagram and converse on WhatsApp.
It seems we have gotten a bit ahead of ourselves in this creation of an Orwellian society. The Internet has morphed from being a tool for defense purposes to this omnipresent, all-seeing beast. But, if it helps us to get customized advertisements and videos then what could possibly be wrong with that? The question is not one of ease and convenience but of privacy. For the Facebooks and Twitters of the world, we are nothing but fat wallets that are begging to be manipulated. The more customization we get on the Internet, the more we get sucked into insular chambers of thought.
But, if privacy and individuality were truly that important then why do we see the valuations and usage of these companies increase all the time. As humans we are suckers for herd mentality. We love being part of groups of similar thinking and needs. We need to express and be appreciated. Even if we put on our individualist hat, we still need to be liked and applauded for our efforts. This is where the digital echo chambers come in. It’s a simple case of scratching each other’s backs.
Where does all of this leave us for the future? With AI tools such as Alexa and Google Home, technology is getting even more deeply integrated in our homes. There is little semblance of privacy in our world today. It is tough to leave the ecosystem that these tech companies have created because of our need to express, retain connections and be appreciated. So, in a strange way the Internet helps promote individuality at the cost of privacy. In this tech obsessed world we are all open books happy to be fed according to our activities whether they be offline or online.
Our relationship with the Internet and technology is simply a case of choice. We can choose to minimize our usage and keep our cards close to our chest. The problem becomes more apparent when voice services such as Siri and Google Assist along with Alexa and Google Home keep running in the background. They keep storing information and make our digital profiles so that we can be fed information accordingly. In this tech enabled world, privacy is a mirage and a quantity which is neither valued nor focused on. We appreciate the search algorithms for their accuracy. We enjoy our Facebook news feed which provides us updates from contacts who we gel with.
Technology was meant to enable us and not transform us into addicts. Our lives revolve around convenience and customization. At times, one wonders what would happen if technology were to disappear from our lives. We would almost feel as if a limb has been cut off! The key is to use technology and the Internet judiciously. We should be in control of affairs rather than the other way round. And, when it comes to voice services on our phone or home devices we need to be aware that they keep recording in the background.
Value your privacy and individuality. Don’t sell it cheap. Harness the internet and its benefits. Be comfortable with being under surveillance all the time. We are still at the stage where AI is yet to take off and drones are not yet a part of daily life. Technology today stands at a cusp. Much of how things progress from here will depend on our choices. Choose wisely and be brave. There has to be some amount of resistance from society for technology to evolve suitably. Currently, we can’t have enough of technology. That is a worrying trend and needs to be addressed. We have to remember that we create technology. It is we who have to be in control of it. Once AI takes off, these issues will be discussed in further detail.
For now, be a tech user not an addict. Express yourself but not at the cost of selling your personal data. Value your individuality and try to be part of a varied user base on Twitter and Facebook. Ultimately, it boils down to how you wish to play your cards. Have the cheerful exultation of a child who wants to celebrate life. Not the single-mindedness of an addict who is hooked to technology. Ultimately it is a question of spirit and which side of the coin of technology you favour.
Originally published at http://ridingvaves.wordpress.com on December 4, 2020.
