New Media, New Data and a Dark Foreboding: Surveillance as Observation, Simulation and Weapon

The last two decades have seen major changes in surveillance practices; there has been a shift in focus from state power and control to big tech corporations and monetisation. What we are currently witnessing is yet another shift, which is establishing surveillance practices as a means of hybrid warfare. Surveillance can be used as a weapon, and not just in military contexts. The AI-driven vision of accessing what people think and feel might seem harmless in comparison, but it may turn out to be a much more powerful sword.