The Death of Secrecy: How Social Media Data Became the New Currency

In this follow-up to The Spectacle Podcast episode Wednesday, The American Spectator publisher Melissa Mackenzie continues her exploration of what the internet has become, and what it’s doing to us. Once a place for connection and free exchange, social media has evolved into something far more sinister: a digital surveillance network. Melissa unpacks how user data, your posts, preferences, searches, and even private messages, is being harvested, sold, and accessed by powerful interests. The federal government and agencies like the FBI now monitor citizens through the very platforms they helped normalize. When it’s illegal to do so directly, they outsource the spying to foreign allies. Even outlets like The American Spectator have faced suppression, appearing on Google’s blacklist for their ideological leanings. On this episode of The Spectacle Podcast, host Melissa Mackenzie sounds the alarm on how social media has transformed from communication tool to surveillance weapon. She exposes the hidden partnerships between Big Tech and government agencies, revealing how Americans’ data fuels control, censorship, and political targeting. It’s a chilling continuation of last week’s episode, and a wake-up call for anyone who thinks they’re just “scrolling.” Tune in to hear her discussion!