The Internet of Us

“Our Digital Form of Life”

Imagine you have a chip in your brain that gives you all the information you need. Instead of looking up things on your mobile device, you access that microchip and it opens a door into the world of information. You have unlimited knowledge and can answer almost any question in a split second without an external computer. Call this utopia “neuromedia.” Consider it; you might initially see such direct access to data as beneficial. However, you might also come to see that the chip is collecting private information about your mind and thoughts. You might worry about your data’s safety and the system’s vulnerabilities. What if an accident destroys the platform that supports your neuromedia’s functioning?

This scenario might sound like something from a science fiction movie. But your daily reality already is full of technology that extends your body’s functioning. Take the “Internet of Things” – the so-called “Web 3.0” – in which objects, such as your wristwatch, reading lights and clothes, all have sensors, and each one connects through software to make your life easier. This system involves multiple applications, whether it’s tracking your logistics...