The internet and digital technologies have transformed almost every aspect of our lives. Through innovations like smartphones, social media, and online services, we can access information, communicate with people around the world, and perform tasks faster and more conveniently than ever before. However, these same digital technologies are being used to monitor our behavior in increasingly intrusive ways that threaten privacy and have negative implications for human society
I’m going to highlight and discuss the monitoring techniques known as surveillance capitalism that are used by tech giants for data mining purposes. This type of capitalism is also known as data exploitation or datocracy – where user data is mined for monetary value and sold to advertisers or other interested parties.
Read on to learn more about this trend in digital technology that has scary implications for human society.
What is Surveillance Capitalism?
The term “surveillance capitalism” was coined by Yale law professor and tech critic, James Grimmelmann. The concept of surveillance capitalism refers to a system in which companies use data collected from users to generate profits. This is particularly different from the traditional model of capitalism in which companies produce goods and services and sell them to customers. Surveillance capitalism is sometimes also referred to as data exploitation or datocracy.
The new generation of tech companies whose business models rely on collecting and selling user data have been dubbed “surveillance capitalists.” These companies include social media platforms and internet companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. Surveillance capitalism has different implications from how the term capitalism is conventionally used. It does not refer to a free market where competition reduces prices for consumers and leads to higher quality products. Instead, it refers to a situation where people pay for products with their data, and the products are designed to collect as much data as possible.
How Big Tech uses Surveillance Techniques
Techniques used by Big Tech to collect user data and use it for profit include:
-Capturing data from users: Companies use apps and services as a way to collect data from users. Data collected may include contact lists, location data, interactions, purchase history, and more.
-Exploiting user trust: Many apps and services prompt users to provide access to their entire address book and other personal data, promising to make the experience better. However, this data is not only used for the user’s benefit, but also sold to advertisers. Analyzing users’ online activity: Companies use various algorithms to analyze and interpret users’ online activity, including social media posts and browsing history.
-Exploiting user creativity: When users create content and upload it online, such as taking pictures and writing blog posts, companies can collect it and use it for their own profit-making purposes.
Creepy Apps and Services that Monitor You
Apps and services that track and collect user data for profit include numerous apps for photo manipulation, online shopping, and productivity. These apps are designed to collect as much data as possible from users. – Apps for photo manipulation: Apps for photo manipulation often request access to users’ entire address book, as well as their device camera roll and location data.
– Apps for photo manipulation: Apps for photo manipulation often request access to users’ entire address book, as well as their device camera roll and location data.
– Apps for online shopping: Apps for online shopping often request access to users’ email and social media accounts, as well as their browsing history.
– Apps for productivity: Apps for productivity often request access to users’ contacts, calendar, and social media accounts.
The Problem with Begging for Our Data Back
The data that apps, websites, and other services collect from users is often used without their knowledge or consent. The industries that rely on data collection often promise to protect user privacy, but many of them fail to live up to their promises. These industries have failed to protect user data, and have often exhibited irresponsible behavior with it, including the following: Exposing user data to hackers. Companies have been hacked, exposing sensitive data about users. Excessive data collection by government agencies. Government agencies have been found to be collecting excessive data from people.
Conclusion
Data collection practices of tech giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple have led to a troubling phenomenon known as surveillance capitalism. This type of capitalism involves the use of data collected from users for monetary value.
– Surveillance capitalism threatens privacy, and has negative implications for human society. It has led to the creation of products designed to track and collect as much data as possible from users.
– The industries that rely on collecting data often fail to protect user privacy and have exhibited irresponsible behavior with user data. – There is a need to promote practices that put people first, and encourage data practices that are transparent, fair, and beneficial to society as a whole.