We the Users

We the users want technology to work for us. Here are our demands.

Our columnist is investigating how technology fails us — and ideas to make things better. What belongs on the list?

By
May 12, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
(Sean Loose/Illustration for The Washington Post)
3 min

We the users, in order to form a better Internet, establish our rights, ensure our safety, provide for equal access to information, promote choice, and secure the benefits of being connected, have a few demands.

With apologies to Constitution author James Madison, it’s time that we the users of technology find a voice of our own on how the future is shaping up. A lot of technology is no longer working for us — so I’m charting out what’s broken and how to fix it. I’m calling this effort “We the Users.”

Help Desk: Making tech work for you

Help Desk is a destination built for readers looking to better understand and take control of the technology used in everyday life.

Take control: Sign up for The Tech Friend newsletter to get straight talk and advice on how to make your tech a force for good.

Tech tips to make your life easier: 10 tips and tricks to customize iOS 16 | 5 tips to make your gadget batteries last longer | How to get back control of a hacked social media account | How to avoid falling for and spreading misinformation online

Data and Privacy: A guide to every privacy setting you should change now. We have gone through the settings for the most popular (and problematic) services to give you recommendations. Google | Amazon | Facebook | Venmo | Apple | Android

Ask a question: Send the Help Desk your personal technology questions.