## Clun5050 || Technology And Human Life || By @husnain775

A WhatsApp notification regarding user data has caused a stir in recent days. This was followed by a comparison of other social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal. As soon as I saw it, the idea of ​​moving from one platform to another started circulating. One of the positive effects of the move was that people were forced to think about issues such as technology, data and privacy. Different questions arose in my mind. What is the significance of data? How is it possible to use our personal information? How can private data transactions affect our lives? Is moving from one application to another the solution to these problems? A critical understanding of technology is essential to finding answers to these questions.

Technology is a basic human need. The concept of life without technology is gone. That is why the 21st century is called the century of technology. Information and communication technologies have brought about extraordinary revolutions, which have had a number of positive effects on the individual and collective life of man, and have dreamed of a society that is democratic and just. But over time, extraordinary advances in technology have created problems such as privacy, individual and collective affairs. Edward Snowden, a former member of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), revealed the Global Surveillance Program in 2013. In which the public surveillance with the connivance of government agencies and telecommunication companies was exposed. It was a secret project under which the government had access to any person's Google account, email, Facebook, etc., for the purpose of personal information. It was possible for the government to keep a close eye on all the activities of the individual. This issue helped in understanding the issue of undue surveillance of the people.

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Unbridled advances in technology and unusual interventions in the individual's life have created moral and psychological problems. Digital platforms that have become part of a person's routine, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat, where likes and dislikes, likes and dislikes, ideas and temperaments are expressed through likes and emojis. Everyone's data is collected and stored through online activities. Then each person's likes and dislikes and interests are assessed. The point is, such companies are more aware of their interests, likes and dislikes than they are of themselves. Advertisements are aired on the timeline according to their interests and online content is suggested. All this is done so that the buying and selling process continues. The more platforms you visit and the more time you spend on them, the more ads you will get. YouTube has 1.9 billion users who watch an average of one hour of videos a day. Surprising revelation is that 70% of the videos are content offered by YouTube. Firdaus is under the impression that I have complete freedom of choice but the reality is the opposite. The idea behind the "AutoPlay" button on YouTube is to have a series of videos tailored to your interests before you even think about it. To the extent that their use takes the form of addiction. All these efforts are aimed at gaining the maximum attention of the individual. These platforms are not concerned with what you want, but with how much time you spend on them. Their irregular and unrestricted use has a massive negative impact on human behavior. It has not been possible for a student to read books for a long time due to lack of attention span (attention span), his mind is always searching for new material. Thinking for a long time about a subject becomes the most difficult process. On the other hand, different and contradictory news and posts are reaching us every moment. We express our happiness at this point, then immediately preceded by a sad news. After that, if someone's birthday is being celebrated, then in the next post, someone will come across a joke. Then in the very next moment we find ourselves contemplating a philosophical phrase. These rapidly changing feelings and emotions have a profound effect on the psyche. These issues become more serious when the market and the state together exploit society. In the run-up to the 2016 US election, Facebook sold user data to a company called Cambridge Analytica. Through which at least 20,000 data points of each individual were collected.

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It contained information about likes and dislikes in every aspect of an individual's life. With the help of these interests, the political views of the individual were assessed and based on them, suggestions were made on Facebook posts and video news feeds in order to influence the political views of the individual. The limit is that just by looking at your click pattern you can choose the most suitable political message for you. In this age of technology, data has become the sea and oil. It was understood that only those who had data would be able to run the world.
The technological revolution has given human beings the dream of a society in which better protection of individual freedom is possible. Where new avenues of human welfare could be paved. But this dream of a better society is still a dream. The full power of technology is in the hands of a few capitalist companies. Who are running the world economy. Their aim is to keep human beings engaged with the product and to keep their emotions and feelings being exploited. More and more buying and selling of products and greed for human attention for it has set up a whole system of psychological and emotional exploitation of human beings. Where man is living in the belief that whatever he is doing he is doing it by his own choice and his own freedom. But the fact is that the specific mapping of the algorithm is pushing it according to its plan. The master computer behind the camera can tell by the movement of the individual's eyes what mental state the individual is in and which message he is ready to accept immediately. The situation is that man is becoming a robot at some level, the key of which is in the hands of those who have the technology and data. Throughout this system, basic questions such as humanity, individual freedom and human status have been completely lost.

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There is a need to move beyond the mere thought of transitioning from one platform to another and focus on critical study of technology. Attempts should be made to understand the philosophy of technology, privacy and surveillance. Basic questions such as human status, humanity and individual freedom should be the subject of discussion.

Special Thanks

@steem.skillshare
@cryptogecko

Best Regards

@husnain775