For years, the digital economy has treated data as a resource to be mined, owned, and monetized. The result is unprecedented insight for a few — and growing mistrust for everyone else.
The big picture
The internet promised shared knowledge.
It delivered concentrated power.
Today’s dominant platforms extract data at massive scale, convert it into predictive models, and sell influence over behavior — often without meaningful consent or accountability.
That’s not collective intelligence.
It’s surveillance capitalism.
Who owns knowledge now
In the current model:
- Individuals generate data
- Platforms capture it
- Algorithms interpret it
- Profits and power concentrate elsewhere
Knowledge about society is increasingly privatized — even when it’s produced by the public, about the public, and for decisions that affect the public.
Ownership and agency are misaligned.
Why this matters
When knowledge is centralized:
- Decision-making becomes opaque
- Public oversight weakens
- Biases scale invisibly
- Trust collapses
People are not just users — they are being modeled, predicted, and nudged without meaningful participation.
Why platform monopolies persist
Big Tech dominance isn’t just about better products.
It’s reinforced by:
- Network effects that lock users in
- Proprietary data hoards
- Closed algorithms
- Business models dependent on extraction
Competition becomes difficult. Collaboration becomes impossible.
Why “better regulation” isn’t enough
Regulation can limit harm — but it doesn’t change the underlying logic.
Most reforms still assume:
- Data should be centralized
- Intelligence should be proprietary
- Value flows upward
Without redesign, surveillance simply becomes more polite.
A different model: shared intelligence
An alternative is emerging — commons-based data governance.
Instead of extraction, it prioritizes:
- Shared ownership
- Transparent decision-making
- Collective benefit
- Purpose-driven use
This model treats data as a public good, not a private asset.
What commons-based governance looks like
In practice, it includes:
- Data trusts governed by communities
- Open standards and interoperable systems
- Clear consent and usage boundaries
- AI designed for decision support, not manipulation
- Accountability built into infrastructure
Intelligence becomes something we build together, not something done to us.
Why this moment matters
Public backlash against Big Tech is growing.
Trust in platforms is eroding.
AI is accelerating the stakes.
People know the system isn’t working — but alternatives haven’t been visible or accessible.
Until now.
What comes next
The future of intelligence won’t be decided by who collects the most data.
It will be shaped by:
- Who governs knowledge
- Who benefits from insight
- How transparency is enforced
- Whether systems serve public purpose
The bottom line
Extraction creates power.
Sharing creates understanding.
If we want technology that strengthens society instead of exploiting it, we must move from surveillance capitalism to shared intelligence.
That shift isn’t just technical.
It’s democratic.
Mobilized News
Inspired by Nature — the original network.
