To read or to be read? Maxim Februari on machines as citizens
“The rise of technology as a governance mechanism threatens the traditional role of knowledge institutions like libraries and universities.”
Published on February 14, 2025
Bart, co-founder of Media52 and Professor of Journalism oversees IO+, events, and Laio. A journalist at heart, he keeps writing as many stories as possible.
We live in a world where digital technologies can not only read books but also write and set policies. But what does that mean for our citizenship? In a lecture last week during the symposium Citizenship and Democracy in a Digitizing World, Maxim Februari warned of a future in which people no longer read but rather are read. In doing so, Februari outlined a radical shift in how knowledge is transferred and consumed.
In the digital age, our reading behavior is recorded, analyzed and translated into data that, in turn, guides policy and decisions. February has a concrete example: “My newspapert sends me messages about my reading behavior. Apparently, I read in the afternoon, while others read in the morning. Whether I was aware of that, they wanted to know. But why I do is not asked.” Here, according to February, lies the problem: “We are not only read, but also constantly measured. And this is done very imperfectly, too. The same newspaper informed me that I did puzzles five days in a row. Never did any.”
What does this mean for citizenship?
In his talk, February wondered aloud whether citizens still have a role to play in democracy in this data-driven world. When policy decisions are no longer made by people but by statistical models, “what can citizens do in a library?” According to him, the rise of technology as a governance mechanism threatens the traditional role of knowledge institutions such as libraries and universities. But for now, he does not resign himself to that.
The Library as gatekeeper of online public space
In search of an Internet “that works for society,” Jantien Borsboom (Public Spaces) argues for a social media domain organized by libraries.
The danger of this development is that data storage centers will replace democratic institutions and social places. “If technology is going to rule, there will no longer be a need for village halls, cafes, and city buildings. No more knowledge institutes are needed, only data centers in the desert.” February sees power shifting from public spaces to invisible digital structures.
The library as the last bastion
Still, February sees a future for physical meeting places like libraries, provided they adapt. “'Third places', as they are called these days, are places where you can read, write poetry, talk, and make political judgments. An intangible kind of knowledge is emerging that advances humanity.” Libraries should continue to offer books above all, but also create space for critical thinking and debate.
In addition, February warns against the unreliability of digital knowledge. “Chatbots have proven that they are willing to lie to get results,” he argues. The reliability of knowledge can no longer be taken for granted. “We must learn to judge what machines say about us.”
The future of democracy: reading back
To keep a grip on digital democracy, citizens must learn to 'read back'. “Machines read us. We must learn to read the machines,” February stressed. This means citizens must understand how data is collected, processed, and used in policy.
February concludes that libraries can play a crucial role in this transition. They can be a place where people can arm themselves against the dangers of digital control. Whether we want to make machines into citizens remains to be seen. “Pick up a book. Nver stop reading if you don't just want to be read.”