Surveillance and data in new media
New media collects vast data on users (browsing, purchases, location, preferences); this enables targeted advertising but also surveillance and control by corporations and states.
Real World
Meta (Facebook) harvested detailed behavioural data on over 87 million users, which was then accessed by Cambridge Analytica to micro-target political advertising during the 2016 US presidential election without users' meaningful consent.
Exam Focus
Reference Lyon's 'surveillance society' concept explicitly and link data collection to both corporate profit and state power for a balanced analytical response.
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