I just came across a fascinating article from Pew Research about the difficulties of unplugging. It’s from 2017 & it discusses the increasing difficulty of disconnecting from technology- particularly in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT) when everything is basically connected to the web.
Experts predict that by 2026, it will be even harder to unplug due to the pervasive integration of IoT in daily life. We are 2 years away from the deadline.
We’ve previously discussed how businesses increasingly incentivize connectivity, making disconnection not only difficult, but potentially disadvantageous in various aspects of life such as work, health care, and access to services. There have been post on the forum about the need for smartphones for banking, scanning QR codes for concerts/performances etc. The need for specific apps to access certain services.
For sure, this trend raises concerns about privacy, security, and the potential societal implications of a highly interconnected world. Not to mention the mess when AI is involved.
On the other hand, I do see a bit of a backlash to all of this. I’m curious how you guys see the next 10 years. Let me know in the comments.