The Power Struggle
Joshua Clements, LVI, asks if we control computers or if they control us?
Josh Clements
Technical Lead, 2025
Artwork by Evangeline Bietrix
Senior 9
In the early days of computing, computers were tools. You, the programmer, could provide them with a list of instructions to follow and in turn they would produce a useful result. However, as technology has progressed so too have these algorithms. Computers have evolved from tools into assistants and from assistants into companions. Fast-forward to today and they’re essential: we’re dependent on them.
This raises the question:
do we control computers, or do they control us?
For many young people, it has become a reflex to immediately reach for their phone the second they stop doing something. You open social media and begin to swipe – the content increasingly engaging and increasingly relevant. Somehow, “the algorithm” knows you almost as well as you know yourself, and it knows exactly what content you enjoy. These algorithms, designed for addiction, keep us glued to our screens for longer periods of time.
If these algorithms are designed to addict us, they’ve done their job: they’ve mastered the art of controlling our attention. However, not even the programmers behind the algorithm control it. While the algorithm began as a simple set of rules, it has now become an ever-changing black box. Machine learning has created this tipping point where the programmers and companies behind the algorithms are clueless as to how they work.
If not even the programmers have control over the algorithm, do we still have control over them?
Algorithms not only have the power to control our attention but also the ability to control what we see and, therefore, how we think. At a societal level, this produces echo chambers. You engage with content that aligns with your existing beliefs, and in doing so the algorithm serves you more of that content, reinforcing your views and creating a cycle.
These echo chambers have real world consequences: political polarisation and misinformation, to name but two. If computers can reinforce and strengthen our political views, do they control us? The biggest issue is a lack of awareness as to how these algorithms manipulate us. Recognising that its happening is the first step to regaining control. Other small steps, such as setting time limits and taking regular breaks from social media can help you escape from the infinitely feed.
Computers are irreplaceable, but as technology advances, they are becoming better at controlling our emotions to keep us hooked. By taking frequent breaks and being aware of how the algorithm is designed to keep you constantly online, we have the power to disconnect and regain control.
While we still have control over computers for now, the tide is rapidly shifting.