Selling and sub-priming the subject through stealth: Drawing digital divisions through tracking and trading

Prof. Beverley Skeggs will be drawing on an ESRC research project entitled “A Sociology of Values and Value”, which uses software to 'track the trackers', and examine the value process that is created

This is a free event however registration is required in advance. Refreshments will be available.

For the second seminar of the 'Law and Social Justice' seminar series, Prof. Beverley Skeggs will be drawing on an ESRC research project entitled “A Sociology of Values and Value” (ES/KO10786/1), which uses software to 'track the trackers' (in this case - Facebook), and examine the value process that is created as our data is scrutinised for sources of potential value. 

Are people aware that the personal data of some people is traded in milliseconds up to 70,000 times per day, whilst the data of others is remaindered (or simply sold in bulk onto debt agencies)? 

Does this matter? Is it possible to go below the radar of digital trackers? So far, the US Federal Trade Commission and the Belgian government have found it impossible, but is there any way to regulate the class, race and gender divisions that are drawn by data brokers? 

Working the tracking data though a close analysis of digital economics, Beverley will argue that Facebook is part of a new regime of capitalist accumulation, which just like previous regimes, finds ways of classifying and making class. Further, because this all happens behind our browser use, we currently have no idea how we are being classified, traded and sold. 

For further information about this project, see: https://values.doc.gold.ac.uk/

Professor Bev Skeggs worked at the Worcester College of Higher Education and the Universities of Keele, York, Lancaster and Manchester before joining the Department of Sociology at Goldsmiths. Bev worked in the areas of Women’s Studies and Cultural Studies as well as Sociology.

In July 2011, Bev became the joint managing editor of the journal The Sociological Review, a major journal which has just celebrated 100 years of shaping the field. Bev is incredibly proud to make a small intervention into its illustrious history.