Beyond the Headlines. Why are We Seeing a Rise in Dumbphone Popularity? Part 2: Why Privacy Matters in the Current Landscape.
Another factor that we see may be a catalyst to the rise of the dumbphone; The desire to protect personal data privacy. Again, this means different things to different people, but usually with a common end goal, and is certainly a growing concern, with increased awareness amongst younger people.
Data Privacy as a Fundamental Human Right
Fundamentally, one of our basic human values in democratic society is the choice of privacy. This is a human right so central to our open and free society, that has been and is under massive threat in our current world path.
Perhaps innocently or naïvely when talking about data protection and privacy, the old ‘Nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ adage is what immediately comes to mind for many. Unfortunately, this is a misconception. The idea that privacy is nothing but the ability to hide unpleasant truths and murky secrets, has been instilled in us through manipulation of what is acceptable, both at an institutional and big tech level. But as with all of the elemental human values – such as equality or freedom of speech, privacy is not a binary yes, or no. It is nuanced, a continuum, and context matters.
Everyone has something that they would want to keep away from the public or prying eyes, from a neighbour, or even their closest friends, family or those simply looking to monetise personal data information. Privacy remains a necessity for everyone. We are seeing increasing numbers of people waking up to this, and starting to demand alternative paths to the current lack of real choice.
Growing Awareness of Data Privacy Among Younger Generations
When the genie gets out of the bottle, and people are more aware of any social impact, environmental impact, mental health impact and political impact that comes with the tech surveillance model, then it’s only natural that some would question decisions or seek to change for better. And young people, for whom the current model is not new or novel, appear more open to questioning it than their previous generations, who themselves were (still are) gripped by the ‘magic’ of mobile tech.
Socio-economic Patterns and Data Protection and Privacy in Today's Tech World
Professor of Economics and Innovation at University College London, and one of the world’s most influential economists, Mariana Mazzucato, expertly covers the topic of why privacy is vital, and how digital feudalism from big tech is so catastrophic. She has called it out as being "the defining economic challenge of our time".
Widely published research findings from many reputable sources are abundant, with the results consistently showing concern from majority numbers about the information used to deliver news, advertisements, or discounts with people wishing to make informed steps to limit their data being exposed - those not wishing for their online data or location information to be used for commercial purposes.
Misconception about Data and Privacy Among Digital Natives
The Network Readiness Index, supported by The Portulans Institute, The University of Oxford and Saïd Business School, speaks of the generally accepted belief that digital natives are so engrossed in technology that they are oblivious to its dangers or view it as a commodity that can be offered in exchange for services. However, there are also those who argue that digital natives are just as concerned with privacy as previous generations and that they are in fact better equipped to protect themselves online. It goes on to say that, although it is hard to make decisive statements about a group as large and diverse as digital natives, evidence exists to show that young people are far from not caring about privacy. In fact, most young people seem to take their online privacy more seriously than their parents. As digital natives are increasingly concerned with their online identity, they seek more control and agency over what information is held about them and by whom.
A More Balanced Tech Future and the Importance of User Data Protection
There is currently, and justifiably, a lot of noise and debate about children’s use and access to smartphones. It’s perhaps hard for us to disagree with the sentiment of regulating use under a certain age, however the reality is that these discussions needed to have taken place a decade or more ago, but the consequences were masked by the ‘magic’. It’s likely too late for meaningful change now, unless there is seismic unilateral action taken by society and governing institutions.
However, with the green shoots of optimism that we can see from younger groups of people, and their digitally fluent intelligence, we are hopeful that a realisation that whilst tech is amazing in so many ways, so are people – and the human values that we hold dear can prevail for a more harmonious tech future.
There are many factors to suggest that the dumbphone revival isn’t just a trend, but part of a deeper movement. A longer term, more considered way of creating digital balance, and a more meaningful relationship with tech, and each other.
With people making changes from the ground up, with giants of the tech industry such as Mr World Wide Web himself, Tim Berners-Lee, who amongst many others is calling for change to the broken tech model, and with those providing new alternatives alongside the incumbents, we think the notion of people gaining control of their tech, and not the tech controlling them, will continue to grow.
As we’ve explored, privacy concerns are becoming more important than ever in today’s tech-driven world. The growing desire for better data protection is a key motivator behind the rise of simpler, more focused mobile devices like dumb phones.
To understand why more people are turning to these devices as part of their journey to regain control over their digital lives, read the first of this two part article about the rise in dumb phone popularity.
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