The King of Norway gave him a gold medal for his research on how Google and Facebook use and abuse their data on us.
Why is your field of study important?
I study how big technology companies collect and use our personal information. This is important for two reasons.
First tech companies have more power over us than any other companies in history because they know every little detail about us. They use this power to nudge and push us into making the choices they want us to make and maximize their own profits with little regard for the impact on societies and individuals.
Second this access to detailed information about us has earned tech companies a lot of money. They have grown very big, and it is difficult for governments to keep track of what they do. This allows them manipulate markets by buying up and crippling competitors.