Smartphones Are Evolutionary Pests, as Perceived by Some Viewpoints
In an intriguing analogy that sheds light on our modern-day relationship with technology, evolutionary biologists have drawn parallels between smartphones and traditional biological parasites. This comparison suggests that smartphones, and the apps that accompany them, have evolved from a mutually beneficial relationship with humans into a parasitic one, where the devices exploit their users while imposing costs.
Initially, smartphones provided a host of useful functions, such as navigation, communication, reminders, and health management, creating a mutually beneficial relationship with their human users. However, over time, this dynamic has shifted. Smartphones, particularly certain apps, have become designed primarily to siphon off users’ time, attention, and personal data, benefiting technology companies and advertisers at the expense of the users.
This shift towards parasitism has led to a host of negative consequences for users. Many people find themselves hostage to their phones, slaves to the endless scroll, leading to a lack of sleep, weaker offline relationships, and mood disorders. Some popular apps serve the interests of the app-making companies and advertisers more faithfully than those of their human users.
The manipulation of behavioural cues by these apps is a key factor in keeping users engaged. They are designed to nudge behaviour to keep users scrolling, clicking on advertising, and simmering in perpetual outrage, rather than purely serving the users’ own wellbeing or goals. Personal data on scrolling behaviour is used to further exploit users, with the phone tailoring itself to better capture attention based on personal goals and interests.
Detecting and addressing this exploitation is challenging due to tech companies not advertising their behaviour, and responding is equally difficult due to reliance on smartphones for everyday tasks. The Australian government's under-age social media ban is an example of the kind of collective action required to limit what smartphones can legally do.
The authors of this analysis, Rachael L. Brown, Director of the Centre for Philosophy of the Sciences and Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Australian National University, and Rob Brooks, Scientia Professor of Evolution at UNSW Sydney, suggest that policing smartphone exploitation could help restore a net-beneficial relationship between humans and smartphones. They argue that individual choice is not reliable in redressing the imbalanced relationship with smartphones, as tech companies hold a massive information advantage in the host-parasite arms race.
In the Great Barrier Reef, bluestreak cleaner wrasse establish "cleaning stations" with larger fish, benefiting both species in a mutualistic relationship. However, these wrasse can sometimes "cheat" by nipping their hosts, tipping the balance from mutualism to parasitism. Similarly, smartphones, initially beneficial, can cross the line into parasitism by exploiting their human hosts.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
[1] Evolutionary biologists define a parasite as a species that benefits from a close relationship with another species, while the host bears a cost. [2] Smartphones are commonly used by humans worldwide. [3] The human-smartphone association began as a mutualism but has evolved to become parasitic. [4] To win the battle, restrictions on addictive app features and the collection and sale of personal data are necessary. [5] Despite the benefits, many people are hostage to their phones and slaves to the endless scroll, leading to a lack of sleep, weaker offline relationships, and mood disorders. [6] Some popular apps on smartphones serve the interests of the app-making companies and advertisers more faithfully than those of their human users. [7] The authors suggest that policing smartphone exploitation could help restore a net-beneficial relationship between humans and smartphones. [8] Individual choice is not reliable in redressing the imbalanced relationship with smartphones, as tech companies hold a massive information advantage in the host-parasite arms race. [9] Evolutionary biologists see policing as important to keeping mutualisms in balance, with the reef fish punishing offenders by chasing them away or withholding further visits. [10] Bluestreak cleaner wrasse can sometimes "cheat" by nipping their hosts, tipping the balance from mutualism to parasitism. [11] Head lice are a type of parasite that feed on human blood and survive only on human scalps. [12] In the Great Barrier Reef, bluestreak cleaner wrasse establish "cleaning stations" with larger fish, benefiting both species in a mutualistic relationship. [13] Smartphones have radically changed human lives, making tasks such as navigating cities and managing chronic health diseases easier. [14] The Australian government's under-age social media ban is an example of the kind of collective action required to limit what smartphones can legally do. [15] Detecting exploitation by smartphones is difficult due to tech companies not advertising their behavior, and responding is also challenging due to reliance on smartphones for everyday tasks. [16] Smartphones benefit technology companies and advertisers by parasitizing human time, attention, and personal information. [17] Personal data on scrolling behavior is used to further exploit users, with the phone tailoring itself to better capture attention based on personal goals and interests. [18] Apps are designed to nudge behavior to keep users scrolling, clicking on advertising, and simmering in perpetual outrage.
- The human-smartphone association, initially beneficial, has evolved into a parasitic relationship, mirroring the definition of a parasite in evolutionary biology.
- Smartphones, used globally, have transformed various aspects of life, including navigation, health management, and communication, but they've become parasitic over time, siphoning off users' time, attention, and personal data.
- Many people find themselves addicted to their smartphones, leading to a lack of sleep, weaker offline relationships, and mood disorders, often due to manipulative app designs.
- Some apps prioritize the interests of the app-making companies and advertisers over their human users, using behavioral cues to keep users engaged but not always serving the users' wellbeing or goals.
- Policing smartphone exploitation, according to some researchers, could help restore a balanced relationship between humans and smartphones, as individual choice alone may not be enough due to tech companies' information advantage in the host-parasite arms race.
