Techno-Feudalism

This post is going slightly off-piste for a sociology and history website, so my apologies.

It is now utterly clear that social media platforms throttle the visibility of users/writers who post things not matching a certain “preferred” model.

Mentioning certain political “situations”, such as the attempted ethnic-cleansing taking place in Gaza, will result in a death-vise throttling.

Posts considered too long to keep a modern audience scrolling endlessly (or mindlessly?) will also result in limited visibility.

Posts matching the “preferred model” should be one or two sentences long at most, with a photo/image included.

Even better, posts should be short (very short) video clips, showing things like “They rescued this injured kangaroo. One year later they released it back into the wild. Ten years later they check on it and it gives them a hug.”

It is difficult enough trying to find an audience for awkward and complex historical truths.

But just this month, Facebook/Meta sent me an email informing me that everything I have written and shared over the past ten years on their platform will be used to “train” their upcoming AI “product”.

I am told that I am free to object, but this objection will not necessarily mean that my objection will be respected.

I am mindsick, heartsick, and soulsick with this headlong rush into oblivion, in which a few technocrats seek to further enrich themselves and concentrate unimaginable power in the hands of a tiny technocracy.

Power made off the backs of the real blood and flesh human beings who actually CREATE.

This graphic was made for all of the fellow creative souls out there.  If any of the points made resonate with you, please share.

For my part, I’ll be girding my loins for war.

#ai #theludditeswereright #handsoffmywriting #handsoffmyresearch