A major part of the book follows Angwin’s year-long attempt to escape these dragnets. She tests various defensive strategies, including:
Data being used to sort and target individuals unfairly. Dragnet Nation: A Quest for Privacy, Security, ...
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
Instances where school-issued laptops were used to spy on students in their homes. The "Privacy Quest" Experiment 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:
