The smartphone is perhaps the single most influential piece of technology of the 21st century. Since the debut of the iPhone in 2007, Silicon Valley has revolutionized how we work, travel, and interact with the world. But our reliance on the smartphone happened quietly and without our consent. This tool of convenience has become a weapon for the powerful to spy, control, and repress the unsuspecting masses.
The Compulsory Machine tears open the anatomy of the smartphone, exploring mines in Africa and design centers in Cupertino and Shenzhen to expose who controls the rare earths needed for its components, the all-important operating systems, and the most popular apps.
In order to reclaim this technology for the people who use it, Juan Carlos De Martin presents a radical but practical plan to protect users, workers and the environment from unchecked corporate power. This is a call to action for anyone ready to take back their digital life.
