Who is running the show?

I was reading a Journal Article, suddenly, a word caught my eyes. Digital Leviathan. It’s a cool term, isn’t it? It sounds like something straight out of a cyberpunk novel, but it actually has deep roots in political philosophy.

The "Leviathan" originally comes from Thomas Hobbes (1651), who used the image of a giant sea monster to represent a powerful, centralized state that keeps society from falling into chaos. Fast forward to today, and that "monster" has traded its scales for silicon.

What is it, exactly?

Back in the 17th century, philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued that humans needed a "Leviathan"- a massive, all-powerful government to keep us from descending into a "war of all against all."

Today, the Digital Leviathan isn't a king or a dictator. It’s the invisible, interconnected web of Big Tech, massive datasets, and AI algorithms that monitor, predict, and influence almost everything we do. It’s the "ghost in the machine" that knows your heart rate, your shopping habits, and your political leanings better than your best friend does.

The Two Faces of the Beast

Like the mythical creature it's named after, the Digital Leviathan isn't strictly "evil," but it is incredibly powerful.

• The Helpful Giant: It makes life seamless. It navigates us through traffic, suggests the perfect song, and connects us across oceans. It provides order in a chaotic digital world.
• The Invisible Shackle: It thrives on "Surveillance Capitalism." To keep the gears turning, it needs your data. It nudges your behaviour, traps you in echo chambers, and sometimes forgets that "users" are actually "people."

Why Should You Care?

In the old days, power was about who owned the land. Later, it was about who owned the factories. Today, power is about who owns the data. The Digital Leviathan doesn't need to use force to control a population; it just needs to tweak an algorithm. When a handful of platforms decide what news, you see or how you spend your money, the "Social Contract" starts to look more like a "Terms and Conditions" agreement that we all clicked "Accept" on without reading.

By the way, the next time your phone "predicts" exactly what you want to eat or watch, just remember: that’s the Leviathan at work. It’s helpful, it’s huge, and it’s always learning. 😀

Thanks for Reading

Farhana Yeasmin