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XITIZEN RC1803 | Dystopian Flash Fiction

Let's go get lunch | Dystopian Flash Fiction

 Flash Fiction story by Russell Cavanagh - Let's go to lunch

Let's go get lunch - Dystopian Flash fiction by Russ Cavanagh

'Yeah, almost as if they can read our minds.'

    'But what if they really can?'

    'Sure, that'd really be something - but how?'

    'I dunno. Maybe the tech's always been there, but we just don't see it?'

    'Nah, that's giving them too much credit. Remember it started with contextual ads, where you'd see a banner ad about products and services relating to stuff on the page you were looking at ...'

    'Yeah.'

    '... Then they developed browser cookies so they could base the banner ads on your surfing habits through your browser history - a perfect excuse for spying on us.'

    'Yeah, then listening to us and watching us through our devices - phones, smart-wear, laptops, smart-TVs ...'

    'Yep. So I reckon it's just got so sophisticated now that it seems they know our every move and thought.'

     'Who is "they"?'

    'Dunno exactly. Alphabet agencies - GCHQ, CIA, FBI, spooks. LifeLog was a US government project that shut down when there was an outcry about privacy and surveillance - and the day it shut down Facebook appeared ... started with kickstart funding of $12.5 million by the CIA though one of its cut-out front organizations. DARPA is behind Twitter/X ... and it just goes on.'

    'Yeah, and these agencies, like DARPA, take out patents for mind control experiments.'

    'Yeah. But that's where my brain starts to fog. It becomes too much.'

    'Same here.'

    It was nearly lunchtime and John felt suddenly hungry. As he scrolled down the social media feed, he saw an ad for Burger King. He loved Burger King.

    'Let's go get lunch.'





Copyright © Russell Cavanagh

 

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