E-books are becoming tools of surveillance
Digital books have become a staple for many readers, with three out of ten Americans opting for electronic versions of their favorite reads. However, this shift to digital has brought with it concerns over privacy, as tech giants like Amazon, which dominates the e-reader market, are capable of tracking user data extensively. This data isn’t limited to reading habits; it spans across internet activity, and there’s currently no federal legislation to prevent such surveillance. The implications are particularly troubling for sensitive topics, where the data could potentially be used in a harmful manner.
The intersectionality of reader surveillance is alarming. A coalition of groups from various sectors recently urged lawmakers to investigate the control that tech and publishing companies have over digital book access. This is a critical move to safeguard the right to read privately. The concern is heightened by the efforts of some to track those seeking or supporting abortion services, which, in the absence of robust data privacy laws, puts individuals at risk of criminalization and violence.
Public libraries, traditionally champions of patron privacy, are caught in a tough spot. They are pressured to license digital books, which may contain spyware, due to legal challenges from Big Publishing. The situation is dire; without new laws or successful appeals against current legal rulings, libraries may be unable to offer digital books free from surveillance. This predicament is worsened by the lack of transparency in contracts between libraries and publishers, which often include non-disclosure agreements that prevent libraries from informing their patrons about potential privacy issues.
As we navigate through the era of artificial intelligence, where data analysis and profiling are becoming more sophisticated, the incentives for exploiting reader data are at an all-time high. It’s crucial for lawmakers to take immediate action to protect readers across the country, ensuring that our future of reading does not become a surveillance dystopia.
Source: E-books are fast becoming tools of corporate surveillance
