Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism

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dialnet-ar-18-ART00015155622022-03-04Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance CapitalismParfitt, Harrysurveillance capitalismFoucaultpower-knowledgegovernmentalitytechnologies of the selfZuboff’s The Age of Surveillance Capitalism has done a great deal to conceptualise and raise awareness about the surveillance practices of Facebook, Google and other corporations. However, three of Zuboff’s central claims, at closer inspection, provide only partly adequate groundwork for tackling surveillance capitalist power. The thesis that surveillance capitalists can have “perfect” knowledge of users, firstly, seems to miss the point that the power gained over users by presenting knowledge over them as being “true” is independent of accuracy. Secondly, the claim that surveillance capitalists “author” our futures through purely “behaviouralist” means of control is not supported by an empirical analysis of how the digital corporations seek to establish an emotional connection with users. Thirdly, Zuboff’s suggestions that sanctuary from online social pressure is sufficient for individuals to gain autonomy from surveillance capitalism’s power neglects the fact that dominant social and cultural rationalities influence the way we conceive of ourselves even without direct observation. As a remedy to these shortcomings, this article posits two Foucauldian demands to build on Zuboff’s critique of surveillance capitalism. Firstly, the discursive construction of surveillance capitalists’ knowledge as such must be called into question. This allows us to critique the power-knowledge of surveillance capitalism without being lulled into a sense of security by the inaccuracies of surveillance capitalist knowledge. It notes that the production of “truth” induces effects of power, and, that these power effects can be challenged through questioning the discursive production of truth. Secondly, behaviouralist techniques and panopticon-like social pressure should not be regarded as the only means of power wielded by surveillance capitalists. A Foucauldian perspective highlights that inducing increasing swathes of humanity to “Think With Google” grants surveillance capitalists power over how we construe ourselves and our relations with others.2021text (article)application/pdfhttps://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaiart?codigo=8320447(Revista) ISSN 1826-8269Jura Gentium: Rivista di filosofia del diritto internazionale e della politica globale, ISSN 1826-8269, Vol. 18, Nº. 2, 2021 (Ejemplar dedicado a: SEZIONE MONOGRAFICA. In mare aperto. Pensare il diritto e la politica con Danilo Zolo), pags. 160-187engLICENCIA DE USO: Los documentos a texto completo incluidos en Dialnet son de acceso libre y propiedad de sus autores y/o editores. Por tanto, cualquier acto de reproducción, distribución, comunicación pública y/o transformación total o parcial requiere el consentimiento expreso y escrito de aquéllos. Cualquier enlace al texto completo de estos documentos deberá hacerse a través de la URL oficial de éstos en Dialnet. Más información: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/info/derechosOAI | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS STATEMENT: Full text documents hosted by Dialnet are protected by copyright and/or related rights. This digital object is accessible without charge, but its use is subject to the licensing conditions set by its authors or editors. Unless expressly stated otherwise in the licensing conditions, you are free to linking, browsing, printing and making a copy for your own personal purposes. All other acts of reproduction and communication to the public are subject to the licensing conditions expressed by editors and authors and require consent from them. Any link to this document should be made using its official URL in Dialnet. More info: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/info/derechosOAI

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Jura Gentium: Rivista di filosofia del diritto internazionale e della politica globale, ISSN 1826-8269, Vol. 18, Nº. 2, 2021 (Ejemplar dedicado a: SEZIONE MONOGRAFICA. In mare aperto. Pensare il diritto e la politica con Danilo Zolo), pags. 160-187

English

surveillance capitalism
Foucault
power-knowledge
governmentality
technologies of the self

surveillance capitalism
Foucault
power-knowledge
governmentality
technologies of the self
Parfitt, Harry
Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism

Zuboff’s The Age of Surveillance Capitalism has done a great deal to conceptualise and raise awareness about the surveillance practices of Facebook, Google and other corporations. However, three of Zuboff’s central claims, at closer inspection, provide only partly adequate groundwork for tackling surveillance capitalist power. The thesis that surveillance capitalists can have “perfect” knowledge of users, firstly, seems to miss the point that the power gained over users by presenting knowledge over them as being “true” is independent of accuracy. Secondly, the claim that surveillance capitalists “author” our futures through purely “behaviouralist” means of control is not supported by an empirical analysis of how the digital corporations seek to establish an emotional connection with users. Thirdly, Zuboff’s suggestions that sanctuary from online social pressure is sufficient for individuals to gain autonomy from surveillance capitalism’s power neglects the fact that dominant social and cultural rationalities influence the way we conceive of ourselves even without direct observation. As a remedy to these shortcomings, this article posits two Foucauldian demands to build on Zuboff’s critique of surveillance capitalism. Firstly, the discursive construction of surveillance capitalists’ knowledge as such must be called into question. This allows us to critique the power-knowledge of surveillance capitalism without being lulled into a sense of security by the inaccuracies of surveillance capitalist knowledge. It notes that the production of “truth” induces effects of power, and, that these power effects can be challenged through questioning the discursive production of truth. Secondly, behaviouralist techniques and panopticon-like social pressure should not be regarded as the only means of power wielded by surveillance capitalists. A Foucauldian perspective highlights that inducing increasing swathes of humanity to “Think With Google” grants surveillance capitalists power over how we construe ourselves and our relations with others.

Article

Parfitt, Harry

Parfitt, Harry

Parfitt, Harry

Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism

Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism

Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism

Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism

Think With Google. Foucauldian Challenges to Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism

think with google. foucauldian challenges to zuboff’s surveillance capitalism

2021

https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaiart?codigo=8320447

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