The Algorithm Is The Mind Killer

We have known for a long time that data, particularly personal data, is our most valuable resource, especially in the 21st Century. Science fiction authors imagined, in the most nightmarish of scenarios and in terrifying detail, that this resource would be taken from us; stolen, against our will, through the ever erosive infringements on our privacy. No one ever imagined we would be the ones to willingly infringe, so spectacularly, upon our own privacy. That is, until the invention of social media and smart devices. Our private, personal data is a resource we give away voluntarily; with every like, comment, and share, we entrust pieces of ourselves to whomever is ready, willing, and able to collect them. We skim thorough end-user license agreements as quickly as possible so we can become users, when, in fact, we are the product being sold. We have not taken the time to explore the very real consequences of our collective, blissful ignorance. We treat these platforms as tools and playthings and we engage, for short-term and instant, ephemeral gratification, in practices that will have long-term and devastating effects. Smartphone and social media companies are at the forefront of creating culture. They both not only reflect, but also shape our cultural imagination; the social identity and values around which we construct our personal and public lives. These platforms and devices do not belong to us, and neither does the personal information we so freely share on them. The