Criticism on the Beautiful “Declaration of Independence in Cyberspace”
Before I start criticising Mr. Barlow’s “Declaration of Independence in Cyberspace” (which I recommend that you read: https://www.eff.org/cyberspace-independence) let me start by stating that I think his declaration is a beautiful idea, I agree with his objection, but I am not sure how good it is in praxis.
Barlow’s paper sums up my feelings on this subject, before my logical thinking takes over. I think it is a nostalgic homage to a simpler time. Time when cyberspace was a relatively primitive paradise, not heavily influenced by big corporate interest or politics. It was a wild chaotic no man’s land, were your imagination could run free. However, I believe that this anarchistic ideology can´t exist in its primitive form in the 21st century, and in this blog, I will try to sum up why I believe so.
First of all, technology has become a bigger part of our everyday life. Partially because of its increased capability. Now it is possible, in an unprecedented manner, to collect all sorts of information about us. This can be data, facial scans or voice recordings, and this is often done without our full knowledge, through equipment like our phones, computers or numerous different “smart devices”. Technology can also be used to heavily influence our decision making. For example, in the fields of politics (Cambridge Analytica) or consumer behaviour (Trip Advisor, Amazon, and more). Also, with emerging technology, the capabilities of these fields will grow to new heights, especially with the promise that self-learning technology brings.
We can barely imagine the massive impact this will and has had on the world. New technology has already greatly impacted the field of business, our politics and even our social life with apps like Facebook or Tinder. So, I ask: When the field like technology can revolutionize the world like it has done, is it sensible not to regulate it?
I think, that instead of clinging to the past, we should focus on the present and the future. Total anarchy is not a sensible method when the interest of the human race hang in the balance and thinking about the past only distracts us from the massive challenge ahead of us, the past can no more become the future than the future can become the past.
Instead of reminiscing, we should focus on how we want the field of technology to evolve. What should be the main focus? Should we focus on the rights and freedom of the individual, or rather on the rights of companies, maybe we need some sort of a balance? What about copyright? Should we find short term solutions or solutions that bring positive long-time effects for the human race as a whole? How do we balance the rights of the individual against the interest of society as a whole?
We have already seen some changes, as new regulations in this field are popping up. But this will be the topic of my next blog.