What began as innocuous advertising is now a potential threat to freedom and democracy. Is it time to wake up and fight for a different digital future?
Surveillance capitalism is a term coined by scholar Shoshana Zuboff to describe a new economic system that has emerged with the rise of digital technology and big data.
In this system, companies collect vast amounts of personal data from users through various digital platforms, such as social media, search engines, and mobile apps which is then analysed and used to generate targeted advertising and detailed profiles of users and their behaviours.
The goal of surveillance capitalism is to monetise this data, primarily through advertising and marketing, but also through other means such as market research, product development, and strategic decision-making.
Critics of surveillance capitalism argue that it represents a fundamental shift in the relationship between individuals and corporations, where individuals are no longer seen as customers or even consumers, but rather as sources of data to be exploited for profit. They also raise concerns about privacy, autonomy, and the potential for data abuse and manipulation.
Here are some reasons why some people are worried about surveillance capitalism:
- Privacy concerns: When companies collect and analyse personal data, there is always a risk that this data could be used for purposes that individuals did not intend or approve of. This could include targeted advertising, or manipulation of opinions and behaviours. There is also a risk that governments and other organisations could use this data to monitor and control the activities of individuals including tracking individuals’ movements and online activities. In the future we have to ask whether this may even include our thoughts and emotions.
- Inequality concerns: There is also a concern that surveillance capitalism could exacerbate existing inequalities, as those with more resources are better able to protect their privacy and avoid being exploited, while those with fewer resources are more vulnerable to data abuse.
- Control over information: With the rise of social media and other digital platforms, it has become easier to spread false information and propaganda which can be used to manipulate public opinion and undermine democratic institutions. Control over the flow of information is often a key tool for maintaining power and there is always a risk that governments and other organisations could use their control over digital platforms to censor or manipulate information in ways that benefit them.
It is difficult to predict the future with certainty, and while some of these risks are certainly concerning, on the flip side technology and data are also being used to promote democracy, transparency, and individual freedom…..Only Time will tell.
Shosana Zuboff explains the inspiration behind her international bestseller “I wandered into the National Gallery of Art, where I saw these hulking, dirty, dark entities in the pit of a bright white amphitheatre.” It was the Voltri-Bolton series by David Smith – an American sculptor who in the 1960s created sculptures from old factory machinery and debris. I realised then the process of computerisation would be the next industrial revolution, and it would change everything – including how we think, and feel and how we create meaning. I had a notebook, and I started writing”.
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