Risks Associated with the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)

Abstract

this article reflects on the ontological and social risks arising from the widespread use of WhatsApp, analyzed through the philosophical perspectives of Martin Heidegger and José Ortega y Gasset. Using a hermeneutic approach, it examines key concepts like Heidegger's Dasein—understood as being-in-the-world—and Ortega y Gasset's mass-man, exploring how digital platforms like WhatsApp reconfigure human existence. It argues that hyperconnectivity fosters fleeting interactions, erodes the authenticity of face-to-face relationships by replacing physical presence with digital mediation, and encourages individualism that undermines solidarity. Furthermore, the article discusses how technology reduces language to quantifiable information, limits critical reflection due to data saturation, and facilitates the spread of misinformation (fake news). The conclusions highlight the paradox of WhatsApp: while it enhances efficiency, it threatens the relational and temporal essence of human beings, displacing Heidegger's care (Sorge) and promoting the alienation of Ortega y Gasset's "satisfied gentleman." The article emphasizes the need for critical dialogue with technology, reclaiming spaces for disconnection and authentic reflection to preserve the ability to question the meaning of existence in the digital age.