The Algorithm: The Subtle Enemy of our Society

The thesis deals with the topic of the algorithm used by the big tech companies, such as google, facebook and twitter, to gather personal data and use them as a source of gain by targeting advertisments. The thesis will evolve around the concept of surveillance capitalism, trying to clearify the position of the big tech companies in the modern world, and the role of consumers in this panorama. Later on, some psychological aspects will be studied, as the new machine of digital capitalism exploit the biases and the tendencies to experience immediate relief (by scrolling and consuming goods) typical of humankind. Finally, a new way of tackling this system is proposed, called "Disconnection", in which the population is invited to reconsider their habits in the matter of internet usage and sharing of contents. Alongside the theoretical background, a research is proposed, through collection of primary data, to dig into the topic of digital behaviour.