Who Owns the Future?

Who Owns the Future? is Jaron Lanier's manifesto against the concentration of wealth and power in digital networks. Published in 2013, the book argues that the internet's current architecture—dominated by a few massive tech companies that extract value from user data—is fundamentally unjust and economically inefficient. Lanier proposes that individuals should own and be compensated for their personal data, and that digital networks should be redesigned to distribute economic benefits more broadly.

The work combines technological critique with economic philosophy, drawing on Lanier's decades of experience in virtual reality and digital culture. He contends that current business models treat users as resources to be mined rather than as participants deserving fair compensation. The book became influential in debates about data rights, platform capitalism, and the future of the digital economy, helping shape contemporary discussions about tech regulation and digital ownership.