The Information Barons Threaten Our Autonomy and Privacy
This archive documents an early warning about the risks of digital feudalism and data control, published in The Guardian. The article draws parallels between medieval power structures and modern tech companies, advocating for a “digital enlightenment” to protect individual data rights and autonomy.
Original article in The Guardian
Click to see what the machine says about the archive and the book
Article Analysis and Historical Context
The article appeared in late 2015 during a period of major data breaches in the UK, including TalkTalk and Carphone Warehouse. It made several key arguments:
However, some aspects developed differently:
Connections to The Atomic Human
The article’s themes resonate with several key ideas developed in the book:
The article represents an early warning about data control and human agency that The Atomic Human would later explore in much greater depth, showing how these concerns evolved from specific issues around data privacy to broader questions about human autonomy in technological systems.