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The average user certainly doesn't worry about any of this, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't. The worst, of course, is the tragedy of the commons dyna
by normalhuman 7y ago
The average user certainly doesn't worry about any of this, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't.
The worst, of course, is the tragedy of the commons dynamics. A lot of harm that comes from surveillance capitalism does not affect someone in particular, but it amounts to great damage to society as a whole. For example, by degrading public discourse, addicting people to screen time while robbing them of living their actual lives, and assisting authoritarian regimes in oppressing their own people (project dragonfly).
- nolok 7y ago> The average user certainly doesn't worry about any of this, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't. I think the point he was making, in part, was that if the average user worried about those things, they would WANT most of those features and decisions.
- normalhuman 7y agoSure, that is why I mention the tragedy of the commons. People (me included, I'm not claiming to be a saint) very easily rationalize exchanging short-term personal comfort for the long term social good, and the adtech people know this very well.
- decoyworker 7y agoIf we are in the business of telling society what they SHOULD care about I'd wager about a hundred other things are more important than free software.