Surveillance Capitalism and the New Social Order: Rethinking Freedom in the Digital Age

Abstract

This study explores the rise of digital authoritarianism and its influence on weakening democratic principles within hybrid political systems. Through a comparative analysis of surveillance mechanisms in nations such as Turkey, Hungary, and India, the research demonstrates how governments increasingly exploit digital infrastructures to regulate information, monitor citizens, and marginalize opposition under the pretense of democratic governance. Employing a qualitative comparative approach, the study integrates insights from policy documents, human rights assessments, and interviews with experts in digital governance. The results indicate that state-led surveillance has evolved into a sophisticated tool of control, legitimized through legislation and reinforced by populist narratives. By revealing the intersection between technology, power, and civic freedoms, this research deepens our understanding of the transformation of political authority in the digital era and highlights urgent challenges for safeguarding democracy in technologically mediated societies.