What is surveillance capitalism?

• A. A regime of government censorship
• B. A model based on collecting user data to target ads
• C. A non-profit funding model
• D. A content moderation approach

Answer: (A)

Surveillance capitalism is the idea that digital platforms turn people’s data into a commodity to drive profits, mainly by targeting ads. Data from what you search, click, watch, and interact with is collected, analyzed, and used to build detailed profiles. Those profiles let advertisers reach specific groups or individuals with highly tailored messages, aiming to capture attention and predict future behavior. The model relies on continuous data collection across many services, often with only limited awareness or control on the part of users, which raises privacy and power concerns.

This isn’t about government censorship, which would involve restricting information by authorities. It isn’t a non-profit funding model, which would focus on money flows for public or charitable purposes. It isn’t a content moderation approach, which is about managing what users can post or view. The description of collecting user data to target ads best matches the concept of surveillance capitalism.