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663 reviews for:
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power
Shoshana Zuboff
3.97 AVERAGE
663 reviews for:
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power
Shoshana Zuboff
3.97 AVERAGE
I don't want to take away from the research and analysis that Zuboff did - which is clearly extensive - but it would benefit the reader to have the ideas explained a little more concisely.
As for the ideas, they were clearly explained and I guess some may disagree with them, but I tend to agree with most of it.
As for the ideas, they were clearly explained and I guess some may disagree with them, but I tend to agree with most of it.
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
This book is IMO too long. It's good, research excellent, but just long. I had to switch to completing it via audible.
Despite not agreeing with everything that is written, and despite the book being probably about 40% overwritten (too many repetitive themes expressed with too many words and vocabulary variations, with a good dose of hyperbole and purple prose) this is nonetheless a very thought-provoking book that paints the business models of the likes of Facebook, Google and Amazon in an interesting light: that these companies are in the business of human behaviour trading. And one potential consequence of this business model being taken too far is that they have gone from automating behavioural measurement, to automating behaviours. Ideas like democracy and free will suddenly appear to be in danger.
Additionally, this book ironically provides a pretty compelling picture of the gigantic business moat that such companies possess, and why governments might actually be incentivised to play down the value of individual privacy in support of privacy erosion and societal stability, and thus buck against any popular push to break up these tech giants. The world painted by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World remains quite plausible.
Additionally, this book ironically provides a pretty compelling picture of the gigantic business moat that such companies possess, and why governments might actually be incentivised to play down the value of individual privacy in support of privacy erosion and societal stability, and thus buck against any popular push to break up these tech giants. The world painted by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World remains quite plausible.
Fantastic future oriented ideas in a badly overwritten book.
So, this book is important, thoughtful, and educational. It puts forward a compelling argument in favor of digital privacy (focusing largely on human dignity, autonomy, happiness, and the preservation of democracy). It is well researched. I struggled with what to give it, though, because it is a slog. It should be 1/3 of the length. If the author cut out the buzzwords, and kept only the substance, it would be a much more effective piece. On writing and argumentation style alone, I would give it two stars. But, it is too important and informative for anything less than 4. Can someone please write a cliff notes version?
When I finished TAOSC last night, I knew that I just had finished an important book. The accumulation of data by Google, Facebook, Twitter and other internet giants has changed, and will further change, society from the ground-up. The question is: how much control will we have over the data and how it is used? Who has the power? As Zuboff asks: Who knows? Who decides? Who decides who decides?
The book is divided in three parts. The first part (The Foundation of Surveillance Capitalism) traces the origins of SC (the stories of Google and Facebook are told here). The second part (The Advance of Surveillance Capitalism) describes how the internet giants (again Google, Facebook in particular) invaded every part of our lives and how it dealt with criticism. The last part (Instrumentarian Power for a Third Modernity) is rather theoretical but I felt that it is an essential part of TAOSC: How will SC affect democracy? How will a future society look like if SC is left unchecked? Chapter 16, in which Zuboff describes how we can witness life in a SC society (she calls it the "hive") by watching our children growing up, left me deeply worried that many politicians are too slow (unwillingly but possibly also willingly) in understanding the impact of unchecked SC on society.
I have given the book 5 stars because I feel this is an important book and should be widely read. But it is a long book, possibly too long. The points made in this book can be written down in a book half that length. I found reading it hard work, but I can recommend TAOSC highly. If you are looking for a similar but shorter book on this topic, I recommend Jamie Bartlett's book "The People vs Tech" , but Zuboff goes much deeper.
The book is divided in three parts. The first part (The Foundation of Surveillance Capitalism) traces the origins of SC (the stories of Google and Facebook are told here). The second part (The Advance of Surveillance Capitalism) describes how the internet giants (again Google, Facebook in particular) invaded every part of our lives and how it dealt with criticism. The last part (Instrumentarian Power for a Third Modernity) is rather theoretical but I felt that it is an essential part of TAOSC: How will SC affect democracy? How will a future society look like if SC is left unchecked? Chapter 16, in which Zuboff describes how we can witness life in a SC society (she calls it the "hive") by watching our children growing up, left me deeply worried that many politicians are too slow (unwillingly but possibly also willingly) in understanding the impact of unchecked SC on society.
I have given the book 5 stars because I feel this is an important book and should be widely read. But it is a long book, possibly too long. The points made in this book can be written down in a book half that length. I found reading it hard work, but I can recommend TAOSC highly. If you are looking for a similar but shorter book on this topic, I recommend Jamie Bartlett's book "The People vs Tech" , but Zuboff goes much deeper.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Love the contents and what I learned from it, however the author unnecessarily extends the length of the book.
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced