Surveillance capitalism: the power to control personal data

A look at how surveillance capitalism relies on the commodification of personal data;

REBECCA ROSE VARGHESE,

A was chatting with B and C in a social media group about an upcoming wedding she was
attending. She casually mentioned needing a new dress and some accessories. Later that evening,
as she scrolled through her social media feed, she was bombarded with advertisements for
dresses, shoes, and jewellery — precisely like the ones she had described. Have you ever
experienced this? And if you have, do you wonder how and why this happens, and whether your
private conversations can be accessed by some other entity?

In simple terms, this is exactly what happens under surveillance capitalism. Surveillance capitalism
is an economic system in which personal data is collected, analysed, and sold by tech
conglomerates to predict and manipulate human behaviour. This system is so integral to the
digital economy that it has reshaped capitalism itself, as American author and professor Shoshana
Zuboff argues in her 2018 book The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future
at the New Frontier of Power. She describes surveillance capitalism as a new economic order that
expropriates human experience for data-driven profit, and compares it to earlier exploitative
systems like colonialism and industrial capitalism.

The concept
Unlike traditional capitalism, which revolves around goods and services, surveillance capitalism
extracts human experience as raw material to mine data, predict behaviour, and influence
decisions. This data is sold to advertisers, political campaigns, and other entities. Companies like
Google, Meta, and Amazon have turned the internet into a vast surveillance machine, tracking and
monetising every click, search, purchase, and in some cases even offline movements.

Zuboff describes the power from extensive data collection as instrumentarian power —control
that does not rely on coercion but which subtly shapes behaviour. This is achieved through
predictive analytics, recommendation algorithms, and targeted content, nudging individuals
towards actions that benefit corporations. Alex Pentland’s concept of social physics further
illustrates how analysing vast datasets of human interactions reveals patterns, allowing
corporations and policymakers to model, predict, and influence collective behaviour. This makes
individuals more predictable economic actors, reinforcing surveillance capitalism’s role in shaping
consumer choices and social trends while prioritising profit over autonomy.

Different from past forms

Under industrial capitalism, companies focus on efficiency, productivity, and the exploitation and
control of labour in manufacturing. Surveillance capitalism, however, is about controlling
behaviour. Algorithms keep users engaged and guide them toward choices that benefit tech
giants. This system prioritises data collection over autonomy, making every interaction a chance
for monetisation.

One of the most concerning aspects of surveillance capitalism is its entanglement with state
surveillance. Governments increasingly rely on private tech companies for intelligence gathering,
policing, and social control. Instead of developing independent surveillance infrastructures, states
now have access to vast amounts of privately collected data, which they can obtain through legal
means such as data-sharing agreements or extra-legal methods. The collaboration between
corporations and states creates a system where the private sector’s profit motives and public
security interests align, at the expense of individual privacy and civil liberties. This reduces
democratic accountability, as much of this surveillance happens within private corporations,
beyond public scrutiny. Policies that favour deregulation and corporate autonomy allow this
model to persist with minimal oversight, reinforcing a structure where both states and
corporations benefit from mass surveillance while individuals face increasing risks of data
exploitation and loss of autonomy.

Eroding autonomy
Surveillance capitalism’s reliance on extensive data collection has created a fragile and
interconnected digital network. The sheer volume of data flowing through corporate and state
surveillance systems mean that disruptions in one area can lead to cascading failures across
multiple sectors. This systemic fragility becomes evident during major data breaches and
algorithmic failures, which have led to real-world consequences such as financial instability and
misinformation crises.

A notable example is the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where vast amounts of Facebook user data
were harvested without consent in 2014, and used to build a system that could target voters in
the U.S. with personalised political advertisements. This demonstrated how personal data, when
exploited, can influence democratic processes, reinforcing concerns over the unchecked power of
surveillance capitalism.

The pervasive data monitoring and predictive analytics employed by corporations further erode
personal autonomy. Every action online is recorded, analysed, and used to refine behavioural
predictions. Over time, users are subtly conditioned by algorithmic content, influencing their
preferences and decisions in ways that serve the interests of advertisers and tech corporations
rather than their own. While this seems harmless, it slowly erodes autonomy, allowing those in
power to shape individual thinking for their benefit.

Challenges in regulation
Despite growing awareness of the dangers of surveillance capitalism, regulatory frameworks
struggle to keep pace with technological advancements. Laws such as the European Union’s
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act
(DPDPA) attempt to give users more control over their data. However, these regulations fail to
address the core issue — the commodification of personal information. This is largely because
existing legal frameworks are designed to manage data privacy within traditional capitalist models
rather than protect individuals from the structural impact of surveillance capitalism.

Moreover, corporate lobbying and political interests, particularly those in power, bungle these
efforts as surveillance capitalism is highly beneficial for them. The rise of tech leaders as
politicians is also an example of the interplay between surveillance capitalism and the surveillance
state. When tech giants gain increasing influence over policymaking, they ensure that regulations
remain favourable to their business interests. This dynamic makes it difficult to implement
meaningful restrictions on data collection and behavioural manipulation. The blurred lines
between political authority and corporate power reinforce the dominance of surveillance
capitalism, limiting accountability and individual autonomy.

The concept of surveillance capitalism is crucial as our lives become increasingly entangled with
technology. It serves as a warning of the potential dangers if we are not cautious and if states fail
to implement proper regulations and restrictions on what private companies can access and use.
This is an academic concept that must be widely discussed to bring about meaningful policy
changes. Recognising its impact enables individuals to critically engage with digital platforms and
demand stronger protections for their privacy and autonomy.

Rebecca Rose Varghese is a freelance journalist.