The tech industry doesn't deserve optimism it has earned skepticism
Take a step back look around at the tech products you use, the industry and its impact on society more broadly and ask yourself: does its track record warrant optimism or have they earned a healthy degree of skepticism?
The web started out premised on and promising open connection. It delivered on that early promise when it was in its nascent form but the commercialization of the web in the form of early gatekeepers rapidly closed that off.
We started with protocols and were then herded into platforms that offered convenience. When they grew large enough, that convenience gave way to captivity.
We were promised a mobile revolution and greater connectivity as the smartphone era took hold and companies — initially — delivered on that promise. Video calls became ubiquitous, social media platforms grew their reach and landed in our pockets, we were able to capture video and photos in an instant.
Those social media companies, again, offered convenience and an — as well know — to good to be true promise of free and open access. We closed our blogs, got in line and ceded control of our social graphs. Drawbridges were rolled up, ads increased and nobody left — at least not in droves. Everyone is there so everyone stays.
