--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 2010, the iPhone was only three years…" description: "\"In 2010, the iPhone was only three years old, and many people still didn't see smartphones as the indispensable digital appendages they are today. Seve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/chelsea-manning-3116_digital_in-2010-the-iphone-was-only-three-years_2836653.jpg" --- # In 2010, the iPhone was only three years old, and many… ![“In 2010, the iPhone was only three years old, and many people still didn't see smartphones as the indispensable digital appendages they are today. Seven years later, virtually everything we do causes us to bleed digital information, putting us at the mercy of invisible algorithms that threaten to…” quote by Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/chelsea-manning-3116_digital_in-2010-the-iphone-was-only-three-years_2836653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/chelsea-manning-3116_digital_in-2010-the-iphone-was-only-three-years_2836653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/613/chelsea-manning-3116_digital_in-2010-the-iphone-was-only-three-years_2836653.jpg) > “In 2010, the iPhone was only three years old, and many people still didn't see smartphones as the indispensable digital appendages they are today. Seven years later, virtually everything we do causes us to bleed digital information, putting us at the mercy of invisible algorithms that threaten to consume our freedom.” [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how smartphones evolved from novelty to essential tools, and how pervasive digital data collection now threatens personal freedom through unseen algorithms. **In simple terms:** Smartphones became essential; data collection threatens freedom. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect digital privacy. Themes technology privacy freedom society digital age Mood concerned reflective Type analytical critical When to use this quote - personal data management - online behavior - policy advocacy - digital literacy Key Concepts surveillance algorithmic control data ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your data online? - What policies could limit algorithmic overreach? A Different Perspective Algorithms can also enable beneficial services; balance is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) [Digital Appendages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-appendages-3695563/) [Digital Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-information-2844210/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Iphone Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iphone-years-3695561/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Smartphones Indispensable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smartphones-indispensable-3695562/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Three years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-years/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [If we allow the United States to set the precedent that national borders don't matter when it comes to the protection of people's information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-we-allow-the-united-states-to-set-the-precedent-that-national/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The essential characteristic of digital information is that it can be manipulated easily and very rapidly by computer... Computational tools for transforming, combining, altering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-mitchell/the-essential-characteristic-of-digital-information-is-that-it-can-be/) [William J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-mitchell/) > [Digital information, for every type of storage, is unfounded. If everything is on a hard drive and the hard drive freezes up, your whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/digital-information-for-every-type-of-storage-is-unfounded-if/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [Our economy, for a long while, has been transitioning from one reliant on industrial strength to one based on digital information. The next step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/our-economy-for-a-long-while-has-been-transitioning-from-one-reliant/) [Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/) > [ “Digital information has an unbelievably high R0 \[basic reproductive rate\], and this means that it's hard to stop once it emerges. It spreads from… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-seife/digital-information-has-an-unbelievably-high-r0-basic-reproductive/) [Charles Seife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-seife/) > [“But it does mean that she almost never witnesses lovers’ quarrels, bedtime stories, classroom arguments, supper-table gossip, or bitter tears privately shed. She only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/but-it-does-mean-that-she-almost-never-witnesses-lovers-quarrels/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [ “\[...\] exhibition designers must be able to manage and work creatively with the digital information that surrounds and exhibition. Increasingly, the assets of a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hughes/exhibition-designers-must-be-able-to-manage-and-work-creatively-with/) [Philip Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hughes/) > [As Stewart Brand (co-founder of Emeryville's Global Business Network) likes to say, "Information lasts forever. Digital information lasts forever or for five years, whichever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-saffo/as-stewart-brand-co-founder-of-emeryville-s-global-business-network/) [Paul Saffo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-saffo/) > [About three years ago, I started an exercise in openness and inclusiveness to create new digital tools for magic - tools that could eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-tempest/about-three-years-ago-i-started-an-exercise-in-openness-and/) [Marco Tempest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-tempest/) > [To bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans, the FCC needs to make it easier for companies to build and expand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/to-bring-the-benefits-of-the-digital-age-to-all-americans-the-fcc/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [When I went to medical school, the term 'digital' applied only to rectal exams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-topol/when-i-went-to-medical-school-the-term-digital-applied-only-to-rectal/) [Eric Topol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-topol/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [I had an idea for a technologically advanced luxury watch. I got involved in digital art and neon painting and put on shows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-moroder/i-had-an-idea-for-a-technologically-advanced-luxury-watch-i-got/) [Giorgio Moroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-moroder/) ## More by Chelsea Manning > [I think it's actually kind of sweet how there is a reciprocal effect that our stories can have on each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-think-it-s-actually-kind-of-sweet-how-there-is-a-reciprocal-effect/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [Visibility is not equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/visibility-is-not-equality/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [I regret if my actions hurt anyone or harmed the United States. It was never my intent to hurt anyone. When I chose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-regret-if-my-actions-hurt-anyone-or-harmed-the-united-states-it-was/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [I used to get these horrible feelings; like, I just wanted to rip my body apart, and I don't want to have to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-used-to-get-these-horrible-feelings-like-i-just-wanted-to-rip-my/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [When I was a kid, I wanted to be in business or politics, like a CEO of a big corporation or a U.S. senator.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/when-i-was-a-kid-i-wanted-to-be-in-business-or-politics-like-a-ceo-of/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [By December 2009, I had come to terms with my gender identity just as I was deployed to Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/by-december-2009-i-had-come-to-terms-with-my-gender-identity-just-as/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [I wanted the American public to know that not everyone in Iraq and Afghanistan were targets that needed to be neutralized, but rather people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-wanted-the-american-public-to-know-that-not-everyone-in-iraq-and/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [I do not think that Caitlyn Jenner's transition was easy. Coming out and transitioning as a public figure - even for someone like her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-do-not-think-that-caitlyn-jenner-s-transition-was-easy-coming-out/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [Suffrage is not a right afforded to everyone. Rather, voting is a privilege in the United States - and a hard-earned privilege at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/suffrage-is-not-a-right-afforded-to-everyone-rather-voting-is-a/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [Through every struggle that I have been confronted with and have been subjected to - solitary confinement, long legal battles, and physically transitioning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/through-every-struggle-that-i-have-been-confronted-with-and-have-been/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [We should all be able to live as human beings - and to be recognized as such by the societies we live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/we-should-all-be-able-to-live-as-human-beings-and-to-be-recognized-as/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [Day-to-day life is as simple as it is routine - though my days are often long and very busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/day-to-day-life-is-as-simple-as-it-is-routine-though-my-days-are/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [The most important people for me, at least in the last couple of years since I came out, are my supersecret trans friends and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/the-most-important-people-for-me-at-least-in-the-last-couple-of-years/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [In the years preceding my imprisonment, I worked as a software programmer, designing and developing web interfaces, secure databases, and communication software; later, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/in-the-years-preceding-my-imprisonment-i-worked-as-a-software/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [Even if I didn't have the support that I have, I would still be fighting the same fights, and I would still be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/even-if-i-didn-t-have-the-support-that-i-have-i-would-still-be/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) [Explore all 139 Chelsea Manning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) ## More Digital quotes > [I had an idea for a technologically advanced luxury watch. I got involved in digital art and neon painting and put on shows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-moroder/i-had-an-idea-for-a-technologically-advanced-luxury-watch-i-got/) [Giorgio Moroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-moroder/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [When I went to medical school, the term 'digital' applied only to rectal exams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-topol/when-i-went-to-medical-school-the-term-digital-applied-only-to-rectal/) [Eric Topol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-topol/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [To bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans, the FCC needs to make it easier for companies to build and expand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/to-bring-the-benefits-of-the-digital-age-to-all-americans-the-fcc/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [It is very hard to transform your culture and your workforce to be a relevant company in the digital world if all of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/it-is-very-hard-to-transform-your-culture-and-your-workforce-to-be-a/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [Many American TV actors employ agents, managers, business managers, publicists and stylists, and are now adding digital media manager to the list. Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [“I've decided that has been the great achievement of our age: to so thoroughly flood the planet with megabits that every image and fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-ve-decided-that-has-been-the-great-achievement-of-our-age-to-so/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [But I had never drawn on a tablet before. I've been doing pencil and paper and film for almost 20 years. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-hertzfeldt/but-i-had-never-drawn-on-a-tablet-before-i-ve-been-doing-pencil-and/) [Don Hertzfeldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-hertzfeldt/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. A life lived meaningfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/if-you-want-to-live-a-meaningfully-better-life-you-re-going-to-have/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [As human beings, we are the only organisms that create for the sheer stupid pleasure of doing so. Whether it's laying out a garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/as-human-beings-we-are-the-only-organisms-that-create-for-the-sheer/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [I do think there's something about the digital age that is increasingly dehumanising us. We're in this very weird place where we're being pulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-do-think-there-s-something-about-the-digital-age-that-is/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [A lot of people that buy vinyl today don’t realise that they’re listening to CD masters on vinyl and that’s because the record companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/a-lot-of-people-that-buy-vinyl-today-don-t-realise-that-they-re/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) [Browse all 1,708 Digital quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 2010, the iPhone was only three years old, and many people still didn't see smartphones as the indispensable digital appendages they are today. 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