surveillance-exceptionalism

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.