How technology shapes our world view

More and more devices – from voice assistants to wearables such as smartwatches and augmented reality (AR) glasses – automatically adapt to individual preferences and can change our perception of the physical world. Spatial and ubiquitous computing are leading to a new form of digitally supported reality that is personalised: everyone sees and experiences something different, depending on algorithms, data profiles and contextual information.

“Spatial and ubiquitous computing enable technologies that adapt to the user instead of the other way around,” write the authors of the study. This form of interaction often goes unnoticed – it happens in the background but has a direct effect on our perception. The consequence: people are becoming increasingly isolated from one another in their perception of the world due to a multitude of individual realities, unless the technology also encourages exchange. The technological revolution taking place in the background – for example, through AR glasses or smart everyday devices – therefore not only has practical benefits, but also harbours a certain risk of social “isolation”. After all, if everyone only sees what suits them, we lose our shared understanding of reality.

A model for good coexistence in personalised worlds

The authors developed a conceptual model to better understand how these technologies work and what their effects are. The study is based on theoretical groundwork, not experiments – it collects, links and interprets findings from technology research, design ethics, psychology and social science. The model describes three central mechanisms:

1. Perception shaping – how technologies direct our attention
2. Reality filtering – how information is personalised and selectively presented
3. Shared worldmaking – how this changes our shared understanding of reality

"Our model provides guidance in a world where technology influences our perception of reality much more strongly and directly than in the past, covering the entire spectrum of personalisation of our reality – from the worlds we immerse ourselves in virtual environments to our everyday experiences of online platforms through our web browsers,‘ says Simon Mayer, professor of Interaction and Communication-based Systems at the School of Computer Science at the University of St. Gallen. Jannis Strecker-Bischoff adds, “Our work provides a good basis for anyone who wants to design, regulate or critically accompany these systems."

Are there technologies that strengthen consensus rather than weaken it?

The research leads the three authors of the study to four key findings:

1. Personalised technology is not neutral: it shapes what we see, hear and experience – and thus actively influences our worldview. “If everyone only sees what suits them, we may lose our perception of a common, shared reality,” say the authors. 
2. Responsible design is necessary: The study authors call for a “new ethics of technology design” to make personalised systems socially acceptable. This is because human-machine interaction can also connect people, provided that product development allows for this.
3. Urgency is growing: Large tech companies are developing new products that are geared towards personalised perception, such as smart glasses, head-mounted displays and brain-computer interfaces. The public debate focuses more on other AI developments and often neglects developments in the areas of spatial and ubiquitous computing.
4. Measures: Existing laws, such as the EU AI Act, were not created with a view to a future in which our realities can be technologically personalised. The authors of the study therefore call on actors in society, politics and business to develop ethical guidelines for personalised technologies in order to guarantee their socially oriented development.

Creeping individualisation of our everyday lives

Companies such as Google, Apple and Meta are investing billions in technologies that are helping to shape this new, personalised reality – mostly without any social rules or ethical standards applying. At the same time, new human-machine interfaces are emerging that go far beyond traditional screens. Spatial and ubiquitous computing have long been a reality: quiet, efficient and omnipresent – in the living room, classroom or office. Communication expert Miriam Meckel, also a professor at the HSG, put it this way in a guest article in the Handelsblatt, “The future is ambient, not immersive.” This also strikes a chord with the study. It is not about spectacular new virtual worlds, but about the creeping individualisation of our everyday lives.

The authors clearly show in their study that personalised realities offer convenience, but also harbour social risks. When people increasingly navigate through individually filtered information, there is a risk of losing a common frame of reference. Similar to filter bubbles in social networks, perception bubbles can arise that separate people from one another. “A key warning is that we risk losing consensus about what is real and what is not,” says study author Jannis Strecker-Bischoff.

Developing value-based human-machine interfaces

The study provides an important foundation for the debate on the future of digital interaction. It calls on developers, designers and political decision-makers to think about technology not only in terms of functionality, but also in terms of social responsibility. “We are at the beginning of an era in which technology not only supports but also shapes how we live, learn and work,” write Strecker-Bischoff, Mayer and Bektaş in their conclusion. The study authors conclude, “We need not only better interfaces, but also better integration of values into technologies in order to be able to shape an increasingly personalised world together.”
 

The paper ‘Towards Societally Beneficial Personalized Realities: A Conceptual Foundation for Responsible Ubiquitous Personalization Systems’ is available for download online. Experts of the ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2025 have honoured the work with the Honorable Mention Award.