dispossession-cycle

This chapter outlines the foundational concepts and historical context for understanding surveillance capitalism, tracing its emergence through key events and theoretical frameworks. It explores the transformation from traditional capitalism to a new form driven by behavioral surplus extraction, highlighting the roles of major tech companies like Google and the socio-political environment that enabled this shift. The chapter also examines the mechanisms of control, competition, and knowledge privatization that sustain surveillance capitalism and its implications for society's future.

PART I of 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism' lays the foundational framework for understanding surveillance capitalism by tracing its historical, economic, and social origins. It explores the emergence of behavioral surplus through Google's pioneering role, the neoliberal context that enabled the rise of surveillance capitalism, and the mechanisms of extraction, dispossession, and competition that define its operations. The section also addresses the societal implications of this new form of capitalism, including the privatization of knowledge and the challenges posed to human autonomy and democratic futures.

Part I of 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism' lays the foundational framework for understanding surveillance capitalism by tracing its historical, economic, and social emergence. It details key moments such as the Apple hack and Google's pioneering role in discovering behavioral surplus, explores the neoliberal context that enabled this new economic order, and examines the mechanisms of extraction, competition, and the privatization of societal learning. The section culminates in highlighting the destabilizing effects of surveillance capitalism and the urgent need to reclaim a human-centered future.