Digital Slavery

Muhammad Salem Al Ali

16 March 2023

There is no doubt that today we are witnessing the greatest technological revolution in human history, and there is no doubt that this revolution has changed the face of the world and brought down a digital curtain that carries within it radical changes that affect all fields and sectors, from the economy to politics, from culture to society, from education to business, to almost everything including art and creativity. Those revolutionary changes that amazed everyone except for the preludes to what is to come, that is, the urgent next one that we do not know what surprises it holds.

Of course, by the digital revolution I do not mean one or two technologies, but a large group that includes artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, deep and machine learning algorithms, digital assets, neural networks, smart recognition technologies, fifth generation technologies, quantum computing, three-dimensional printers, and many other technologies and applications that have become surrounding us from all sides; mobile phones, for example, have become closer to a person than his mother and father, they do not sleep before they are assured that everyone is sleeping, and they are also The first thing the eyes see in the morning, and they know about us from the secrets what no one else knows.

Is it time to fold our banners and hand them over to the machine?

If things continue in this way, the following is not promising, as humans are surrounded by many threats that may affect their decision and free will, perhaps the first of which is the issue of addiction to applications such as social media, or addiction to electronic games, videos and other visuals, because these things consume a large part of daily life, and indulging in them may lead to neglect the most important aspects of life such as work, production, entertainment and relaxation, in addition to the erosion of real social relationships based on human interactions. The second is the increasing reliance on technology to the extent that it disrupts the mind and thinking, neither writing as it was, nor reading nor expression; and the intellectual today is not the one who hoards knowledge and information, but is the fastest to access the Internet and search engines; and there is another aspect that many do not notice, which is related to the sharing of personal information in order to access digital services, and here I say goodbye to privacy, because all that data, although it is said «in preservation and preservation», is in fact Stored in corridors and corridors waiting to be used when necessary, whether through advertising campaigns of a targeted nature, or for other purposes of unknown purpose and destination.

Fortunately, there is much that can be done to remedy this, such as setting controls on use and reducing the time spent with digital means, because this breaks the cycle of addiction and allows for a reset of the mind, clearing the mind, and returning to normal activities such as sports, meetings, visits, meditation, thinking, creativity and the practice of arts; of course, all of this must be accompanied by taking appropriate steps to protect privacy, and limiting the sharing of personal information with trusted parties only.

To be fair, the digital world and its myriad achievements must be acknowledged, never in human history has so much technology been reached in such a short time, so we are fortunate to experience them; if they come with some risks and challenges, we just need to recognize those risks and take proactive steps to ensure that we continue on top of the planet.

Founder of Suhail Smart Solutions

To read previous articles by the author, please click on their name.