Advertising & surveillance capitalism w/ John August - EP144

<p>What does economics have to say about the huge amount of advertising directed at us everyday, much of it specifically targeted in this age of surveillance capitalism? Is it informative, manipulative, or something else? Should governments do anything about it and regulate advertisers and surveillance capitalists such as Google, Facebook, and other big tech companies? EP144 of Economics Explored features a frank and fearless conversation on advertising touching on surveillance capitalism with John August, Treasurer of the Pirate Party of Australia. </p><p><strong>About this episode’s guest – John August</strong></p><p>John August is the Treasurer of the Pirate Party Australia and a Fusion Party candidate for the electorate of Bennelong in the 2022 Australia federal election. John does computer support work in retail and shareholder communication. He is passionate about justice and ethics in our world, particularly as it plays out in law generally and intellectual property in particular. He has stood on behalf of the Pirate Party in the Federal seat of Bennelong and also as a Councillor for Ryde City Council.</p><p>Along with technology and law John is also interested in spoken word and poetry. He broadcasts on community radio and hosts the program “Roving Spotlight” on Tuesdays from noon-2pm on Radio Skid Row Marrickville Sydney, and writes about his ideas on the website www.johnaugust.com.au.</p><p><strong>Links relevant to the conversation</strong></p><p>Kyle Bagwell’s superb monograph on the economics of advertising:</p><p><a href="https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8TB1K1S/download" target="_blank">https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8TB1K1S/download</a></p><p>Talk on the Age of Distraction John mentions:</p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/age-of-distraction/6535850" target="_blank">https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/age-of-distraction/6535850</a></p><p><a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/advertising/policy.shtml" target="_blank">