Society

We didn't just make technology, it made us. In the modern context, this phenomenon terrifies some people and excites others- but it's going to happen. We have to understand how humans and their tools and technologies blend at scale – it's going to be an absolutely fascinating journey.

The future isn't written, and so whether it's too late to fix this is not determined but it has on many occasions this year in particular felt that we've crossed the point of no return. We need to be optimistic to do so, pessimism serves nothing.

Pioneer of Virtual Reality & Critic of Social Media

I do feel that there is less hope now than there has ever been during my lifetime and- it would appear- for centuries. When you speak to most young people, they don't have an articulate sense of the future, of what they're looking forward to.

Pioneer of Virtual Reality & Critic of Social Media

Technology isn't a 'thing,' it's a social structure that people act upon the universe through. The social structure has incentives, roles and governance which determine the meaning and effect of the technology, not the engineering itself.

Pioneer of Virtual Reality & Critic of Social Media

Social media was kind-of created to destroy humanity, in a literal sense. The first notion of the implications of such networks was provided by B. F. Skinner who spoke of the dangers of people who- on networks- were too free, too creative and too uncontrolled.

Pioneer of Virtual Reality & Critic of Social Media

Humans haven't been able to survive in any of our environments 'raw' – we've made fire, made shoes, made hunting tools… we've never had to experience being adapted to an environment 'as it is,' and so there's no sensible definition of people without technology.

Pioneer of Virtual Reality & Critic of Social Media

Imagine if Coca Cola said, 'well, we *could* take the sugar out of our drink, but how else would we give the world diabetes?' – we have information diabetes.

Design ethicist & founder of Center for Humane Technology

If Russia or China try to fly a plane into the United States, they'll be shut down by a USAF F35 that we spent a trillion-dollars developing. Meanwhile, if they try and fly an information plane into the United States they're met with Facebook and Google algorithms that run an auction to enable them to get the maximum audience, for the cheapest price. They're met with a white glove that takes them directly to their target.

Design ethicist & founder of Center for Humane Technology

Technology claims to be showing us a mirror of what was already present in society- racism, conspiracy theories- but in reality, technology is a funhouse mirror with a feedback loop that's engineered to show us the most egregious parts of society… those parts that are better at keeping our attention. The mirror gets more and more warped, but we mistake it for an honest and neutral view of who we are.

Design ethicist & founder of Center for Humane Technology

I worry that the emotional side has these days too much dominance over the rational. We think we're being rational, but unconsciously we're being swayed by the power of some of the images and words that we've seen, particularly on social media.

Former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator & National Security Adviser

We wouldn't want to live in a world of full transparency. That is a world where I can see into your brain, and you into mine. Perhaps one day this will be possible… we will be able to plug into each other's brains, and I will experience the world as you, and you as me…. A hive-mind… I just hope I'm not around when that technology arrives.

Former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator & National Security Adviser

I remember taking my daughter to a speech I gave when she was just 5 years old, I wanted her to see mummy on stage as a way of showing her that she could be whatever she wanted to be.

Founder and former CEO of Ann Summers lingerie and party plan business

We need to give women the freedom and confidence to believe and be whatever they want to. This isn't just about business, but about social conditioning in all cultures. Even now I experience inequality- I see it when I go to external meetings and I see two solicitors, both equal, and a female pouring the tea.

Founder and former CEO of Ann Summers lingerie and party plan business

I'm extremely proud of the fact that we have driven social and cultural change. I have always wanted women to be empowered, and we've given them that opportunity. At the beginning, we said our events were going to be for women only, it enabled women to talk to each other about their sex lives in private, in a safe and unintimidating environment, and that was part of women's sexual empowerment as a movement.

Founder and former CEO of Ann Summers lingerie and party plan business

When you first go to war as a young guy, it's almost like you want to get into combat. Quickly though, you realise that these are real people! You have to bring the human element to the fore. At first it was let's go to war… then it was let's do the right thing… and then it was why are we even doing this?

Former Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden in 2011

I was a semi-chubby white kid from Montana who couldn't swim. I became a Navy SEAL who ended-up in Osama bin Laden's bedroom on a Tier 1 Mission to take down the #1 terrorist in the world. My life is proof that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything you want.

Former Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden in 2011