Technology: How Smartphones Could Transform People Into Zombies

(Drivebycuriosity) - Internet search was yesterday, claims the online magazine "Quartz" (qz.com). A new software, called "Everything.Me", could replace traditional Internet search, they write. Once you install "Everything.Me" on your smartphone "it replaces the home screen and collects data on how often you search, plus a whole lot else, including where you are, where you go, which apps you use, the contents of your calendar, etc" (qz.com).

I find this concept scary. "Everything.Me" appears to me as a self inflicted Big Brother. A software which is designed and sold from Israel knows (almost) everything you do. Do we really need a software which knows everything about our live? What if the phone gets lost, stolen or hacked?

The supplier claims on his website that his product "anticipate what you`ll need throughout the day" (everything.me). Really? This sounds to me like a virtual leading-string. I have the feeling that using this software would narrow our horizon, restricts our actions and reduces our possibilities. Following just the "recommendations" of this software, which are based on former behavior, could hamper our ability to learn & discover new things. It could lead to a conditioning - comparable to the training of Pavlov´s dog. 

The recommendations are "based on apps you and people like you have enjoyed in the past" says their website. And Quartz talks about interacting with the "global hive mind". It seems to me that users could give up their individuality and behave like zombies, at least a little bit.