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Neuroscience of Consciousness Paper: Why Social Control Media and Proprietary Spyware Harm Your Health

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Jan 14, 2025

"Software Freedom turns out to be good for your health"

Neuroscience of Consciousness

Surveillance technology affects how our brains process information, increasing our awareness of other people's gaze unconsciously. Research suggests this can lead to idened anxiety and mental health concerns. Constant monitoring might shape our perceptions and social interactions without us realizing it. The balance between security and personal freedom needs careful consideration.

Surveillance is bad for people because it changes people's mood. Surveillance changes behaviour, too. An article entitled "Surveillance tech is changing our behaviour - and our brains" says that a "recent study, published in Neuroscience of Consciousness, reveals a disturbing side effect. Surveillance isn't just changing our behaviour - it's altering how our brains process information, operating largely outside our awareness. [...] research shows that simply knowing we are being watched can unconsciously heighten our awareness of other people's gaze. These findings have potentially significant implications for mental health and social interaction."

The article lacks a crucial link to the original paper, instead linking only to useless pages and internally (like Social Control Media 'shielding' itself from people exploring 'rival' sites).

The original seems to be paper dated a month ago:

Big brother: the effects of surveillance on fundamental aspects of social vision

Here is the PDF version:

Kiley Seymour paper

Proprietary typically spies on the users and it's difficult if not impossible to stop that. Social Control Media, including skinnerboxes (that's how most people "experience" it), is a subset of that.

Adopting Free software typically means freeing oneself from most forms of surveillance. As it turns out, this is good for one's mental health.

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