The Age of Surveillance CapitalismThe Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Score Modern
What it's about
Shoshana Zuboff argues that companies like Google and Facebook have built a new kind of capitalism. They collect the data we leave behind online, predict what we'll do, and sell those predictions, and increasingly they try to shape our behavior to make the predictions come true. She describes how it happened and why it threatens freedom and democracy.
Why it's worth reading
The Guardian named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It gave a name to something many people sensed but couldn't describe.
You'll love it if you liked
Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI
Careless People
NexusGood to know
It's around 700 pages and written in a dense, academic style. Many readers read the first half and skim the rest.
By the numbers
- Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller28 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #48 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #69 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #636 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1197 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Practical
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Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
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Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedQuick answers
Is The Age of Surveillance Capitalism worth reading?
Yes. The Guardian named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #1,197 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Age of Surveillance Capitalism about?
Shoshana Zuboff argues that companies like Google and Facebook have built a new kind of capitalism. They collect the data we leave behind online, predict what we'll do, and sell those predictions, and increasingly they try to shape our behavior to make the predictions come true. She describes how it happened and why it threatens freedom and democracy.
How long does it take to read The Age of Surveillance Capitalism?
About 16 hours (640 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Age of Surveillance Capitalism?
If you liked it, try Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI by Karen Hao, Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams or Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari.