OK Boomer. Post-Privacy Norms in a New Industrial Era

The concept of privacy as we understand it today has evolved. It's not something that has been with us forever, and we shouldn't assume that if the world completely changes in one way (becomes AGI-like) it will stay the same in other ways.

Societal values and norms can undergo rapid transformations, often catalyzed by technological advancements, cultural shifts, economic changes, or significant events. These swift alterations in collective attitudes and behaviors are sometimes referred to as "social tipping points" or "cultural shifts." The mechanisms driving such rapid changes include technological disruptions that reshape how we live and interact, generational shifts where younger cohorts adopt markedly different values, media influence that quickly spreads new ideas, economic upheavals forcing adaptations in societal norms, legal changes altering the boundaries of acceptable behavior, and crises or major events that spark widespread reevaluation of existing paradigms.

Numerous examples illustrate this phenomenon of rapid societal change. In many Western countries, attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights shifted dramatically in just a few decades, with support for same-sex marriage in the U.S. rising from 27% in 1996 to 70% in 2021. The perception of smoking transformed from widespread public acceptance to increasing restriction and stigmatization over a few decades. The advent of the internet and social media fundamentally altered communication patterns and community formation within a span of 10-15 years. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a sudden shift to remote work, quickly changing attitudes about work-from-home policies in many industries.

Other notable examples include the rapid changes brought about by the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, the swift integration of women into the workforce during World War II, the rise of environmental awareness in the 1960s and 1970s, the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrency concepts in the 2010s and 2020s, changing attitudes towards plastic use in the 2010s, and the impact of the #MeToo movement since 2017. These instances demonstrate how societal values and norms can shift rapidly when certain conditions align, though it's important to note that while initial changes can happen quickly, their long-term integration into society often requires more time. Additionally, rapid changes can sometimes provoke backlash or resistance from those who prefer traditional norms.

Just as societal norms have shifted rapidly in other areas, our collective understanding and valuation of privacy could undergo a swift transformation in the coming years. The convergence of advancing AI technologies, ubiquitous data collection, and changing social dynamics sets the stage for a potential paradigm shift in how we perceive and prioritize privacy. As we navigate the complexities of an increasingly interconnected digital world, our traditional notions of personal boundaries and information control may be challenged and redefined at an unprecedented pace. This rapid evolution could be driven by a combination of factors, including the tangible benefits of data sharing, the normalization of surveillance technologies, and the emergence of new social contracts in the digital realm. Much like how attitudes towards social media sharing evolved rapidly in the 2000s and 2010s, we may witness a similarly swift recalibration of privacy expectations and practices in the face of AI-driven innovations and data-centric societal structures.

The concept of privacy has undergone a remarkable evolution throughout human history, with its significance and interpretation varying greatly across different eras and societies. In pre-industrial times, privacy as we understand it today was largely absent from daily life. People lived in close-knit communities where personal space was limited, resources were shared, and many activities were communal. The notion of individual rights and personal space was underdeveloped, and with lower literacy rates and simpler record-keeping, there was less personal information to protect.

The modern concept of privacy began to take shape during the Renaissance and gained momentum through the Enlightenment period. As societies grew more complex, ideas of individual rights and personal autonomy flourished. Technological advancements like the printing press increased the spread of personal information, while urbanization fostered a greater desire for personal space and anonymity. Key developments in the evolution of privacy included its recognition in 17th-century English common law, the emphasis on individual rights by Enlightenment thinkers, and the influential 1890 article "The Right to Privacy" by Warren and Brandeis, which helped establish privacy as a legal concept in the United States.

The 20th century saw privacy concerns dramatically intensify with the rise of mass media, telecommunications, and eventually the internet. Many countries began to formally recognize privacy rights in their constitutions or through legislation, and privacy became a significant global issue. In the current information age and AI era, however, the value of privacy faces new challenges and potential decline. Ubiquitous digital devices and AI systems generate and analyze vast amounts of personal data, while perceived benefits of data sharing - such as personalized services, improved healthcare outcomes, and enhanced public safety - create incentives for reduced privacy. Changing social norms, especially among younger generations, are normalizing the sharing of personal information. Economic incentives, technological challenges in maintaining privacy, and the capabilities of AI further complicate the landscape. Security trade-offs, the convenience of data-driven services, and potential shifts in philosophical views about individual versus collective good all contribute to a reevaluation of privacy's role in society.

As we navigate this rapidly evolving digital landscape, our collective understanding and valuation of privacy could undergo swift transformations. Much like how attitudes towards social media sharing evolved rapidly in the 2000s and 2010s, we may witness a similarly quick recalibration of privacy expectations and practices in the face of AI-driven innovations and data-centric societal structures. This potential paradigm shift challenges traditional notions of personal boundaries and information control, setting the stage for a new era in how we perceive, prioritize, and protect privacy in an increasingly interconnected world.

The advent of incredibly powerful AI systems, akin to a hypothetical ChatGPT7, could indeed create significant security concerns that might lead to discussions about increased surveillance, including of personal computers that will be able to powerful models locally. This scenario presents a complex interplay of technological capabilities, security risks, and privacy concerns. The potential security risks of advanced AI are manifold and alarming. Highly advanced AI could potentially be used to create sophisticated malware, identify system vulnerabilities, or launch coordinated cyber-attacks at unprecedented scales and speeds. Such AI could generate highly convincing fake content, making it extremely difficult to distinguish truth from fiction and potentially destabilizing social and political systems. In the economic realm, AI could be used to manipulate financial markets or make rapid, large-scale economic decisions that human systems struggle to counteract. There are also concerns about AI being used to create or control autonomous weapons, raising significant ethical and security issues.

The unprecedented capabilities of such advanced AI systems could necessitate a paradigm shift in cybersecurity approaches, potentially leading to calls for continuous monitoring of personal computers. This constant surveillance might be deemed necessary to detect and counter AI-driven threats in real-time, as traditional periodic scanning methods could prove inadequate against the speed and sophistication of AI-powered attacks. Continuous monitoring could involve analyzing all network traffic, scrutinizing software behaviors, and even monitoring user activities to identify anomalies that might indicate AI misuse or malicious exploitation. Such a system might require deep integration with operating systems and hardware, potentially including AI-driven monitoring tools that can adapt and evolve to match the capabilities of threat actors.

Beyond evolving privacy expectations related to security, the privacy expectations of young people, particularly those who have grown up in the digital age, often differ significantly from those of older adults. This generational divide in privacy attitudes is rooted in several key factors. As "digital natives," younger generations have been immersed in the internet, social media, and smartphone culture from an early age, fundamentally shaping their understanding of personal information sharing. For many young people, sharing various aspects of their lives online has become the norm, with social media platforms serving as extensions of their identity and means of self-expression. This comfort with digital sharing often translates to a greater acceptance of data collection by companies in exchange for personalized services or conveniences, viewing it as a fair trade-off for free access to platforms and tailored experiences.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), virtual reality (VR) systems, smartwatches like the Apple Watch, and activity trackers are fundamentally reshaping privacy norms in our increasingly connected world. These technologies provide unprecedented access to neural and biometric data, collecting intimate information about brain activity, physiology, and behavior that goes far beyond traditional digital footprints. As BCIs create direct interfaces between brains and computers, they blur the lines between mind and machine, raising new questions about mental privacy and cognitive liberty. The continuous monitoring enabled by wearable devices allows for 24/7 tracking of a person's activities, movements, and physiological state, eroding traditional notions of privacy in daily routines and physical spaces. The rich datasets collected by these technologies enable powerful inferences about a person's health, emotions, preferences, and behaviors, often beyond what individuals are consciously aware of themselves. Many of these systems rely on cloud services and data sharing with third parties to function, expanding the potential for sensitive personal data to be accessed, analyzed, or exploited by multiple entities. As BCIs and other wearables become more connected, they introduce new cybersecurity vulnerabilities, creating potential attack vectors for hackers to access or manipulate extremely personal data and even bodily functions.

Privacy is not a static, unchanging principle/norm, but rather a fluid societal construct that has evolved significantly throughout history and continues to transform in our rapidly advancing digital age. As we stand on the brink of a new era dominated by powerful AI systems, we face unprecedented challenges to our traditional notions of privacy and security. The potential risks posed by advanced AI technologies may necessitate radical shifts in our approach to cybersecurity, possibly including continuous monitoring of personal devices. Simultaneously, younger generations are already demonstrating markedly different attitudes towards privacy, shaped by their immersion in digital culture. These converging factors suggest that we may be approaching a critical juncture in the evolution of privacy as a societal value. The values and norms of this industrial era may not be the same as those of the last one, and the “privacy” norm in the AI+ era is likely to erode.