Dragnet - Nation: A Quest For Privacy, Security, ...

The danger that constant surveillance leads to "internalized" self-censorship, where individuals stop expressing unique thoughts for fear of being watched.

Angwin highlights harrowing real-world examples, such as: Dragnet Nation: A Quest for Privacy, Security, ...

Angwin defines a "dragnet" as a system that sweeps up information about everyone regardless of suspicion. Falling costs for data storage and massive increases in processing power have made it cheap for institutions to keep records on nearly every moment of our lives. Instances where school-issued laptops were used to spy

Instances where school-issued laptops were used to spy on students in their homes. The "Privacy Quest" Experiment A major part of the book follows Angwin’s

Data being used to sort and target individuals unfairly.

The book details how a "hidden alliance" of tech companies and government agencies—from the National Security Agency (NSA) to private data brokers—constantly tracks our locations, web browsing, and financial transactions.

A major part of the book follows Angwin’s year-long attempt to escape these dragnets. She tests various defensive strategies, including: