Last Thursday, May 22nd, we held the third session of our Book Club — and this time, we took on one of the most urgent and far-reaching topics of our digital age: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff. The event was hosted in person at Oma Lilo in Erfurt as part of Culture Goes Europe’s commitment under EU4YOUTH2ACT, aiming to strengthen digital literacy, civic competences, and cultural awareness among young people.
Setting the Stage: Cultural Competences Warm-Up
To begin, we introduced a warm-up on cultural competences and perceptions. Participants reflected on how their backgrounds shape their views, particularly in how they perceive power, privacy, and exposure to digital technologies. This exercise set an open, inclusive tone for the rest of the discussion.
Deep Dive: Unpacking Surveillance Capitalism
We then turned to selected excerpts from Zuboff’s book. Key themes emerged: the extraction and commodification of personal data, how privacy is eroded as human experience becomes raw material, and how much of this happens outside democratic oversight. Examples like algorithmic echo chambers and the influence of targeted data practices on individual behaviour and political discourse came up repeatedly. Zuboff describes surveillance capitalism as a logic that treats human experience as raw material, mined for behavioral data to predict and shape our actions. It’s not just about targeted advertising; it’s about controlling the future — of markets, societies, and even individual autonomy.
Participants shared personal stories: some about feeling monitored online, others about taking small steps to reclaim privacy — like limiting social media use, using encrypted communication, or choosing digital literacy as a form of resistance.
Unpacking Surveillance Capitalism
Zuboff’s work is both sweeping and detailed, blending philosophy, economics, and technology criticism to explore how major tech companies — from Google to Facebook — have developed systems of surveillance that operate largely outside democratic oversight. Unlike earlier forms of capitalism, where companies competed for consumer demand, surveillance capitalism thrives on predicting and manipulating human behavior. The goal is no longer just to serve the user, but to know the user better than they know themselves — and profit from that knowledge.
The book raises unsettling questions: What happens when our private lives become data points in a vast corporate machine? Can democracy survive when so much power is concentrated in the hands of a few digital giants? Are we still free to choose, or are we being quietly nudged in directions we don’t fully understand?
Beyond the Book: Discussing Power, Privacy, and Digital Control
Our conversation was dynamic, reflective, and often deeply personal. We explored a range of topics beyond the book’s core arguments — including the real-world abuse of personal data by major tech corporations, and the way these practices can threaten not only individual privacy, but also the foundations of democratic society.
Participants raised concerns about how these systems are not only used to influence consumer habits, but also to shape political opinions and even mobilize — or demobilize — entire segments of the population. The Cambridge Analytica scandal and algorithmic echo chambers were just some of the examples that came up in the discussion.
We also talked about whether regulation is possible, and who — if anyone — is currently in a position to impose limits on these powerful actors. The European Union was highlighted as a global leader in data protection and digital rights enforcement, with laws like the GDPR offering at least a partial model for holding tech companies accountable.
The conversation was enriched by participants’ personal experiences: some shared stories about digital surveillance in their own lives, while others reflected on the small but meaningful ways they try to reclaim control — through encrypted communication, limiting social media use, or advocating for digital literacy in their communities.
EU4YOUTH2ACT Tools, Toolkit & Reflection
The Book Club session was complemented by hands-on exploration of the EU4YOUTH Interactive Platform and the mobile app. Participants tested these tools carefully, giving feedback on usability, youth-friendliness, and how well they could support civic engagement.
Crucially, we introduced and looked in depth at the EU4YOUTH Toolkit — a resource designed to help young people activate civic participation and access information about the European Union. Everyone agreed the Toolkit holds strong potential for supporting local youth initiatives by clarifying rights, opportunities, and responsibilities as EU citizens.
The book club sessions are organised within the project EU4YOUTH2ACT (2023-1-IT03-KA220-000154855), which is co-funded by the European Union.
