Defining Reactive Opportunism: An Exploration of the Social Phenomenology of Spotify Wrapped Amidst Growing Digital Privacy Concerns

As public awareness of economic surveillance and online data privacy insecurity increase, interesting changes to trends in user behavior and attitudes begin to emerge. One such phenomenon is that of resigned pragmatism, which describes user's tendencies to accept the collection and capitalistic use of their personal information as the cost of interacting with online platforms such as social media. However, resigned pragmatism does not explain users’ observed propensity for excitement associated with the collection, use, and analysis of their personal data. In an effort to define and examine this subsequent phenomenon, the concept of reactive opportunism is presented and supported here via interdisciplinary theoretical exploration rooted in a case study of Spotify Wrapped. Findings and discussion thereof provide new insights into user mentalities and behavior beneficial to interface and experience designers in their endeavors to ethically connect with digital audiences in the age of economic surveillance.