'Our minds can be hijacked': the tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia

The Guardian ^ | 6 October 2017 | Paul Lewis

[TigerLikesRooster]

'Our minds can be hijacked': the tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia

Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human attention

by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

Justin Rosenstein had tweaked his laptop’s operating system to block Reddit, banned himself from Snapchat, which he compares to heroin, and imposed limits on his use of Facebook. But even that wasn’t enough. In August, the 34-year-old tech executive took a more radical step to restrict his use of social media and other addictive technologies.

Rosenstein purchased a new iPhone and instructed his assistant to set up a parental-control feature to prevent him from downloading any apps.

He was particularly aware of the allure of Facebook “likes”, which he describes as “bright dings of pseudo-pleasure” that can be as hollow as they are seductive. And Rosenstein should know: he was the Facebook engineer who created the “like” button in the first place.

A decade after he stayed up all night coding a prototype of what was then called an “awesome” button, Rosenstein belongs to a small but growing band of Silicon Valley heretics who complain about the rise of the so-called “attention economy”: an internet shaped around the demands of an advertising economy.

These refuseniks are rarely founders or chief executives, who have little incentive to deviate from the mantra that their companies are making the world a better place.

[TigerLikesRooster]

People quoted in this article make valid points, many of which I can agree. But it gives the impression that their renewed urgency on this issue was triggered by Brexit and Trump. These two are the glaring example of downside of social media, according to their view. On the contrary, many in favor of Brexit and Trump were glad that they can communicate each other using it, bypassing layers of media filters erected to water down and prevent their message from spreading. Their original ideal of empowering people was accomplished in this case. But by the people they oppose politically.

The worst example of manipulation via social media is Islamic State. People clinging to violent fanatic medieval belief figured out to use social media to wreak havoc over the entire media, but it was completed ignored in their discussion.

If there were no Brexit and no Trump, these concerned tech people may have been only grumbling on the sideline.

If social media were successfully used to elect Hillary, would they have been able to come out with their view and given media exposure? Even if they did, they would have been crushed by the left for raising the issue.

[glock rocks]

Wait, stand by, my Amazon package has apparently been left on my porch.

[JennysCool]

Talk about hijacked minds. These people seem to SERIOUSLY believe that just about every aspect of their lives is somehow (since Hillary! lost) being affected, infected, even ruined, personally, by the President of the United States.

Thinking like this used to get you a couple of months, at least, in Happydale.

[laplata]

You are right on. They’re very impersonal and zombie-like and it’s scary. They are basically functionally illiterate and have few social skills.

[JennysCool]

It is sort of fascinating, in a dark way. As I live my life (outside of FR) the President of the United States rarely crosses my mind. I have things to do, like work. The baseball playoffs are on. There is also beer. I can’t imagine these minds where, somehow, DONALD TRUMP is some sort of all-encompassing obsession. Their hysteria is such that it seems as if they fear the President is going to personally drop by their very own basement to ruin their lives forever.

[spirited irish]

The irony is amazing. Here we have people who reject the existence of the supernatural God, hell, angels, demons, and their souls (inner persons) but yet have a paradoxical fear that their minds (which are of the soul) can be hijacked (possessed) by what?-— an evil force within the internet.

[odawg]

“Drawing a straight line between addiction to social media and political earthquakes like Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump, they contend that digital forces have completely upended the political system and, left unchecked, could even render democracy as we know it obsolete.”

Drawing a straight line? The only straight line that can be drawn is access to more information that is an end run around the MSM, which the writer doesn’t like.

[Montana_Sam]

Internet sites are like guns - some are used for good (FreeRepublic, Breitbart, et al.), and some for mass social murder (Facebook, Google, Slate, HuffingtonPost, et al.)

[Big Red Badger]

Used For GOOD!

[jiggyboy]

[jiggyboy]

Finally, Eyal confided the lengths he goes to protect his own family. He has installed in his house an outlet timer connected to a router that cuts off access to the internet at a set time every day. “The idea is to remember that we are not powerless,” he said. “We are in control.”

If you have to set a timer to keep your electronic pacifier out of your mouth, you're not in control at all.

[SE Mom]

All I can do is imagine how it will look in 5-10 more years.

[laplata]

I understand what you’re saying and agree.

They are being led by the nose and have been indoctrinated so they are easy to mold and manipulate. They are Useful Idiots and don’t understand they are being used.

[laplata]

It’s scary.