Politicology cover image

Politicology

Means of Control — Part 1

Apr 18, 2024
Journalist and author Byron Tau discusses his book on the hidden alliance of tech and government creating a surveillance state. Topics include data brokering evolution, metadata identification, personal privacy implications, state of privacy rights in the US, public-private surveillance relationship, and the impact of social media on data collection.
52:17

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Data brokers evolved into collecting esoteric data like Bluetooth signals, increasing concerns about personal privacy.
  • Government agencies justify accessing commercial data for surveillance by exploiting the Third-Party Doctrine loophole.

Deep dives

Evolution of Data Brokers

Data brokers have evolved over time into three generations, each with distinct approaches to collecting and selling consumer data. Initially focusing on basic information like addresses and consumer preferences, data brokers moved on to social media monitoring for targeted ad tech data, and later to collecting esoteric data like Bluetooth signals. This evolution has led to a significant increase in the availability of personal data, raising concerns about privacy and civil liberties.

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