Culture After Covid: Helicopter Tech

Edge Definition

Everything is watching you. Governments, brands, and devices are turning into “helicopter parents,” or worse, monitoring our every move. Fitbit shares user data with health insurers — and some customers have walked. Colleges vet applicants by stalking social media. Friends track each other through geo-location apps. Soon you won’t even be able to poop in private, as smart bathrooms enter the home. With privacy at a premium, new businesses are being born to help users stay stealth or monetize their data.

What will Helicopter Tech look like post-pandemic?

Pre-pandemic surveillance was met with skepticism. Unsure of how our data was being used, we blindly gave up our privacy in return for no clear reward.

Then COVID turned surveillance into a necessary safety measure. Wearable medical devices and QR code check-in systems made data tracking visible and public—taking the guesswork out of how and why our information was being collected.

As surveillance continues to cement its place in our everyday, new programs will emerge to encourage participation.

In the next era of Helicopter Tech, your personal information will be your price of admission into society. We’ll give up some degree of privacy in order to take part in the latest experiences. Brands will openly offer perks in exchange for our data. And incentive systems will reward good behavior.

If the benefit is clear, we’ll comply.