The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism is a book by Shoshana Zuboff that examines how major technology companies collect and use personal data as a source of profit. It explains how information generated through everyday actions, such as online searches, location tracking, purchases, and digital interactions, is gathered and analysed to predict future behaviour.

The book argues that this form of data collection has created a new economic system where human experience becomes raw material for commercial use. Rather than only responding to what people want, companies increasingly shape behaviour by influencing choices through targeted systems, recommendations, and personalised advertising.

A key idea in the book is that surveillance has become embedded in ordinary life, often operating invisibly through platforms and devices people use every day. It raises concerns about privacy, power, and the growing influence of corporations over personal decisions and social behaviour.