The Privacy Mission

CHAPTER 12Utopia or Dystopia?

What kind of world do you want to be living in 30 years from now? As I write this book we are on the brink of significant technological changes that could push our society closer to the kind of online utopia envisaged by the early internet pioneers or that could push our society toward one that more closely resembles George Orwell's 1984 than any of us would want.

We have reached a pivotal moment in society, one in which we have the ability to make all of our lives better. However, if we let technology go too far and too fast without reflecting on the issues I have outlined in these pages, we are going to lose that chance to build a better and more equitable future, especially as quantum computing accelerates and becomes more mainstream. It is time to make a choice.

Utopia …

As you close your door behind you, you smile. In your hands is the parcel you have been waiting for. It is your new home hub and you cannot wait to start customising its code to make it work for you and your family. You sit in your living room and check the news; the government has just announced more funding to support coding lessons in primary schools.

You are itching to get started with customising your new piece of tech, but first you jump into the metaverse to get some tips from some of your friends. As you strike up a conversation with Ash, you immediately notice that their avatar has gone from female to male – you smile to yourself, knowing the pleasure they probably ...