Technology's grip on modern life is pushing us down a dimly lit path of digital land mines

The risks are being amplified by the tightening control of a corporate coterie popularly known as "Big Tech": Microsoft, whose software runs most of the world's computers; Apple and Google, whose software powers virtually all of the world's smartphones; Amazon, which oversees data centers responsible for keeping websites running (another key service provided by Microsoft and Google, too, in addition to its e-commerce bazaar); and Meta Platforms, the social networking hub that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.