Surveillance capitalism’s products and services are not the objects of a value exchange. They do not establish constructive producer-consumer reciprocities. Instead, they are the “hooks” that lure users into their extractive operations in which our personal experiences are scraped and packaged as the means to others’ ends. We are not serveillance capitalism’s “customers.” Although the saying tells us “If it’s free, then you are the product,” that is also incorrect. We are the sources of surveillance capitalism’s crucial surplus: the objects of a technologically advanced and increasingly inescapable raw-material-extraction operation. Surveillance capitalism’s actual customers are the enterprises that trade in its markets for future behavior.

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

The book explores how corporations have changed from a market economy to a new economic order where data about individuals is a product for trade. She argues that this new version of capitalism poses a threat to human freedom and well-being.

One positive aspect of “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism” is Shoshana Zuboff’s concept of “behavioral surplus,” by which she means the hidden data generated by individuals’ online activities that is gathered by companies and used for products and services. She makes the point that this data can be used for good things, such as improving healthcare outcomes, developing more personalized educational tools, and creating products that better meet the needs and preferences of consumers. However, she also talks about the potential dangers of this data collection and argues that individuals should have control over their own data in order to prevent this. Without that safety, companies can use personal data to try to manipulate and influence individuals’ behavior, ultimately eroding their autonomy and privacy.

On the other hand, I believe that Zuboff fails to fully acknowledge the role of monopoly power in the technology industry. Companies like Google and Facebook have near-monopoly control over digital services and advertising, which allows them to have unchecked power in data collection and manipulation. By placing the blame solely on capitalism, I think the need for regulation against large companies is overlooked because it would promote competition and limit the power of those monopolies. My main criticism about Zuboff’s analysis is that it could benefit from a deeper exploration of the intersection between capitalism and monopoly power in the tech industry.

This book might be appealing to people who are concerned about the impact of technology on privacy, democracy, and individual autonomy. It is well-suited for readers who are interested in a detailed analysis of the impact of data-driven capitalism on society. The topics might also be interesting to those who like to learn about history and the evolution of economic systems surrounding technology. Overall, I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5. I learned lots about how I am impacted by big-tech companies, but it was a little difficult to read and truly comprehend what it was saying.