The Body Under Algorithmic Surveillance: How Technology is Changing Our Relationship with Health?
The article examines how digital technology, particularly smart devices and applications, is transforming people's awareness and management of their health through data analytics.
In the digital age, our awareness of health is being transformed from a purely personal experience to one driven by technology. Prior to even feeling fatigued or well-rested, smartwatches and apps analyze heart rates, sleep quality, and stress levels, offering preemptive insights into our physical state. This shift raises philosophical questions about the nature of our awareness: are we experiencing our bodies as we feel them, or are we instead interpreting them through the lens of our devices?
Daily health management has become a digital routine, with smartphones and smartwatches tracking every movement and vital sign. They offer constant recommendations regarding sleep, exercise, and nutrition, leading to a shift in trust from our own perceptions to numerical readings on a screen. Over time, individuals act as intermediaries between their authentic selves and their digital representations, which relentlessly dictate what actions to take for optimal health.
Moreover, health devices have now advanced beyond simple step counting and sleep measurement; they have developed capabilities close to early disease diagnosis. The sensors embedded in these devices are evolving to recognize patterns indicative of potential health issues, raising concerns over privacy and accuracy but also presenting opportunities for earlier interventions in healthcare. As we adjust to this new landscape, the implications for our understanding of health and the human body will be profound and multifaceted.