The problem is that some are using the global pandemic as an opportunity to make a power grab. Personal data and browsing habits that are run through algorithms, as well as databases can be used to build a profile of who we are and predict our future actions. As a result, global citizens increasingly become more cautious with how they act online in case it is misconstrued or used against them.

A quick look on a Facebook newsfeed will reveal that many of your friends cannot be bothered to research anything important, but they will take a 15-minute quiz to find out what kind of vegetable they are. In a digital world where every form of communication, transaction, and movement can be monitored, we can no longer afford to sleepwalk our way through life.

It is often said that technology works best when it brings people together, but it currently feels like we are losing our way. Binary thinking is resulting in polarization and driving a wedge between communities rather than uniting them. Authorities asking users to film non-compliant citizens and turn people against each other during a crisis is beginning to feel a little too reminiscent of an Orwellian nightmare for comfort.