Surveillance capitalism : the hidden costs of the digital revolution by Jonathan Ebsworth, Samuel Johns, and Michael Dodson
Jubilee Centre, 2021 (Cambridge Papers vol 30 no 2 June 2021)
Available to download for free at www.jubilee-centre.org/category/cambridge-papers
New terminology arises today at breathtaking speed and the Jubilee Centre provides a valuable service in not only drawing attention to neologisms but explaining and exploring the significance of such conceptual innovations.
Surveillance capitalism as a term is as recent as 2019, so we are told, and this paper ‘discusses the new digitally-enabled industrial revolution and the impact it is having on society.
Like all previous revolutions, it carries potential benefits as well as grave perils.
The idea and practice of surveillance is by no means a novelty (speed cameras, CCTV in town centres) but is given a new twist when coupled with ‘capitalism’.
The idea is that capitalism that funds the ‘free’ digital services, in return, captures vast amounts of digital (personal) data. The personal data is stored and analysed in order to prepare adverts which lead to what are called ‘monetised outcomes’.
That is the price to be paid for ‘free’ services.
This 8 page leaflet is an expose of the enormous power of privately-owned companies in a business model which, to quote the authors, ‘demonstrate[s] the dependence on deception, addiction and exploitation.’
Well documented (as always with Cambridge Papers – 66 references), the case is well argued.
A Christian response, which includes practical advice (Duckduckgo as a search engine, for example which I use), is a necessary and helpful finale to this interesting and illuminating commentary on a live, contemporary issue.
Read this paper and be very up to date, ahead of the crowd.