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kraxis's review
4.0
A must read to understand the current age of capitalism and where the power lies.
legrandvent's review
4.0
Easily one of the most dangerous books I’ve ever read, in a very good way. Simply put, the social media and tech CEOs of the world would rather you not read this. Poignantly written and expertly researched - you will get clarity on what is actually going on behind the curtain of social media and the algorithms that track, target and extract from you across the internet. You probably have your suspicions about those pesky ads that seem to be listening to your conversations or know what you want before you do, this book will help.
I deleted all of my social media accounts halfway through this book and I have no intention of ever going back. That’s the level of alarm that this book raises and it is very much warranted. I’m currently in the process of plugging the remaining data holes in my life but I don’t believe it’s possible anymore to actually achieve full digital privacy.
The tragedy in my opinion is that this book reads in a way that one is left questioning who the author is writing for. The writing is eloquent and the author is quite obviously gifted both in meticulous research skills and for crafting impactful points. But if the information is of such urgent importance to society why is this written in a way that would make it difficult to digest, even for a college graduate like myself? This book took me months to complete, and while it was worth it I’m left wishing I could share this book with others and feel confident that they’d be able to finish it.
I deleted all of my social media accounts halfway through this book and I have no intention of ever going back. That’s the level of alarm that this book raises and it is very much warranted. I’m currently in the process of plugging the remaining data holes in my life but I don’t believe it’s possible anymore to actually achieve full digital privacy.
The tragedy in my opinion is that this book reads in a way that one is left questioning who the author is writing for. The writing is eloquent and the author is quite obviously gifted both in meticulous research skills and for crafting impactful points. But if the information is of such urgent importance to society why is this written in a way that would make it difficult to digest, even for a college graduate like myself? This book took me months to complete, and while it was worth it I’m left wishing I could share this book with others and feel confident that they’d be able to finish it.
tonyleachsf's review
1.0
There is nothing redeeming about this book - even for those inclined to agree with the author’s fury. The writing is… awful. The arguments are incoherent. And the direct comparisons of tech companies to conquistadors and nazis destroy what could otherwise be a reasoned discussion of some hard questions about the role of tech and advertising in our society.
For a better approach to these hard questions, Tim Wu is far better.
For a better approach to these hard questions, Tim Wu is far better.
lindsirae's review against another edition
5.0
Lots of mixed feelings here, but I still highly, highly recommend reading this.
Zuboff lays out the mechanics of surveillance capitalism clearly and eloquently. I understand this market form magnitudes better than I did before reading her book. Her ability to identify new phenomena and coin terms for them is incredibly useful. In particular, I found her development of a theory of instrumentariam power to be paradigm-shifting.
My frustration comes with her prognosis. She emphasizes repeatedly that surveillance capitalism is so dangerous because it is unprecedented - yet then recommends reverting to earlier forms of civic action that were used to combat industrial capital in order to combat surveillance capital. Does an unprecedented threat not warrant an unprecedented solution?
Regardless, her diagnosis is spectacular, and the book is beautifully written. I truly enjoyed her elegant prose and did not find it to be too wordy or unclear.
Zuboff lays out the mechanics of surveillance capitalism clearly and eloquently. I understand this market form magnitudes better than I did before reading her book. Her ability to identify new phenomena and coin terms for them is incredibly useful. In particular, I found her development of a theory of instrumentariam power to be paradigm-shifting.
My frustration comes with her prognosis. She emphasizes repeatedly that surveillance capitalism is so dangerous because it is unprecedented - yet then recommends reverting to earlier forms of civic action that were used to combat industrial capital in order to combat surveillance capital. Does an unprecedented threat not warrant an unprecedented solution?
Regardless, her diagnosis is spectacular, and the book is beautifully written. I truly enjoyed her elegant prose and did not find it to be too wordy or unclear.