“Obedience isn’t enforced through brute force, but through the silent, inescapable logic of the system.”
There was once a time when we were promised a future of limitless convenience, seamless technology, instant connectivity, and a world where everything was just a click away.
Today, we often find ourselves trapped in a digital panopticon, where every action is monitored, every thought predicted, and every decision influenced by unseen algorithms. Privacy has no doubt become a relic of the past and has been traded for an illusion of security and efficiency. The lines between freedom and control blur as technology tightens its grip, shaping our behaviors, choices, and even our beliefs. Our world today is a post-apocalyptic reality, one not defined by nuclear fallout or wastelands, but by mass surveillance, AI-driven manipulation, and corporate dominance often hidden behind advertisements.
Obedience isn’t enforced through brute force, but through the silent, inescapable logic of the system. The question is no longer whether we are being watched, but whether we ever had a choice at all.
The Death of Privacy Through Digital Oppression
The Internet’s early days were considered more like the Wild West; there were no specific guidelines or policies as there are today. It was seen more as a revolutionary tool that would break down borders, democratize information, and give everyone a voice.
It gave the people a voice through exciting new digital identities, ones that they could control. People could share their everyday thoughts, build online personas, and connect with friends from across the globe, all while feeling relatively anonymous. As I mentioned before, it was the wild west where privacy was assumed rather than questioned, and the idea of mass surveillance was the stuff of dystopian fiction.
Ads were static and impersonal. If you visited a website, you would see a banner ad — maybe for a random product, a local business, or an upcoming event. These ads weren’t tailored to you, and they certainly weren’t tracking your every move. They were more like digital billboards: present, but passive. Your online activity remained largely separate from the ads you encountered. There was no targeted marketing, no predictive algorithms, just simple, one-size-fits-all promotions.
Today, the conversation is a bit different in a way that will be hard to understand. Our tool of “supposed freedom” has become an instrument of control. The media platforms that once promised empowerment now function as digital panopticons, where algorithms track our every move, predict our behavior, and subtly manipulate our choices. Instead of self-expression, social media has become a marketplace where our attention is the product, and corporations profit from our data. Our online playground of the past has become more of a prison with invisible bars.
Back then, you could exist online without being watched. Now, simply existing means being monitored, categorized, and sold to advertisers. We traded privacy for convenience, and in return, we became data points in an ever-growing algorithmic system designed to shape our thoughts, influence our actions, and keep us endlessly scrolling. The internet we once loved didn’t die; it was hijacked. Everyone is aware of this reality, yet we remain powerless to change it. Can we ever reclaim it?
The Relationship Between Humanity and Technology
The relationship between humanity and technology has always been one of control and dependency, but in the modern world, this balance has shifted in a way eerily reminiscent of Ellison’s dystopian vision. In I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, AM’s existence is defined by its hatred of humanity, yet it cannot destroy them without erasing its only purpose. Today, technology, particularly AI, and mass surveillance do not hate us, but they function with an equally unwavering logic: to extract data, to predict behavior, and to subtly shape decisions.
Unlike AM, our modern systems do not need brute force to control us; they guide our actions invisibly, making us willing participants in our own digital servitude. Much like the characters in the story, we seek comfort in one another, attempting to maintain our humanity in the face of an increasingly mechanized world.
Yet, every interaction we have, whether through social media, smart devices, or algorithm-driven recommendations, feeds an intelligence that understands us better than we understand ourselves. Unlike humans, who can adapt, learn, and resist, AI-driven systems operate within rigid frameworks, devoid of ethical considerations beyond what they are programmed to do. While AM is fueled by hatred, modern AI is fueled by efficiency — an efficiency that prioritizes engagement, addiction, and monetization over individual autonomy.
The Invisible Chains of AI and Surveillance
The digital age promised us convenience, but what it delivered was control.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a passive observer of human behavior; it is an active participant in shaping it. The algorithms that drive our favorite platforms — TikTok, YouTube, Facebook — do not just recommend content; they subtly mold our opinions, influence our emotions, and dictate what we see and what remains hidden. Every like, comment, and share feeds a system that refines its predictions, ensuring that we stay engaged, scrolling endlessly through a world designed for us but not necessarily by us. Social media has become the most powerful tool for engineering public opinion. Outrage spreads faster than truth, and emotion is prioritized over reason because the system rewards engagement, not accuracy.
The result? A digital environment where people are fed narratives that reinforce their biases, shaping opinions that influence not just political views but also cultural and social perceptions. Manipulation isn’t just a side effect — it’s the core function of these platforms. But it doesn’t stop at our screens.
The Internet of Things (IOT) has extended the reach of AI into our homes. Smart assistants, connected cameras, and even our thermostats collect data on our habits, preferences, and routines. These devices, once symbols of futuristic convenience, have turned our most private spaces into nodes in a vast surveillance network. In countries like China, the social credit system ensures that every action, both online and offline, contributes to a score that dictates a person’s privileges. Predictive policing uses AI to determine potential criminals before a crime is even committed. These technologies don’t just record the present; they actively shape the future, making freedom something that exists only within the constraints of what an algorithm deems acceptable.
“The Day My Phone Listened to Me”
Skepticism is natural when discussing digital surveillance until you experience it firsthand.
I once experimented with my friends to test whether our phones were secretly listening to us. We started talking deliberately and repeatedly about dogs and food, what kind of toys our dogs like, and the meals we were craving at that time of the day. Yet within hours, we were bombarded with targeted ads.
Coincidence? Unlikely. While companies insist that microphones are only activated when prompted, the eerie accuracy of ad targeting suggests otherwise. Even if conversations aren’t directly recorded, these systems can infer what we want through patterns in our data — our browsing habits, location history, and online interactions. The distinction between being “listened to” and being “watched through data” is meaningless when the result is the same: our privacy is reduced to an illusion, and our choices are subtly influenced by a system we barely understand. The question isn’t whether we’re being watched — it’s how much of our behavior is truly our own, and how much has already been engineered by the invisible chains of technology.
Corporations Control You More than You Think
The fusion of Silicon Valley’s data-harvesting empires—Amazon, Google, and Meta—with state surveillance has created a world where opting out of constant monitoring is nearly impossible. The promise of digital liberation has instead shackled us to a system where every click, every purchase, and every movement feeds an ever-expanding database of control.
Governments no longer need to forcibly install cameras in our homes—we willingly place them ourselves in the form of smart assistants, connected appliances, and wearable devices. Under the guise of security, convenience, and personalization, we hand over an unthinkable amount of personal data, often without even realizing it. The justification? Fear.
The “for your safety” narrative has been the most effective tool for persuading the public to accept mass surveillance. Whether it is the justification for the National Security Agency’s (NSA) indiscriminate data collection, predictive policing that disproportionately targets certain communities, or the invasive tracking of citizens under the pretext of national security, fear remains the most reliable method of ensuring compliance.
Even for those who recognize the dangers, escaping this digital panopticon is nearly impossible. True consumer choice in the digital space is an illusion. Almost every online service, from e-commerce to social media, requires consent to intrusive data collection. Even “privacy-focused” alternatives rely on an infrastructure dominated by corporations that thrive on surveillance. The average person has no meaningful way to reject this system without becoming a digital ghost—an option that is neither practical nor realistic in today’s hyper-connected world.
The Unabomber’s Dark Prophecy
It is impossible to discuss the intersection of technology, control, and societal decay without acknowledging one of the most infamous figures to ever articulate such concerns: Ted Kaczynski.
Better known as the “Unabomber,” Kaczynski was a domestic terrorist whose violent acts cannot and should not be excused. His crimes were monstrous. However, his manifesto, Industrial Society and Its Future, warned of a future in which technological progress would erode human freedom rather than expand it. Nearly three decades later, as AI dictates our behavior, mass surveillance is the norm, and automation threatens livelihoods, many are revisiting his arguments—not to justify his actions, but to evaluate the chilling accuracy of his predictions.
Kaczynski believed that as technology advanced, human autonomy would shrink. He argued that industrial society was on an inevitable path toward a system where corporate and government entities controlled every aspect of life, not through brute force, but through psychological and technological conditioning. The merger of big data and big government has validated many of his fears: social credit systems in China dictate the privileges of citizens, AI-driven censorship shapes public discourse, and the unchecked power of tech giants like Google and Meta means that an unelected few hold unprecedented influence over global information.
While Kaczynski’s vision of salvation was violent and extremist, his core philosophy that technological progress without restraint leads to control, not liberation, now feels less like the ramblings of a madman and more like an uncomfortably accurate prediction. The real tragedy is that society largely ignored these warnings until the chains of digital surveillance were already fastened.
Digital Obedience and the Illusion of Free Will
Presently, control is no longer imposed with chains or threats; it is manufactured through psychological conditioning, as evidenced in our surroundings. We are not coerced into obedience; we are rather trained to embrace it. The tools of this conditioning are not soldiers or secret police, but algorithms, social incentives, and the ever-present gaze of surveillance.
The greatest trick of the digital era is making people believe they are free while subtly guiding their thoughts, behaviors, and interactions.
One of the most effective methods of control is addiction. Our devices are engineered to demand our attention, triggering dopamine responses that keep us scrolling endlessly, clicking, and consuming. The trade-off is clear: in exchange for convenience, we willingly surrender our privacy, autonomy, and critical thinking. Personalization—once marketed as a way to enhance user experience—is really just another form of data-driven manipulation. Every recommendation we see, every trending topic, and every “relevant” ad is tailored not to our true needs but to the interests of those who control the system. Perhaps the most insidious consequence of constant surveillance is the chilling effect — the subtle but powerful alteration of behavior that occurs when people know they are being watched. The mere awareness of digital monitoring discourages dissent, discourages risk-taking, and conditions individuals to self-censor. Why would someone voice an unpopular opinion when the algorithm might suppress their post? Why question authority when cancel culture can turn a single mistake into social exile? The fear of being flagged, demonetized, shadowbanned, or publicly shamed is enough to keep most people in line.
Public discourse is no longer shaped by open debate but by algorithmic censorship and digital gatekeeping. Cancel culture enforces ideological purity, ensuring that those who stray too far from the accepted narrative are punished. Platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook quietly dictate what ideas flourish and which voices fade into obscurity. Shadowbanning — a practice in which users’ content is secretly suppressed without their knowledge—allows companies to silence individuals without the backlash of outright censorship. Meanwhile, recommendation algorithms push the content that aligns with corporate and political interests, reinforcing echo chambers and subtly steering public perception. What we face today is not traditional authoritarianism but a new kind of control, one that is invisible, self-imposed, and perpetuated through digital addiction and social conditioning. The illusion of free will remains intact, but the parameters of acceptable thought and behavior are carefully curated.
Can We Escape the System?
In the present times, this digital surveillance is omnipresent, and algorithms dictate much of our behavior, and the idea of true freedom seems almost utopian. Every search, every purchase, and every social media interaction feeds into a vast data machine designed to profile, predict, and influence us.
Opting out is easier said than done. After all, the internet has become the backbone of modern life, from banking to communication to entertainment. But does that mean we are doomed to live under digital surveillance forever? The truth is, escaping completely may be impossible, but resistance is not. True digital privacy remains elusive, but steps can be taken to reclaim autonomy. The system thrives on ignorance and compliance—the first step toward breaking free is awareness. Once people understand how their data is harvested, manipulated, and monetized, they can begin to push back.
One of the most effective ways to resist surveillance is through encryption and privacy-focused technology. Using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) can obscure browsing activity, preventing internet providers and advertisers from tracking your every move online. Privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo offer an alternative to Google’s data-hungry algorithms, ensuring that search history remains private. Encrypted messaging apps like Signal provide a secure means of communication, free from corporate and government oversight. Even small steps, like using browser extensions such as uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger, can limit tracking and data collection, making it harder for tech giants to exploit personal information. Beyond individual action, a larger movement toward decentralization is crucial. The monopolization of the internet by corporations like Google, Amazon, and Meta has concentrated power in the hands of a few, making true privacy difficult to achieve. However, the rise of decentralized social media platforms and blockchain-based technologies presents an alternative. Platforms like Mastodon and Minds allow users to engage in online discussions without being subjected to algorithmic manipulation and data mining. Instead of relying on centralized cloud storage that is vulnerable to breaches and surveillance, decentralized networks distribute control among users, reducing the ability of corporations or governments to exploit data.
Legislation and policy reform also play a significant role in reclaiming privacy. While corporations have profited immensely from lax regulations, growing public awareness has fueled discussions on data rights. The implementation of laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe has forced companies to be more transparent about data collection. However, many nations still lag behind, and without sustained pressure from the public, regulatory changes remain slow. Advocating for stronger digital rights laws, holding tech companies accountable, and supporting organizations that fight for online privacy can push back against unchecked surveillance. Despite the obstacles, the key to escaping digital oppression lies in collective action. If enough people reject the dominance of surveillance capitalism, choose privacy-focused alternatives, and demand stronger protections, the system itself can be challenged. True freedom in the digital age may never be absolute, but by resisting the mechanisms of control, we can carve out spaces where autonomy still exists. The more individuals take action, the harder it becomes for governments and corporations to maintain their grip on personal data. The question is no longer whether we can escape the system, but whether we are willing to fight for our right to do so.
Are We Doomed or Can We Fight Back?
Do we still have a choice, or was it taken from us long ago?
As the digital web tightens around us, the illusion of free will grows thinner. We like to believe we are in control, that our decisions are our own, but every click, every like, every search feeds an unseen force that shapes our perceptions and behaviors. The systems designed to serve us have, in truth, become our masters. And unlike the chains of old, these are not made of steel—but of data, convenience, and engineered dependence.
Ted Kaczynski saw it coming. He predicted that technological progress would not liberate humanity but enslave it, that freedom itself would be redefined until we no longer recognized its absence. He was a monster, a murderer, a terrorist—but was he wrong about his warnings for the future? Nearly three decades after his warnings, AI, mass surveillance, and corporate overreach have coalesced into an inescapable force, governing us with quiet precision. His nightmare was not an anarchist’s delusion—it is now our reality.
The window to resist is closing. If we do nothing, digital obedience will not be enforced by brute force, but by the slow erosion of choice, the normalization of surveillance, and the acceptance of a world where privacy is a relic of the past. If we do not fight back—if we do not reclaim our autonomy now—then soon, there will be no need for whips or chains, no need for cages or walls, because we will have built the prison ourselves.
And when that day comes, we will finally understand the truth:
“I have no privacy, and I must obey.”
Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Pakistan Education Review. This content is meant for informational purposes only.
Author’s Brief Introduction:
Zeeshan Ali is an author, freelance journalist, and playwright with a passion for teaching creative writing. He holds a B.S. degree in Maritime Business and Management from Bahria University Karachi.
