surveillance capitalism

English

Etymology

Coined by Shoshana Zuboff.

Noun

surveillance capitalism (uncountable)

1. An economic system based on the commodification of individuals' personal data for profit.
   • 2019 January 16, Alexis C. Madrigal, “Go Ahead, Post the Stupid Photo of Yourself From 10 Years Ago”, in The Atlantic‎^[1]:

     If you think that not posting these two photos does anything to surveillance capitalism or the platforms that succeed through it, that’s just not right.

   • 2019 January 31, Ian Bogost, “Apple’s Empty Grandstanding About Privacy”, in The Atlantic‎^[2]:

     That’s one way to understand Apple’s empty message about privacy. Tim Cook talks a big game, but at the end of the day, his company is allowing the surveillance-capitalism atrocities it claims to oppose.