Kath Albury & Anthony McCosker 
Everyday Data Cultures 

The AI revolution can seem powerful and unstoppable, extracting data from every aspect of our lives and subjecting us to unprecedented surveillance and control. But at ground level, even the most advanced ‘smart’ technologies are not as all-powerful as either the tech companies or their critics would have us believe.

From gig worker activism to wellness tracking with sex toys and Tik Tokers’ manipulation of the algorithm, this book shows how ordinary people are negotiating the datafication of society. The book establishes a new theoretical framework for understanding everyday experiences of data and automation, and offers guidance on the ethical responsibilities we share as we learn to live together with data-driven machines.

Everyday Data Cultures is essential reading for students and researchers in digital media and communication, as well as for anyone interested in the role of data and AI in society.

Table of Content

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction

2. The Everyday Data Cultures Framework

3. Everyday Data Intimacies

4. Everyday Data Literacies

5. Everyday Data Publics

6. Conclusion

Notes

References

Index

About the author

Jean Burgess is Professor of Digital Media at Queensland University of Technology.
Kath Albury is Professor of Media and Communication at Swinburne University of Technology.
Anthony Mc Cosker is Professor of Media and Communication at Swinburne University of Technology.
Rowan Wilken is Principal Research Fellow in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University.