Erik Prince: Post-9/11 Security Concerns Birthed Modern Surveillance Capitalism
The search for terrorists in the aftermath of September 11th created an entire surveillance infrastructure that now tracks virtually every digital activity of American citizens, according to former Blackwater founder Erik Prince. This system, initially justified for national security, has evolved into what Prince characterizes as the pervasive surveillance capitalism ecosystem that powers today's tech economy.
End of Miles reports that Prince's insights come amid growing concerns about the fusion of government intelligence operations with commercial data harvesting techniques, which accelerated dramatically after 2001.
From Counter-Terrorism to Consumer Tracking
The technological architecture of modern digital surveillance originated from intelligence agencies' post-9/11 imperative to identify potential threats within vast datasets. "It grew out of 9/11 when the government was looking for a needle in a stack of needles, looking for people of terrorist profile," explains Prince. This initiative began with intelligence agencies purchasing "regular analog advertising data" before expanding into more sophisticated collection methods.
"They really started buying billions of dollars worth of that," Prince recounts. "And then smartphones come out and there's software development kits designed to go on your smartphone to maximize that data collection." Erik Prince
The former Navy SEAL officer and defense contractor describes how these software tools perform comprehensive tracking of user behavior: "Where you go, what you buy, who you call, what you browse—all that goes to advertisers so they can advertise to you. The government uses that to surveil the hell out of you as well."
The Always-On Tracking Ecosystem
Prince revealed technical details about smartphone data exfiltration that most consumers remain unaware of, describing how conventional devices operate as autonomous collection nodes. The businessman explained that standard smartphones contain a unique 32-digit alphanumeric advertising identifier that facilitates cross-application tracking.
"Your phone probably around 2 or 3 a.m. makes a 50 megabyte 'phone home' transmitting just like ET," Prince stated, referencing the automatic data transfers that occur while users sleep. Erik Prince
Prince emphasized that this collection continues despite user-enabled privacy settings. "Even if you say you're blocking location services on your iPhone or Google mobile, no—it's all being collected and exported," the security expert explained, highlighting the persistent telemetry capabilities engineered into mobile operating systems.
Reclaiming Digital Autonomy
The former military contractor's response to these surveillance capabilities was developing the Unplugged Phone, a device specifically engineered to sever connections with what he terms the "Google and Apple universe." The security-focused device implements aggressive data blocking at the system level to prevent the unauthorized collection and transmission of user information.
According to Prince, the device contains multiple technical countermeasures, including a "privacy center" that blocks ad trackers, unsecured Wi-Fi connections, and Bluetooth signals. The phone also incorporates more advanced security features like a hardware kill switch that physically disconnects the battery from electronic components.
"This is a phone for free people. It actually has a self-destruct feature. Someone says, 'Oh, Mr. Prince, give me your phone, I'm here to inspect it.' You can unlock it with a code and you hand them a brick—it's an instant hard reset." Erik Prince
The company has already sold its first 10,000 units in the United States and Canada, with European distribution planned by the end of summer, reflecting growing market demand for privacy-centric technology as awareness of surveillance capitalism expands.
Prince's observations highlight the complex evolution of digital surveillance systems from national security tools to commercial data extraction mechanisms that now form the backbone of the modern internet economy—a transformation that occurred largely without public debate or explicit consent from those being monitored.
