Silent Consent: The Era of Digital Obedience

In the past, governance based on violence was understood as a regime where people were intimidated, arrested, and their freedoms revoked. Today, this form of control has evolved. Now, people are monitored through mobile applications, internet pages, and smart computer programs.

The most alarming part is that people are consenting to this themselves. No one is forcing them. They are submitting to this surveillance of their own free will.
In today’s world, our lives are increasingly tied to the internet. Whom we talk to, what we see, what we hear, where we go—everything is recorded. With our own hands, we are providing governments and tech giants with information about ourselves that previously only secret services could access.

People perceive this not as a danger, but as a convenience. In reality, it is this very convenience that is the greatest threat. Because behind these comforts lies a hidden power of control—a power capable of manipulating people without them even noticing.
In such a situation, an individual believes they are making their own choices. But in truth, the paths are shown to them by the system. This is control in the guise of freedom.
On the internet, we express ourselves and voice our opinions. Yet, at the same time, we internally contemplate how we should present ourselves. This leads everyone to think alike and to behave not freely, but in a conformist manner.

Political control has also taken on a new form. It is no longer necessary to arrest someone; it is enough to make them invisible on the internet. Their written thoughts are pushed so far down that people never see them. Today, freedom of speech is restricted not through punishment, but through indifference.

In such conditions, what does freedom mean? Is it expressing an opinion? Speaking out? Or gaining people’s attention?

In today’s environment, freedom is defining who you are yourself, not fully submitting to computer programs, and understanding the nature of surveillance. This requires not only technical knowledge but also a courageous civic stance.

We have rights, but the culture of understanding and exercising them is weakening. Democracy does not just mean elections—it means conscious participation every single day.
Therefore, every time we download an app, every time we give consent on a webpage, and with every action we take, we must ask ourselves: Is this action serving me, or is it controlling me?

Today, we are silent. We are saying nothing. But this consent is not eternal. It can change with an awakening.

My name is Ro‘ziboyeva Asilakhon. I was born on September 17, 2013, in Nishon District of Qashqadaryo Region. One of my main hobbies is reading books; I also enjoy writing articles and poetry. My dream is to become a cardiologist.