The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism examines how major technology companies have built business models centered on the extraction, analysis, and commodification of personal data. Zuboff argues that this represents a new form of capitalism distinct from industrial capitalism, one that treats human experience and behavior as raw material to be harvested and sold to advertisers and other actors seeking to predict and influence human action.

The book traces the historical origins of surveillance capitalism to Google's early innovations in behavioral prediction, then expands to show how the practice has metastasized across the tech industry and into other sectors. Zuboff contends that surveillance capitalism poses a fundamental threat to human autonomy, democracy, and freedom, as it enables unprecedented manipulation of individual and collective behavior at scale.

Published in 2019, the work became influential in policy, academic, and public discourse around tech regulation, data privacy, and the social costs of digital platforms. It has shaped conversations about antitrust action, privacy legislation, and the ethical boundaries of algorithmic systems.