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Moscow State University Bulletin. Series 18. Sociology and Political Science

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Social technologies in the era of “supervisory capitalism”: digitalization and the power of algorithms

https://doi.org/10.24290/1029-3736-2023-29-3-145-165

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Abstract

“Surveillance capitalism” is not yet a sustainable term used in the social sciences, although there has long been scientific debate about the basic technologies of this economic order- digital information and communication technologies, algorithms, data, artificial intelligence, neural networks, the Internet of things, etc. At the time, Google had revolutionized the field of predictive analysis and promoted “surveillance capitalism”. The company began to pay special attention to extracting and analyzing data in translation operations, speech recognition, image processing, ranking, etc. Google began to turn data (raw materials) into intelligent products – algorithms designed to predict user behavior. These predictive products have been used for sale to other organizations that are increasing their profits by improving their predictive marketing capabilities. Smart machines are no longer just learning to know a man his behavior, they are trying to push him into making certain decisions, into programmed behavioral responses to some stimulus, which leads to an increase in the earnings of “supervising capitalists” (and, above all, the income of owners of digital platforms). That is, by automating various processes, machines set the human behavior that  leads to the emergence of a new type of power – the “instrumental” power (automation of life of individuals by means of universal implementation of “smart” network devices, formation of “smart” space, “smart” houses). Algorithms penetrate into a variety of spheres, on the basis of algorithms management decisions are made and modern cities function. However, questions inevitably arise about the social consequences of widespread algorithmization and digitalization, the security of data storage, the limits of digitizing the social world.

For citations:


Gavrilenko O.V. Social technologies in the era of “supervisory capitalism”: digitalization and the power of algorithms. Moscow State University Bulletin. Series 18. Sociology and Political Science. 2023;29(3):145-165. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24290/1029-3736-2023-29-3-145-165

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ISSN 1029-3736 (Print)
ISSN 2541-8769 (Online)