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Smiley-faced monopolists

For Facebook, Amazon and Google, we have traded our privacy for something we find useful and put on hold our support for ethical shopping in exchange for the ease of low (or no) price and almost-instant gratification. This month's magazine looks at just how far down the line we are and asks how deeply exploitative and anti-democratic is this new ‘surveillance capitalism’ under which we now live. This month’s contributors include security expert Bruce Schneier, psychologist Robert Epstein and engineer and software activist Prabir Purkayastha.

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Included in this issue

Beating the digital titans

You can take action at a practical and technological level – and a political one.

South Africa: dying for justice

South Africa: dying for justice

South Africa’s High Court recently ruled that 27,000 goldminers with silicosis, an incurable lung disease, could colle

Helping in two clicks: how digital technology is making INGOs irrelevant

Why bother with aid agencies? To ‘do good’ all you need is a phone and Google Maps. Amy Hall takes a closer look at the rising...

No, Mr Zuckerberg: India's fight for freedom against Facebook

Few can resist the tech titans. Prabir Purkayastha tells the story of Indians who went into battle against Facebook, for freedom...

Mixed Media: Music

Louise Gray's pick of the latest releases.

Can search engine rankings swing elections?

Research psychologist Robert Epstein on how the new technologies invisibly shape public opinion – and what we must do about it.

I spy with my little algorithm

Everybody wants your private data. Bruce Schneier on how surveillance has become the business model of the internet.

FACTS – Internet giants

This month's fact spread presents details about the internet and the corporate giants who monopolize it.

Open Window July 2016

This month's guest cartoonist is Payam Boromand from Iran.

Mixed Media: Books

Our pick of the recent releases.

Smiley-faced monopolists: how Google, Facebook and Amazon won the world

Does it matter that these titans are so successful? Vanessa Baird examines what their domination means for all of us.

HotDocs Festival - Film review special

Richard Swift reviews some of the best offerings at the world's largest documentary film festival.

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