Big Data, economic use of personal data and surveillance capitalism: studies from the global periphery

• Grant number: 17/21610-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: February 21, 2018
• End date: June 20, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Rafael de Almeida Evangelista
• Grantee: Rafael de Almeida Evangelista
• Host Investigator: David Lyon
• Host Institution: Núcleo de Desenvolvimento da Criatividade (NUDECRI). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Queen's University, Canada

Abstract

This research project deals with the interconnection between Big Data, surveillance and the economic use of personal data. The economic use of personal data is an important issue that demands further exploration both on sociological terms and as problem that demands public communication and social engagement. Several economic actors and international consultants treat the personal data market as promising and in expansion (SPIEKERMANN, S, 2015). The goal of this research project goal is to act on two fronts: it uses global and contemporary theory and research to reflect on the effects of technologies and social practices associated with Big Data on surveillance and democracy in peripheric countries; and it tries to draw informative strategies, to the general public and social movements, on the developments and recent debates related to Big Data and the surveillance capitalism. The economic use of personal data has a clear relevance in the contemporary world, but the debate in Brazil has been restricted only to the legal perspective and it is happening only in reaction to legislative propositions generated mainly by interested economic actors. We propose a focus on the political economy of personal data and in the specificity of the information technology industry in developing countries.