Surveillance societies are societies that function, in part, because of the extensive collection, recording, storage, analysis, and application of information on individuals and groups in those societies as they go about their lives. Living in a surveillance society is noted to pose a significant and lasting effect on the democratic process in the United States. Harvard Professor Shoshanna Zuboff has written extensively on the topic, even going as far as writing an opinion piece in the New York Times post-insurrection claiming that we cannot have democracy if we live in a surveillance society. As stated, Facebook is currently under scrutiny for their alleged role in the January 6th insurrection, and have single-handedly proven just how much power big tech has with the potential of destabilizing our democracy and altering our way of life.
