A major part of the book follows Angwin’s year-long attempt to escape these dragnets. She tests various defensive strategies, including:

Data being used to sort and target individuals unfairly.

Instances where school-issued laptops were used to spy on students in their homes. The "Privacy Quest" Experiment

The danger that constant surveillance leads to "internalized" self-censorship, where individuals stop expressing unique thoughts for fear of being watched.

The book details how a "hidden alliance" of tech companies and government agencies—from the National Security Agency (NSA) to private data brokers—constantly tracks our locations, web browsing, and financial transactions.

Angwin highlights harrowing real-world examples, such as:

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