Digitalisierungsrisiken und Fortschrittsglaube

In recent years many books have appeared that are critical of digitisation. This report covers more than 60 of them. They are subdivided into six categories or subjects: IT Internal Perception, Philosophy, Journalism, Medicine and Psychology, Economy versus Ecology, Literature (Dystopian Novels) and finally Theology. Particularly as regards theological literature on what has become a controversial theme, a basic problem may be diagnosed, in that criticism often occurs by way of outdated questions. What is more, these are usually misdirected or poorly formulated. Overall, what is surprising, given the abundance of critical publications on digitisation, is that government policy almost disdainfully ignores them. The »Gigabyte society« is threatening not only to neglect ethics and fundamental rights in a very questionable manner, but also to indulge a belief in progress that is frightfully naïve, mainly promoted and determined by industry and economy.

digitale Welt. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, München 2018, 320 S. – JARON LANIER, Wem gehört die Zukunft? Du bist nicht der Kunde der Internet-Konzerne, du bist ihr Produkt. Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg 22014, 480 S. – DERS., Zehn Gründe, warum du deine Social Media Accounts sofort löschen musst. Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg 2018, 205 S. – EVGENY MOROZOV, Smarte neue Welt. Digitale Technik und die Freiheit des Menschen. Blessing, München 2