Neo-Luddism: Peasant Revolts Against Predatory Tech

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In an age where digital technology promises connection and convenience but often delivers control and exploitation, a new wave of resistance is rising. This movement, Neo-Luddism, echoes the spirit of the original Luddites: skilled workers who, in the early 19th century England, rebelled not against technology itself, but against the way it was used to undermine their rights and livelihoods¹²³. Today, Neo-Ludditism challenges the unchecked power of tech giants, fighting to reclaim agency, dignity, and justice in a world increasingly ruled by algorithms and data extraction.

What is Neo-Luddism?

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Neo-Luddism is not simply a rejection of all technology. Instead, it is a critical stance against technologies and systems that alienate, exploit, or surveil us⁴⁵¹. Modern Neo-Luddites come from all walks of life: environmentalists, privacy advocates, technologists, artists, and even teenagers who choose to live without smartphones or social media¹. Their common thread is a refusal to be passive consumers or digital peasants in a world where a handful of corporations act as feudal lords, extracting value from our data, attention, and labor⁵¹.

As with the original Luddites, today’s Neo-Luddite movement is not simply about smashing machines, but about questioning who technology serves, who it harms, and how it shapes our lives. It is a call for emancipation from technological systems that diminish our autonomy and well-being⁴¹².

Technofeudalism and Technocolonialism: The New Digital Order

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Technofeudalism
In this digital era, power is concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants-Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple-who control the “cloud capital” that underpins modern life. These corporations don’t just sell products; they collect “digital rent” by harvesting our data, shaping our behavior, and setting the rules of the digital realm. The more that state and corporate technology systems fuse together, the more we become “digital peasants,” dependent on their platforms for economic and basic social and civil participation⁵¹³.

Technocolonialism
This new order mirrors the old logic of colonialism, but on a digital frontier. Global tech companies, mainly from the Global North, dominate the technological infrastructure and data flows of the world. This creates new forms of dependency and exploitation, especially for the Global South, deepening inequalities and privatizing governance⁶⁷⁸. The result is a world where tech giants act as quasi-sovereign powers, shaping societies and economies to serve their interests.

Lessons from the Original Luddites

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The Luddites of the 19th century were not anti-technology; they were pro-worker, pro-community, and pro-justice. They resisted machines only when those machines were used to erode their livelihoods and concentrate power in the hands of factory owners. Their struggle was about who controls technology and for whose benefit¹⁹².

Today, our digital tools-social media, cloud platforms, smartphones-are the new looms. They extract value from us, often without fair compensation or control. But unlike the machinery of the past, these tools are woven into the fabric of our daily lives, making resistance more complex but no less necessary.

Modern Neo-Luddite Resistance: Digital Literacy and Collective Power

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Critical Reflection and Epistemological Luddism
Neo-Luddism today is about more than just opting out. It’s about critical reflection-questioning the role of technology in our lives and society, and sometimes dismantling or unplugging systems to create space for learning and autonomy¹². This “epistemological Luddism” empowers us to evaluate whether a technology is appropriate for its time and place, and to imagine new ways of living and working with (or without) digital tools.

Digital Literacy as a Shield
Understanding how platforms collect and use our data, how algorithms shape our choices, and how digital monopolies operate is the first step toward empowerment. Digital literacy enables us to:

• Recognize manipulative design and resist addictive features.
• Use privacy-focused tools and encryption to protect our data.
• Support open-source and decentralized technologies that put users, not corporations, in control.

Community and Collective Action
Neo-Luddism is not just about individual escape, but about building collective power. By learning together, sharing knowledge, and organizing for our rights, we can challenge the dominance of digital lords. This means:

• Building and participating in digital cooperatives and grassroots tech initiatives.
• Demanding transparency, accountability, and fair policies from tech companies and governments.
• Advocating for digital rights, data sovereignty, and fair digital labor practices.

Reclaiming Technology as a Tool for Liberation

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The ultimate goal is not to reject technology, but to ensure it serves us-not the other way around. As Cory Doctorow and other digital rights advocates argue, we must demand that technology amplifies our voices, protects our rights, and empowers our communities. This requires:

• Educating ourselves and others about digital justice.
• Supporting movements and policies that prioritize user empowerment over corporate profit.
• Reimagining technology as a tool for collective good, not just private gain.

Conclusion: The New Peasant Revolt

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The digital landscape may be dominated by new lords and old patterns of exploitation, but history shows that resistance is possible-and powerful. Like the Luddites, we must organize, educate, and demand justice. By fostering digital literacy and building community, we can reclaim our agency, protect our privacy, and transform technology from a tool of domination into a force for liberation and equity.

Neo-Luddism is the new peasant revolt-a movement to ensure that technology serves humanity, not the other way around.

References

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Find Out More…

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• https://gizmodo.com/the-many-faces-of-Neo-luddism-1682139778
• https://kottke.org/24/03/the-Neo-luddite-movement