Question:
The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
Today, many of the debates about behavioural control in the age of big data echo Cold War-era anxieties about brainwashing, insidious manipulation and repression in the ‘technological society’. In his book Psychopolitics, Han warns of the sophisticated use of targeted online content, enabling ‘influence to take place on a pre-reflexive level’. On our current trajectory, “freedom will prove to have been merely an interlude.” The fear is that the digital age has not liberated us but exposed us, by offering up our private lives to machine-learning algorithms that can process masses of personal and behavioural data. In a world of influencers and digital entrepreneurs, it’s not easy to imagine the resurgence of a culture engendered through disconnect and disaffiliation, but concerns over the threat of online targeting, polarisation and big data have inspired recent polemics about the need to rediscover solitude and disconnect.
The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
Today, many of the debates about behavioural control in the age of big data echo Cold War-era anxieties about brainwashing, insidious manipulation and repression in the ‘technological society’. In his book Psychopolitics, Han warns of the sophisticated use of targeted online content, enabling ‘influence to take place on a pre-reflexive level’. On our current trajectory, “freedom will prove to have been merely an interlude.” The fear is that the digital age has not liberated us but exposed us, by offering up our private lives to machine-learning algorithms that can process masses of personal and behavioural data. In a world of influencers and digital entrepreneurs, it’s not easy to imagine the resurgence of a culture engendered through disconnect and disaffiliation, but concerns over the threat of online targeting, polarisation and big data have inspired recent polemics about the need to rediscover solitude and disconnect.
Today, many of the debates about behavioural control in the age of big data echo Cold War-era anxieties about brainwashing, insidious manipulation and repression in the ‘technological society’. In his book Psychopolitics, Han warns of the sophisticated use of targeted online content, enabling ‘influence to take place on a pre-reflexive level’. On our current trajectory, “freedom will prove to have been merely an interlude.” The fear is that the digital age has not liberated us but exposed us, by offering up our private lives to machine-learning algorithms that can process masses of personal and behavioural data. In a world of influencers and digital entrepreneurs, it’s not easy to imagine the resurgence of a culture engendered through disconnect and disaffiliation, but concerns over the threat of online targeting, polarisation and big data have inspired recent polemics about the need to rediscover solitude and disconnect.
Updated On: Jul 26, 2025
- The role of technology in influencing public behaviour is reminiscent of the manner in which behaviour was manipulated during the Cold War.
- With big data making personal information freely available, the debate on the nature of freedom and the need for privacy has resurfaced.
- The notion of freedom and privacy is at stake in a world where artificial intelligence is capable of influencing behaviour through data gathered online.
- Rather than freeing us, digital technology is enslaving us by collecting personal information and influencing our online behaviour.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The passage discusses how contemporary debates around behavioral control echo previous concerns about manipulation during the Cold War, particularly in the context of a "technological society." A central theme is how targeted online content can influence individuals subtly and effectively. Han's book, "Psychopolitics," highlights that true freedom may only be a temporary state, given the extent of personal data exposure to machine-learning algorithms. The passage suggests that while we have yet to see a culture of disconnection and independence, the pervasive nature of digital influencers and entrepreneurs enforces conformity rather than autonomy. Consequently, the passage asserts the need for a renewed discourse on solitude and detachment as responses to the threats posed by online targeting and polarization.
The correct option captures these themes: With big data making personal information freely available, the debate on the nature of freedom and the need for privacy has resurfaced. This summary accurately reflects the passage's discussion, emphasizing big data's role in the increased vulnerability of personal information and the ensuing dialogue on freedom and privacy.
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