Aeon Essay: Surveillance and Prediction as Digital Sins
An Aeon essay argues that surveillance and prediction are the two original sins baked into digital technology, leading to social control. The piece examines how gadgets, apps, and platforms are designed to track users, with prediction serving as the ultimate goal of surveillance.
Key facts
- Surveillance and prediction are described as the two original sins of digital technology.
- These sins pervade most gadgets, apps, and platforms.
- Surveillance is at the service of prediction.
- Both lead to social control.
- The essay is published by Aeon.
- The essay is titled 'Things have jobs, and digital devices are made to track you'.
- The essay was published in 2026.
- The essay is part of a series on digital technology.
Entities
Institutions
- Aeon