Author: Nishtha Mehrotra | EQMint

Synopsis:

• Cyber law expert Puneet Bhasin’s new book examines how algorithms and AI influence human behaviour and decision-making.
• The book introduces concepts such as Cognitive Sovereignty and Cognitive Injury by Design to explore digital autonomy.
• It examines whether existing Indian laws can hold technology platforms accountable for their influence on users.
  
  

Are algorithms shaping human choices? Cyber law expert and advocate Puneet Bhasin explores this question in her new book, Who Controls Your Mind? Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence and the New Battle for Human Autonomy, published by Cursive, an imprint of OakBridge Publishing.

The book argues that digital platforms do more than collect personal data. Through searches, clicks, viewing habits and recommendations, they build behavioural profiles and influence what users see and engage with. Bhasin describes this process as “Data Farming”, suggesting that platforms cultivate the behaviour that generates valuable data.

Using the fictional story of a teenager and his family, the book examines issues such as excessive gaming, AI voice scams, data breaches, digital dependence and online risks to children.

Proposed legal concepts

Bhasin introduces three ideas: Cognitive Sovereignty, an individual’s control over their thoughts and decisions; Cognitive Habeas Corpus, which explores constitutional protection against technological interference with mental autonomy; and Cognitive Injury by Design, which questions corporate accountability for deliberately addictive product design.

The book also examines India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, the Information Technology Act and Supreme Court judgments on privacy and personal liberty. It questions whether platforms that actively recommend and amplify content should continue to receive protection as neutral intermediaries.

The book is not opposed to technology. Instead, it encourages users to become more conscious of their digital habits and protect their attention and independent decision-making.

Bhasin’s central question remains: in an increasingly algorithm-driven world, who controls the human mind?

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and is not investment advice.

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