A unifying framework to understand digital autonomy

Despite ubiquitous concern about human self-control over technology use, there is little scientific consensus on how to define digital autonomy. Here, we propose a conceptualisation of digital autonomy as comprising not just the ability to pursue one’s current goals, but also to have these goals themselves free from manipulation. To motivate this definition, we review theories of digital autonomy across philosophy, human-AI alignment and cognitive psychology. We then integrate these approaches by considering digital behaviour as a hierarchical control system, with theories of autonomy in different disciplines referring to different parts of this system. Finally, we discuss evidence for technology-induced goal change within the hierarchical system. This framework bridges across cognitive disciplines, providing an expanded definition to direct future research.