DATA TOXICALITY: A TECHNO-PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY INTO DIGITAL HARM

• Authors: Schreiber Gerhard
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

In biochemistry, toxicity denotes the potential of a substance to cause harm within a biological system. Over time, the concept has been extended beyond its scientific origins to describe forms of social and psychological harm, as reflected in expressions like “toxic masculinity” or “toxic relationships.” This paper introduces the concept of “data toxicality,” a techno-philosophical perspective on harmful socio-psychological effects emerging from data practices in the digital age. Unlike biochemical toxicity, data toxicality manifests in interpersonal and institutional dynamics, affecting autonomy, power structures, and digital ethics. The discussion examines both direct and indirect harms resulting from data misuse, surveillance, and algorithmic bias, while considering “unfindability” as a conceptual alternative to data deletion.

Keywords

EN

DATA TOXICALITY; TECHNO-PHILOSOPHY; DIGITAL ETHICS; DIGITAL HARM

• Publisher: Institute of Philosophy, Slovak Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Filozofia (Philosophy)
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 80
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 300 – 313

Contributors

author

Schreiber Gerhard

• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1178-1802

Identifiers

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31577/filozofia.2025.80.3.3