Broken Economic Models in Tech That Hurt Humans at Scale
26Broken Economic Models for Humanity
Key Concepts:
1. Surveillance Capitalism
Definition by Shoshana Zuboff
Extracts and monetizes human experience data
Concentrates wealth, knowledge, and power
Threatens human nature and democracy
2. Externality First Capitalism
Proposed solution to create markets for social good
Examples:
Carbon pricing in services
Media platform taxation based on factual content
Tax credits for repairable technology
Taxation of addictive technology profits
Corporate and individual wealth tax
Right to repair initiatives
3. Game Theory and AI
Tragedy of the Commons applied to GenAI
Internet as a public commons
Data collection without consent destroys the commons
4. Privacy and Power
Importance of privacy in protecting freedom
Data collection's impact on society
Need for action to reclaim privacy
5. Optimizing for Humans
Critiques of current business climate
Anti-patterns in current systems:
Rapid growth
Addiction
Income inequality
Centralized systems
Focus on human welfare over GDP
Importance of environmental protection
Key Takeaways:
Current economic models, especially surveillance capitalism, pose significant threats to human rights and societal well-being.
Solutions should focus on creating incentives for social good and addressing negative externalities.
Privacy is crucial for maintaining individual freedom and societal health.
Economic systems should prioritize human welfare and environmental protection over unchecked growth and profit.
Action Items:
1. Research and support initiatives that promote "Externality First Capitalism"
2. Advocate for stronger privacy protections and data rights
3. Support right to repair movements and sustainable technology practices
4. Engage in discussions about redefining economic success metrics to prioritize human welfare