Escaping Techno-Feudalism
The article discusses the concept of techno-feudalism in the digital age, comparing it to historical feudal systems. It argues that users of software as a service (SaaS) are akin to modern-day peasants, lacking control and ownership over their digital experiences. The author advocates for the development of personal agents that empower users to reclaim their autonomy online.
- ▪The internet has shifted from a personal and creative space to one dominated by SaaS companies.
- ▪Users are compared to peasants in a feudal system, paying rent to various digital 'lords' without owning their data or experiences.
- ▪The author proposes a new model of personal agents that allows users to regain control over their digital lives.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
May 21, 2026Escaping Techno-FeudalismThe internet used to be handmade, personal, and wild. SaaS made us peasants. The personal cloud is how we take it back.Ben GuoZo theme by cofounder Ben From my talk at AI Engineer Singapore. Hi, my name is Ben and I really love computers. I love computers so much that I dressed up as a computer. The Finder icon The graphic on my shirt is the classic Finder icon designed by Susan Kare. The Macintosh was my first computer when I was a kid. I developed a fondness for computers very young, just using MacPaint, then discovering web development, then building apps, then creating stuff on my computer with Ableton and Photoshop. I discovered very early that a computer is one of the most powerful creative tools ever invented by humanity.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Zo Computer.
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