Researchers Say Smartphones Now Exploit Us Like Parasites

Smartphones may appear sleek and helpful, but a new study suggests they behave more like parasites than tools.

Australian researchers Rachael L. Brown and Rob Brooks claim that phones have transformed from useful devices into systems which exploit our time, attention, and personal data for the advantage of tech companies and advertisers.

The Australasian Journal of Philosophy published their research, which compares smartphones to parasites, and demonstrates how these devices exploit hosts for their own benefit at the expense of host well-being.

The authors explain in a press release that smartphones initially served us by providing navigation, and communication functions. However they point out that now they use manipulative methods to keep users scrolling endlessly, while making them engage with advertisements, and experience emotional distress.

This shift mirrors patterns in nature, where relationships between species can change over time. According to the research the human-smartphone relationship has transformed from a mutually beneficial partnership into an exploitative one.

People understand the negative consequences, yet finding a way to break free proves challenging. The researchers observe that people now depend on smartphones for their daily needs, and in turn, weakens their ability to fight against manipulative design features.

The authors describe this situation as an unbalanced fight because tech companies maintain control through their superior understanding of data and knowledge.

The research shows that individual attempts to take back control are insufficient to solve the problem. Instead, large-scale solutions are required. The authors support implementing stronger restrictions on addictive app features, together with stricter regulations for personal data collection and sale practices.