During this digital era, the currencies of power have expanded beyond traditional realms to include data and information. The advent of technology has given rise to new systems of socio-economic operation, one of which is surveillance capitalism. State surveillance capitalism with Chinese characteristics signifies a distinctive fusion of commercial and state surveillance activities, tailored to the political, economic, and societal context of China.
This system revolves around the vast collection, analysis, and utilization of data by both private corporations and the state. In the broadest sense, surveillance capitalism denotes a market-driven process where the commodity for sale is personal data, and the capture and production of this data rely on mass surveillance. The significance of this topic cannot be overstated. As data becomes an increasingly valuable resource, understanding the mechanisms behind its collection, analysis, and utilization becomes paramount.
However, when surveillance capitalism intertwines with state surveillance – the monitoring of individuals or groups by government agencies – we enter a new dimension of this concept. State surveillance, often justified in the name of national security and social order, can coexist and even synergize with surveillance capitalism, creating a formidable alliance of data gathering and processing powers.
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