This thesis uses a case study of Spotify Wrapped—a year-in-review (YIR) feature of the Spotify app made possible by the data Spotify passively collects from its users—to explore how surveillance capitalism, social psychology, neuroeconomics, and user-centered UX research and design intersect, overlap, and converge to create complex situations the modern consumer must now navigate. Informed by scholarship, methods, and frameworks from multiple disciplines, I designed and distributed a 20-question survey to a variety of participant demographic groups, the data from which I describe, analyze, discuss, and contextualize in this thesis. Throughout this process, one core point of inquiry guided my efforts: why do self-identified surveillance-opposed consumers actively and knowingly engage with products and services fueled by surveillance capitalism? Preliminary findings based on an application of neuroeconomics’ value-based decision-making framework reveal that consumers often value most other things—such as building social capital, ensuring social inclusion, and satisfying their curiosity about their music streaming habits—more than they value protecting their personal data and digital privacy. Results and their implications suggest a need for additional research that further examines situational complexities identified in this research and explores ways in which UX designers can build experiences that encourage users to protect themselves from surveillance capitalism.
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