This chapter examines the control social media platforms have over user perceptions by comparing their practices to a hypothetical free washing machine repair service that collects personal data. It discusses the ethical dilemmas of privacy invasions and the historical origins of surveillance capitalism amidst changing consumer attitudes towards data privacy.
Shoshana Zuboff of Harvard University talks about her book Surveillance Capitalism with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Zuboff argues that the monetization of search engines and social networks by Google, Facebook, and other large tech firms threatens privacy and democracy.