Eating Computers Considered Harmful

Abstract

Contemporary computing devices contain a concoction of numerous hazardous materials. Though users are more or less protected from these substances, recycling and landfilling reintroduce them to the biosphere where they may be ingested by people. This paper calls on HCI researchers to consider these corporal interactions with computers and critiques HCI's existing responses to the e-waste problem. We propose that whether one would consider eating a particular electronic component offers a surprisingly useful heuristic for whether we ought to be producing it on mass with vanishingly short lifespans. We hypothesize that the adoption of this heuristic might affect user behaviour and present a diet plan for users who wish to take responsibility for their own e-waste by eating it. Finally we propose an alternative direction for HCI researchers to design and advocate for those affected by the material properties of e-waste.