Data fatigue 2.0: From being observed to being tracked

When we published our book titled Data Science in 2018, I frequently spoke about the developments in technology and algorithms that would benefit humanity and predicted a hopeful future. At that time, the concept of Artificial Intelligence was not a very common term, but its sub-technology, deep learning, was very popular and had already begun to fuel dystopian future predictions.  

Once upon a time, the internet was seen as a space for anonymity and free expression. Today, however, we have all turned into data points meticulously recorded by algorithms. Our steps, our heartbeats, our likes, our messages… Each has become raw material for an invisible tracking network.

We no longer live just online; we live "in the spotlight" at every moment.

We can call the quietest but most widespread disease of this new age "data fatigue." Initially associated only with digital workload, notification density, and screen addiction, this concept has now moved to a completely different dimension. People are tired not only of working but also of being watched.

In the past, surveillance meant only "someone watching us." Now, surveillance has become a form of voluntary participation. We are willing to be watched, and often we even take pleasure in it. Every photo we share on social media turns into a kind of "digital storefront." Being watched means being noticed and being approved. But this is exactly where the fatigue begins: because staying visible constantly means constantly producing performance.

As sociologist David Lyon said years ago, surveillance is no longer just a mechanism of power; it has become a culture. Digital platforms do not force us to be watched; we participate voluntarily. In this system, which is fed by likes, views, and follower counts, visibility has become the measure of existence. However, the price of being visible is the gradual disappearance of private space and silence.

Today, people experience two types of fatigue in the digital world: The first is the fatigue of data production. That is, the obligation to constantly produce content, share, and react. The second is the fatigue of data awareness. In other words, the anxiety created by knowing that one is being watched but being unable to change it. Even small indicators on social media, such as "read" receipts, online status, and last seen timestamps, create a constant state of awareness. A person cannot shake off both their own shadow and the eyes of others.

The psychological reflections of this fatigue are also becoming increasingly apparent. The "digital burnout" syndrome is rising, especially among young people. Now, it is not just the workload, but the burden of being seen that exhausts people. The feeling of "if I don't share, I don't exist" increases both identity anxiety and the fear of privacy at the same time.

What can be done in the face of this picture?

First, to use the digital space itself for silence and invisibility. "Digital detox" is not just about reducing screen time; sometimes it is about not sharing anything and seeing not being visible as a choice. Second, platforms should offer their users real areas of control. Initiatives like the European Union's European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency (ECAT), which I mentioned in my article last week, are trying to explain how data is processed. However, individuals also need to improve their skills in managing their own data footprints. Third, a cultural rethinking: questioning these digital norms that equate "being visible" with success and "being watched" with value.

Because data fatigue 2.0 is not a crisis of technology, but of culture. Surveillance has become not a camera, but an emotion. And perhaps the greatest freedom will be learning how to leave no trace in an age where everything is recorded.