Digital Terrorism 2.0 is an update of Stephanie Meisl’s (s.myselle) earlier illustrative work from 2009.
Even back then, in 2009, there were initial concerns about whether humans controlled the machine or if the machine controlled humans. It was crucial to recognize that both directions were already in play: few controlled the machine, while many were already dictated by it across various aspects of life. Today, ten years later, we find ourselves in a digital world characterized by informational chaos. Machines and technology are misused to influence people. Whether it’s online advertisements, influencer images on Instagram, or campaigns like those from Cambridge Analytica, everyone using these technologies is affected by their content in one way or another. Determining to what extent our decisions remain uninfluenced by online media has become nearly impossible.
„Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me,“ a line from Rage Against The Machine’s 1992 song „Killing in the Name,“ serves as a protest against the digital surveillance state—the new modern violence. The installation consists of a transparent projection screen sized to match a smartphone, through which a person playing on their phone appears transparent—the glass human. This person symbolizes everyone who uses smartphones thoughtlessly, installs apps without thoroughly reading terms and conditions, and believes they have nothing to hide, thereby disregarding the creeping threat of surveillance and influence.
The phrases DIGITAL TERRORISM and FUCK YOU I WON’T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME frame the installation, acting as an omnipresent reminder on the smartphone’s screen, highlighting our illusion of immunity to influence. The installation makes this visibly explicit. From above comes digital terrorism; at the lower personal level lies our credulity. At the center of the composition stands the individual, over whom data, information, and texts flow in an endless torrent. Every time you pick up your smartphone, take a selfie, message friends, post on Facebook, or read the news, someone else is reading along.
The news ticker features headlines collected over six months from various sources about artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, and data-stealing apps, among other topics. These headlines were not fact-checked for accuracy. Their purpose is to provoke thought, reflecting a dystopian perspective that appears casually to the majority without triggering an emotional response, thus ultimately receiving no significant attention.
Concept and realization: Stephanie Meisl
Model: Alexandra Braschel
Music: Marko Sulz
Exhibition: Schmiede Hallein 2018
